The Role of Intellectual Property Policy in Creating a Global Sustainable Energy Infrastructure

This article examines the role of national and transnational intellectual property policy on the development of a global sustainable energy infrastructure. A review of current intellectual property policy for selected jurisdictions is presented. The issues of patent pools, open source development, and government intervention are all explored. The author finds that thought leadership on the issue is lacking and current government policies are not designed to support the requirements of a transition to sustainable energy. National policies may be inconsistent or completely absent. Furthermore, one nation's policies can work at cross-purposes to other nations' policies. A coherent policy outline is required for the timely development of the transition to global sustainable energy. The author presents the components of such a policy.