IRENA sets up renewable energy patents and standards platform

IRENA has launched a platform that offers access to 2 million patents and 400 standards for renewable energy technology.

The International Standards and Patents in Renewable Energy platform, also known as INSPIRE, aims to help users search through, locate and analyse 400 international standards and more than 2 million patents for renewable energy technology, IRENA’s press release reads.

The collaboration between International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has enabled the platform to have multiple functionalities.

The standards section enables users to search through a database of more than 400 internationally used standards and generate reports as needed.

It also explains what standards are, how they can be used and why they are important for quality assurance, investor confidence and technology trading.

The patents section houses global patent database for carbon mitigation technologies, the EPO’s PATSTAT, which contains nearly 2 million patent documents, it is stated in IRENA’s press release.

Adnan Amin, IRENA’s General Director, said: “The INSPIRE platform provides a strategic window into the innovation and growth taking place in the renewable energy sector. It consolidates vast collections of renewable energy patents and standards, which can foster collaboration between innovators, spur improvement through product comparison and help identify partners by matching domestic energy needs to innovative energy solutions.”

According to IRENA, the platform enables users to perform metadata analysis of technology trends, comparing development within, or between, different technologies.

IEC General Secretary and CEO Frans Vreeswijk said: “By linking the technical information in IEC International Standards to practical applications in renewable energy, INSPIRE will be a precious resource for energy regulators. It will assist policy makers in finding relevant international standards faster and more efficiently. It will also help educate stakeholders about the strategic role of international standards and conformity assessment for the cost-efficient expansion of renewable energy generation.”

IRENA is an intergovernmental organization made up from 140 members (139 states and the European Union) that promotes the adoption and sustainable use of renewable energy.

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Images: IRENA