The U.S. US PTO announced¹ this week an expansion and extension of the Green Technology Pilot Program². Eligibility is expanded to include applications filed on or after December 8, 2009, and the duration of the pilot program is extended until December 31, 2011. The program, however, will be capped at the first 3,000 grantable petitions. As of November 2, 2010, 790 petitions had been granted.

These changes will permit more applications to qualify for the Pilot Program, thereby allowing more inventions related to green technologies to be advanced out of turn for examination and review earlier. Since implementation on December 8, 2009, 94 patents have issued under the Pilot Program.

External Links:

^₁ USPTO announcement

² The Green Technology Pilot Program at U.S. PTO

Information Source Footnote:

The SKGF Clean Tech Industry Group can advise on whether companies should consider this procedure for currently pending "green" technology non-provisional applications. Staff active in this space are:
David K.S. Cornwell
Peter A. Jackman
Michael V. Messinger