 Twelve companies recognized for their efforts to develop and promote green energy technologies Winners of the USPTO's 2024 Patents for Humanity and inaugural Trademarks for Humanity competitions are using their intellectual property to meet environmental and climate change challenges WASHINGTON – The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced the recipients of the 2024 Trademarks for Humanity and the Patents for Humanity awards. These two USPTO competitions highlight innovators and brand owners who are using intellectual property to address environmental and climate change challenges. The winners were recognized at a ceremony held today in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Department of Commerce. "At the Department of Commerce, we are committed to supporting the groundbreaking work of the inventors and companies who are creating solutions to climate change and the global energy challenges of the future," said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. "Today's award recipients are a testament to the strength of American ingenuity and our ability to solve even the most challenging problems our country faces." "Both the Trademarks for Humanity and Patents for Humanity competitions celebrate the pivotal role that intellectual property plays in meeting some of society's greatest challenges," said Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. "I'm honored to announce this year's award recipients, and I congratulate these passionate pioneers for their dedication and the tremendous work they are doing to address climate change and improve the environment for the health and safety of present and future generations." "The climate crisis poses a clear and existential threat that we must face—which is why I'm glad these solutions are being put into action to confront it head on. These businesses, including Pirl, a Maryland-based company developing innovative electric vehicle chargers, are demonstrating the power of American ingenuity at work," said U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). This is the inaugural awarding of the Trademarks for Humanity award and the fifth awarding of the Patents for Humanity award. Both awards highlight businesses that are finding unique and creative ways to reach underserved markets. Their stories show that humanitarian engagement is compatible with business interests and strong intellectual property protections, and that companies can effectively contribute to global good while maintaining commercial markets. USPTO's 2024 Trademarks for Humanity: Environment award recipients are as follows:  | | Olaunu (San Clemente, CA) provides stormwater water resources, and coastal zone management consulting services to improve water quality in the ocean and waterways and improve water resources and access to clean water while protecting the natural environment. Trademark: OLAUNU® |  | | Genmoji (San Juan, PR) develops, manufactures, and installs renewable energy and artificial wind energy recycling technologies and AI Software focused on sustainability, efficiency, and significant drops in greenhouse emissions for communities that face ongoing challenges with traditional energy infrastructure, particularly in the aftermath of major natural disasters. Trademark: GENMOJI® |  | | World Centric (Rohnert Park, CA) World Centric offers over 400 plant-based compostable products, including cutlery, plates, bowls, cups, trays, to-go containers, and lawn bags, designed to reduce environmental impact. As a company dedicated to using business as a force for good, it donates 25% of its profits to grassroots initiatives that empower communities and drive sustainable change. Trademark: World Centric® |  | | Mark owner YKK AP America Inc. (Atlanta, GA) has expanded its commitment to environmental sustainability in its external-facing products and its internal manufacturing processes, and provides energy-efficient aluminum building materials, including doors, windows, entrances, storefronts, sun shades, and curtainwalls. Trademark: ENERGFACADE® | USPTO's 2024 Patents for Humanity: Green Energy award recipients, by technology category, are as follows: Hydropower  | | Emrgy (Atlanta, GA), for developing a hydrokinetic technology through innovative hardware and software systems that enable distributed renewable power generation, transforming non-powered water conveyance infrastructure into clean energy sources. |  | | Hydrokinetic Energy Corp. (Key West, FL), for developing hydrokinetic turbines for use in renewable sources with flowing water, including ocean, tidal, and river currents using a unique Flow Acceleration Technology. |  | | Natel Energy (Alameda, CA), for developing FishSafe Restoration Hydro Turbine (RHT) - high-performance hydro-turbine runners that enable fish to pass through a turbine safely, preserving biodiversity while generating reliable, renewable energy. | Solar  | | SpecMat (Warren, OH), for developing an innovative technology, called the Room Temperature Wet Chemistry Growth (RTWCG) process, which allows for solar cell production to be streamlined. It increases throughput by 40%, eliminates hot processes, uses less electricity, and delivers higher efficiency over traditional technologies. | Wind  | | Wind Harvest International, Inc. (Davis, CA), for developing new, utility-scale wind turbines to use in mid-level wind resources that are too turbulent for traditional horizontal axis wind turbines including the understories of the windiest wind farms around the world and in other places the large turbines cannot go. | Hydrogen  | | ZeroAvia, Inc. (Hollister, CA), for developing scalable hydrogen and electric propulsion technologies to drastically reduce environmental harm and lower costs compared to traditional aviation powertrains. | Biofuels  | | University of South Florida: T2CE Biofuels (Tampa, FL), for developing a way to convert everyday waste material—such as household garbage, solid waste, agricultural waste, and sewage—into diesel, marine, and aviation fuel. | Other  | | Pirl (Rockville, MD), for developing a next generation EV charger that is comprised of easily accessible and removal internal parts, thus lowering the cost of maintenance, increasing uptime, and generating less e-waste. | ______________________________________________________________________________ About the Trademarks for Humanity awards competition
The USPTO's Trademarks for Humanity awards competition was announced in 2023 as a way of recognizing brand owners who are harnessing the power of trademarks to help solve humanitarian challenges. The inaugural competition focused on the environment. It was open to any brand owner that holds, and uses in commerce, a federally registered trademark. Submissions were evaluated on the basis of the applicant's environmental focus and the impact of its products, services, or business practices, as well as how their trademark relates to—or is associated with—the environment. About the Patents for Humanity awards competition
The Patents for Humanity: Green Energy was a global competition announced by the USPTO in March 2023 as part of its Patent for Humanity Awards Program. It was open to all patent owners, patent applicants, and patent licensees. Submissions were evaluated on the effectiveness of their technology to address climate change and how those contributions made improvements over traditional energy sources. |
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