“The United States Patent and Trademark Office is Going Green,” Keith J. Marcinowski, Ph.D., Patent Agent

On December 8, 2009, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) implemented the Green Technology Pilot Program. In this program, patent applications pertaining to environmental quality, energy conservation, development of renewable energy, or greenhouse gas emission reduction, will be advanced out of turn for examination if a petition to make special under this program is filed accordingly. The USPTO will accept the first 3,000 petitions to make special in previously filed applications that have not yet been examined.