Latin America&Caribbean Energy Transition 2025

Energy transition goals: Renewable energy scale-up. Industrial competitiveness. Problem description: In the 2000s, Brazil faced a surge in patent filings that created severe backlogs. Clean technology approvals were delayed for years, stalling investment, slowing R&D cycles and discouraging commercialization of green innovations – undermining energy transition goals and industrial competitiveness. Solution description: In 2012, Brazil’s National Institute of Intellectual Property (INPI) launched a “green patent” fast-track programme, cutting approval times from 43 to nine months. Lower costs, regulatory flexibility and a dedicated label encouraged clean tech uptake, with a large share of patents geared towards biofuels. Public, private and international actors collaborated to accelerate innovation and commercialization. Enablers used: Regulation and political commitment: Strong institutional support from INPI; long-term planning certainty, regulatory flexibility and reduced cost to incentivize investment and innovation. Innovation: Branding benefitting from the “green patent” label to enhance market visibility and adoption of sustainable technologies. Stakeholders involved: –National Institute of Intellectual Property (INPI). –Brazilian and international clean tech innovators. –Investors and venture capital firms. –United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and international IP networks. Outcomes achieved: –Renewable energy scale-up by incentivizing technologies that diversify beyond hydro (e.g. biofuels), with more than 870 green patent applications filed by 2020, thousands more until 2024. –Investment certainty and faster commercialization of clean technologies by reduction of average processing time from 43 months to nine. Exportable lessons: –Streamlined IP frameworks accelerate innovation: Fast-track patenting reduces barriers and provides certainty for investors and developers. –Branding mechanisms matter: The green patent label boosted visibility and market adoption of sustainable technologies. –Institutional commitment drives momentum: Strong support from IP authorities and international cooperation is crucial for scaling clean tech ecosystems.CASE STUDY 3 Fast-track process for patenting clean energy technologies in Brazil (2012-ongoing)52 Energy Transition Readiness: Latin America and the Caribbean 24