Clean tech law
Encyclopedia
Clean Tech Law contemplates a diverse set of legal and policy issues related to the development and commercialization of clean technology
. These issues range from conventional natural resources
law to cutting-edge intellectual property
issues related to synthetic genomics
and advanced materials. Clean tech law could also address issues and conflicts surrounding the placement of such technologies (e.g., glare from solar panels).
. The abbreviated use of the term first appeared on October 10, 1990 in the Xinhua General News Service.. Now, clean tech, is generally considered to include multiple advanced technologies in four economic sectors: energy
, water
, materials, and transportation. These technologies break down in the following categories:
, pollution
, and other frontiers in the fight against climate change
and protection of natural resources, and the creation of green jobs. In addition, the basic economics are inseparable from substantive social and ethical issues posed by these emerging technologies. The more traditional legal areas of clean technology
law include intellectual property
, patent law, licensing, litigation, and federal and state legislative, landluse landuse and regulatory issues.
Clean technology
Clean technology includes recycling, renewable energy , information technology, green transportation, electric motors, green chemistry, lighting, Greywater, and many other appliances that are now more energy efficient. It is a means to create electricity and fuels, with a smaller environmental...
. These issues range from conventional natural resources
Natural Resources
Natural Resources is a soul album released by Motown girl group Martha Reeves and the Vandellas in 1970 on the Gordy label. The album is significant for the Vietnam War ballad "I Should Be Proud" and the slow jam, "Love Guess Who"...
law to cutting-edge intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
issues related to synthetic genomics
Synthetic genomics
Synthetic genomics is a nascent field of synthetic biology that uses aspects of genetic modification on pre-existing life forms with the intent of producing some product or desired behavior on the part of the life form so created....
and advanced materials. Clean tech law could also address issues and conflicts surrounding the placement of such technologies (e.g., glare from solar panels).
History
The term clean tech, or cleantech, is short for clean technologyClean technology
Clean technology includes recycling, renewable energy , information technology, green transportation, electric motors, green chemistry, lighting, Greywater, and many other appliances that are now more energy efficient. It is a means to create electricity and fuels, with a smaller environmental...
. The abbreviated use of the term first appeared on October 10, 1990 in the Xinhua General News Service.. Now, clean tech, is generally considered to include multiple advanced technologies in four economic sectors: energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
, water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, materials, and transportation. These technologies break down in the following categories:
- Energy Generation
- Energy Storage
- Energy Infrastructure
- Energy Efficiency
- Transportation
- Water & Wastewater
- Air & Environment
- Materials
- Manufacturing/Industrial
- Agriculture
- Recycling & Waste
Basic issues
As a discrete legal field, clean tech law is in its infancy and so vaguely defined that it focuses as much on more familiar areas like liability and ownership as it does business models and corporate strategies. The transactional side of clean tech law revolved around development and commercializing of new technologies in renewable energyRenewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
, pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
, and other frontiers in the fight against climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
and protection of natural resources, and the creation of green jobs. In addition, the basic economics are inseparable from substantive social and ethical issues posed by these emerging technologies. The more traditional legal areas of clean technology
Clean technology
Clean technology includes recycling, renewable energy , information technology, green transportation, electric motors, green chemistry, lighting, Greywater, and many other appliances that are now more energy efficient. It is a means to create electricity and fuels, with a smaller environmental...
law include intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
, patent law, licensing, litigation, and federal and state legislative, landluse landuse and regulatory issues.
See also
- Intellectual propertyIntellectual propertyIntellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
- Clean technologyClean technologyClean technology includes recycling, renewable energy , information technology, green transportation, electric motors, green chemistry, lighting, Greywater, and many other appliances that are now more energy efficient. It is a means to create electricity and fuels, with a smaller environmental...
- Environmental sustainability
- Patent law
- Renewable energyRenewable energyRenewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
- Climate changeClimate changeClimate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
- Land use law
- Renewable energy lawRenewable energy lawRenewable Energy Law is a part of energy law, and relates primarily to the transactional legal and policy issues that surround the development, implementation and commercialization of renewable sources energy, namely solar, wind, geothermal and tidal...