Legal issues facing renewable-energy projects were on the agenda when Aberdeen City and Shire’s leading renewables industry body hosted its first members’ business breakfast yesterday.
Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (Areg) brought together industry experts at the meeting.
Areg chief operating officer Morag McCorkindale said: “As the creation of innovative technologies increases, it is important not only to develop new solutions but also to protect the resulting intellectual property (IP) because these developments are the source of competitive advantage, new business and income.”
Craig Watson, a partner at patent and trademark attorney Harrison Goddard Foote, spoke about what can and cannot be patented, identifying inventions and assessment, selection and protection of these assets.
He said: “With so many patents coming out of the renewable industry, there have been a great number of new developments; many of which make the whole process of patenting cheaper and quicker as well as the recently introduced 10% corporation tax for companies with patents in place.”
Jamie Allan, director of patents at Murgitroyd and Co – which provides specialist IP protection advice – discussed trademark and design intellectual-property issues facing renewable-energy companies, looking at how these affect businesses and how they can be used to their advantage.
The presentation contrasted trademark and design protection with patents, setting out why companies should consider these complementary forms of protection, and what to do to avoid conflict with competitors’ rights.
Andrew Allan-Jones, a partner at law firm Bond Pearce, outlined how companies can make IP work, covering practical approaches to defending intellectual investment.
He said: “For renewables businesses, managing IP risk effectively is a key factor for business growth, avoiding ‘bet-the-company’ disputes and a way to encourage investment.”
Areg is a private-public partnership, which has more than 170 members.
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