A new study analyzes the effect of the fast track patent procedure created by a number of patent offices. The reason for wanting to get green technologies faster through the patent system is to increase the incentive to patent green inventions and to maximize diffusion of knowledge while keeping the commercial incentive.
On the positive side the study shows that the fast track system works – reducing time to grant by up to 75%. Furthermore fast-track patents are of higher commercial value than other green patents that were filed at the same time but did not request accelerated examination. Finally, the analysis of patent citation data shows that fast-tracking programmes have accelerated the diffusion of knowledge in green  technologies.
On the negative side the study show that use of the fast track system is relatively low.
The type of technologies patented under this system varies from office to office. In the US Wind, Transport and Solar are the top 3. In the UK and Israel the top 3 is Energy Saving, Transport and Water.