The power industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by grid security, reduced peak loads, lower operational costs and increased integration of renewables, and growing importance of technologies such as smart grids and battery energy storage systems (BESS). In the last three years alone, there have been over 439,000 patents filed and granted in the power industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Robotics in Power: Renewable energy integrated microgrids. Buy the report here.

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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 83,000 patents to analyse innovation intensity for the power industry, there are 90+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.

Renewable energy integrated microgrids is a key innovation area in robotics

Renewable energy integrated microgrids deliver efficient, low-cost, clean energy and improve the operation and stability of the regional grid. Their function is to strengthen grid resilience, mitigate grid disturbance, and act as grid resource for faster response and recovery through deployment of renewable energy resources.

GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies.  According to GlobalData, there are 30+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established power companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of renewable energy integrated microgrids.

Key players in renewable energy integrated microgrids – a disruptive innovation in the power industry

‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.

‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.

Patent volumes related to renewable energy integrated microgrids

Company Total patents (2021 - 2023) Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Panasonic 61 Unlock Company Profile
Wobben Properties 42 Unlock Company Profile
Sony Group 42 Unlock Company Profile
Kyocera 35 Unlock Company Profile
Mitsubishi Electric 32 Unlock Company Profile
Robert Bosch Stiftung 28 Unlock Company Profile
Johnson Controls International 24 Unlock Company Profile
Sekisui Chemical 24 Unlock Company Profile
Sunverge Energy 18 Unlock Company Profile
State Grid Corporation of China 16 Unlock Company Profile
Paloma Industries 15 Unlock Company Profile
LG 14 Unlock Company Profile
Siemens 13 Unlock Company Profile
Sofibol SCA 13 Unlock Company Profile
Murata Manufacturing 12 Unlock Company Profile
Tesla 12 Unlock Company Profile
AMETEK 12 Unlock Company Profile
Lt Lighting Taiwan 11 Unlock Company Profile
Omron 11 Unlock Company Profile
Denso 11 Unlock Company Profile
Gree Electric Appliances of Zhuhai 10 Unlock Company Profile
South East Water 10 Unlock Company Profile
Willdan Group 10 Unlock Company Profile
E.ON 9 Unlock Company Profile
Smardt Chiller Group 8 Unlock Company Profile
HPS Home Power Solutions 8 Unlock Company Profile
Hitachi 8 Unlock Company Profile
Eaton 8 Unlock Company Profile
Acciona 8 Unlock Company Profile
Chugoku Electric Power 8 Unlock Company Profile
Honda Motor 7 Unlock Company Profile
Twenty First Century Utilities 6 Unlock Company Profile
Kawasaki Heavy Industries 6 Unlock Company Profile
NantEnergy 6 Unlock Company Profile
Korea Electric Power 5 Unlock Company Profile
Orison 5 Unlock Company Profile
Chung-Hsin Electric and Machinery Manufacturing 5 Unlock Company Profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

Leading patent filers are Mitsubishi Electric and Siemens. In August 2022, Mitsubishi Electric was selected by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) for the supply of battery storage to four microgrids in its service area. The microgrid BESS projects has a total capacity of 39MW/ 180MWh, deployed across the four sites in San Diego in the communities of Elliot, Clairemont, Paradise, and Boulevard. Meanwhile, Siemens' product SICAM A8000 series is a modular device range for telecontrol and automation applications in all areas of energy supply including reliable control of microgrids.

In November 2021, Acciona and Schneider Electric developed the first industrial microgrid in Spain. The microgrid combines the production of renewable energy on site, battery storage and charging points for electric vehicles to achieve maximum autonomy and optimise consumption in the grid.

To further understand how robotics is disrupting the power industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Robotics in Power (2021).

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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.

GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.