The power industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by the need for more sustainable energy sources and a reduction in reliance on fossil fuels, and growing importance of technologies such as solar energy, electric vehicles (EVs) and related infrastructure]. 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 Environment Sustainability in Power: Solar-powered charging stations.
However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
90+ innovations will shape the power industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the power industry using innovation intensity models built on over 83,000 patents, there are 90+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, smart lighting system, PCM thermal energy storage, and solid electrolyte fuel cell membrane are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Ceramic oxide nuclear fuel, geothermal heat pumps, and hybrid PV plants are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are combined-cycle gas turbines and ethylene co-polymer PV modules, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for environmental sustainability in the power industry
Solar-powered charging stations is a key innovation area in environmental sustainability
Solar-powered charging stations are the most reliable way to charge any electric car with solar energy, which ensures enough charge to the owner of the electric vehicle until he/she reaches home and fully recharges the electric vehicle.
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 solar-powered charging stations.
Key players in solar-powered charging stations – 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 solar-powered charging stations
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Hitachi, Schneider Electric and Delta Electronics are among the key patent filers in electric vehicle charging systems. Hitachi has announced a sustainable mobility partnership with Clever to ensure Denmark's EV adoption is powered by 24/7 renewable electricity with advanced energy management and optimisation solutions, underpinned with industrial-scale energy storage. Delta recently announced its new EV charging management system, DeltaGrid® EVM, an innovative platform featuring artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and seamless integration with energy infrastructure (solar energy and energy storage).
Other key patent filers in the EV charging industry include Fronius International and Positec Power Tools (Suzhou).
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the power industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Power.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Get industry leading news, data and analysis delivered to your inbox
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.
