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1、Patents for enhanced electricity gridsA global trend analysis of innovation in physical and smart gridsDecember 2024PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|02Forewords As recently emphasised in Mario Draghis landmark report,taking the lead in new clean technologies and accelerating the energy

2、transition away from fossil fuels are key conditions for Europe to secure the competitiveness of its economy.Significant progress has already been achieved:Europe is producing record levels of renewable energy,and electricity-powered vehicles or heat pumps are being deployed on a continental scale.T

3、hese trends make it ever more urgent to also invest in smarter and more flexible transmission and distribution networks that can effectively balance the growing demand for power with new,variable sources of energy.In this context,producing reliable intelligence on available technology options relate

4、d to innovation trends is key for supporting robust business and policy decisions.This is also part of the EPOs strategic commitment to sustainability.This study the fourth of its kind undertaken in collaboration with the IEA since 2020 addresses innovation trends in power grids.Combining the energy

5、 expertise of the IEA with the EPOs patent knowledge,it highlights specifically the disruptive impact of digital technologies in that field,and the deep transformations taking place in a century-old industry as a result.Because patent information is the earliest possible signal of industrial innovat

6、ion,this report offers a unique source of intelligence on a complex and fast-moving technology landscape that is reaching new heights of strategic importance to decision-makers around the world.Patent protection is key for innovators to transform research into market-ready inventions.Patents enable

7、enterprises and universities to reap the rewards of their creativity and hard work.As the patent office for Europe,the EPO provides high-quality patents to protect innovations in up to 45 countries(including all EU member states).European patents are not only for large multinational companies.They a

8、re also key to helping small businesses raise funding,establish collaborations and eventually scale.The study is a guide for policymakers,regulators and operators to anticipate technological change,assess their comparative advantage in different segments of the power distribution industry,and direct

9、 resources towards promising options.Drawing on the EPOs uniquely curated and consolidated evidence base,it introduces novel patent data search strategies to assess the modernisation dynamics affecting the components and architecture of energy infrastructure,including its physical and smart dimensio

10、ns.It sheds light on the pathways opening up to innovative companies and the research sector as they contribute to long-term sustainable growth.It benefited from the support of twelve patent offices involved in the energy transition activities of the EPOs Observatory,namely Austria,Bosnia and Herzeg

11、ovina,the Czech Republic,Finland,Italy,Latvia,Lithuania,Monaco,Netherlands,Spain,Sweden,and Trkiye.The results reveal a dramatic acceleration of innovation in grids technologies in the last fifteen years,paving the way for a new age of power networks,capable of seamlessly sensing and managing myriad

12、s of electrical devices.They also highlight the major contribution of Europe to this transformation,thus underlying the opportunity for energy transitions within European industries startups and large companies alike.Importantly,this report also reminds us all of the competitive nature of innovation

13、 in clean technologies:the global race for smarter grid technologies is on,and has even accelerated in recent years thanks to the increased impact of artificial intelligence and smart EV charging.By giving decision-makers an unparalleled perspective over patenting trends,these findings provide a val

14、uable map for our transition to a new energy system.Antnio Campinos President,European Patent OfficeTable of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|03Grids have been the backbone of electricity systems for more than a century,underpinning economic acti

15、vity by bringing power to homes,industry and services.The role of electricity is becoming even more prominent,and the International Energy Agency(IEA)has made it clear that the future of the global energy system is increasingly electric.In energy history,weve witnessed the Age of Coal and the Age of

16、 Oil and were now moving towards the Age of Electricity.This makes the expansion of power infrastructure even more important for continued societal and economic development.Without adequate electricity networks to deliver new power supply to centres of demand,economic activity could be stymied while

17、 the most vulnerable in society are likely to be the worst affected.Energy access in emerging and developing economies could stall,and the integration of new energy sources would likely become more costly and complex.Ensuring the worlds grids are fit-for-purpose requires not only building new lines

18、but also refurbishing and upgrading existing networks to make the most of the infrastructure already in place.Interconnected electricity grids bring benefits for consumers and are fundamental to energy security.It has been estimated that cross-border electricity trade in Europe delivers economic ben

19、efits of around EUR 34 billion per year.Following Russias full-scale invasion in 2022,Ukraines electricity grid was interconnected with the continental European system in record time and,by summer 2024,exports from Europe met nearly one-fifth of Ukraines peak power supplies.In April 2025,the issue o

20、f electricity grids and secure power supplies will be on the agenda at the International Summit on the Future of Energy Security convened by the IEA and hosted in London by the Government of the United Kingdom.New approaches to the expansion and refurbishment of electricity grids can contribute to n

21、ational competitiveness,a pertinent policy priority for many countries following a global energy crisis and a period of high prices.Technology innovation is at the heart of this challenge.The world will continue to rely on innovators to drive forward the pace of progress to resolve a range of emergi

22、ng challenges,including integrating greater shares of variable renewable energy such as wind and solar,and improving demand-side management measures to ensure consumers play their part.Governments have a critical role in supporting innovation and encouraging grid operators to implement the latest so

23、lutions.Many countries are now seeking to foster manufacturing of clean energy technologies and stimulate domestic demand.To date,these have largely focused on products including solar PV,wind turbines,batteries,electric vehicles,electrolysers and heat pumps.But this report shows that competition fo

24、r leadership in electricity grid innovation is also intensifying,with a strong case for expanding industrial strategies to encompass grid-related technologies.This study,which is another example of the strong partnership between the IEA and the European Patent Office(EPO),is the most comprehensive a

25、nalysis of patenting trends across electricity grid technologies.Such an integrated approach that looks at physical grid technologies,smart grid technologies and the increasing overlaps between them is essential for understanding progress towards tackling the challenges faced in advanced and emergin

26、g economies alike.The report findings give us confidence that innovators around the world are responding to the new challenges facing electricity grids,and to the economic opportunity this represents.But the report also identifies areas where some regions risk losing their technological leadership o

27、r where more effort is required.Our continued co-operation with the EPO will allow us to track this progress going forward.Dr Fatih BirolExecutive Director,International Energy Agency Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|04Table of contentsF

28、orewords 2List of tables and figures 5List of abbreviations 7List of countries,territories and economies 8Executive summary 101.Introduction 171.1.The importance of electricity grids for clean energy transitions.171.2.Electricity grids face new challenges.171.3.Challenge 1:expanding and enhancing ph

29、ysical connections.181.4.Challenge 2:making grid operations more flexible and bidirectional.241.5.Challenge 3:protecting people,data and the environment.261.6.Structure of the report.272.Patents for electricity grids:an overview 312.1.General patenting trends.312.2.Geography of electricity grid inno

30、vation.332.3.Applicant profiles.363.Physical grids and stationary storage 403.1.Main patenting trends in physical grid technology.403.2.Recent trends in stationary storage technologies.534.Smart grids 574.1.Main patenting trends in smart grid technologies.574.2.Recent trends in smart EV charging.64A

31、NNEX 1:Terms of use 70References 71Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|05List of tables and figuresTables Table 1.3.1 Technologies that can help address the challenge of expanding and enhancing physical connections 23Table 1.4.1 Technologie

32、s that can help address the challenge of making grid operations more flexible and bidirectional 25Table 1.5.1 Technologies that can help address the challenge of protecting people,data and the environment 27Table 2.2.1 Revealed technology advantages in grid technologies by segment,2011-2022 35Table

33、4.1.1 Impact of key enabling technologies on a subset of other fields of smart grids,2011-2022 63FiguresFigure E1 Patenting trends by main world region(IPFs,2001-2022)11Figure E2 Share of international patenting and revealed technology advantage by main world region and main type of grid-related tec

34、hnologies(IPFs,2011-2022)12Figure E3 Top 15 applicants in grid-related technologies(IPFs,2011-2022)13Figure E4 Growth of patenting in selected smart grid technologies,2001-2022 14Figure E5 The growing impact of AI on innovation in smart grids 15Figure E6 Startups in grid-related technologies:number

35、of startups and patenting profile by main world region,2011-2022 16Figure 1.3.1 Schematic of the electricity grid,as covered by this report 20Figure 1.3.2 Global grid length,1971-2021 21Figure 1.6.1 Mapping of electricity grid-related technologies 29Figure 2.1.1 Patenting trends in physical grids,sm

36、art grids and stationary storage(IPFs,2001-2022)31Figure 2.1.2 Growth of patenting in grid-related technologies,(IPFs,2001-2022)32Figure 2.1.3 Public R&D expenditure in grid-related areas 33Figure 2.2.1 Patenting trends by main world region(IPFs,2001-2022)34Figure 2.3.1 Top 15 corporate applicants i

37、n grids and selected stationary storage technologies(IPFs,2011-2022)36Figure 2.3.2 Top 15 research applicants in grids and selected stationary storage technologies(IPFs,2011-2022)37Figure 2.3.3 Startups in grid-related technologies:number of startups and patenting profile by main world region(2011-2

38、022)39Figure 2.3.4 Startups with grid-related profiles:number of startups and patenting profile by primary activity (2011-2022)40Figure 3.1.1 Expansion of HVDC transmission,1971-2021 41Figure 3.1.2 Growth of patenting in grid-related technologies,2001-2022 42Figure 3.1.3 Penetration of smart feature

39、s in physical grid technologies 43Figure 3.1.4 Global origin of patents related to physical grids,2011-2022 44Figure 3.1.5 European origin of patents related to physical grids,2011-2022 44Figure 3.1.6 Penetration of smart features in physical grid technologies by main region,2011-2022 45Figure 3.1.7

40、 Patenting trends in remote fault detection and location(IPFs,2001-2022)46Figure 3.1.8 Global origin of IPFs in remote fault detection and location(IPFs,2011-2022)47Figure 3.1.9 Patenting trends in flywheels versus synthetic inertia by region(IPFs,2011-2022)49Table of contents|Executive summary|Cont

41、ent|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|06Figure 3.1.10 Patenting trends in power transmission(IPFs,2001-2022)50Figure 3.1.11 Regional ecosystems in superconducting cables(IPFs,2011-2022)51Figure 3.1.12 Top 10 applicants in superconducting cables,2011-2022 52Figure 3.2.1 Patenting in

42、 selected stationary storage technologies(IPFs,2001-2022)54Figure 3.2.2 Global origin of patents in stationary storage technologies,2011-2022 55Figure 3.2.3 European origin of patents in stationary storage technologies,2011-2022 55Figure 3.2.4 Regional ecosystems in selected stationary storage techn

43、ologies(IPFs,2011-2022)56Figure 4.1.1 Growth of patenting in selected digital technologies for grids(IPFs,2001-2022)58Figure 4.1.2 Global origin of patents related to control of electricity generation,storage and grids,2011-2022 59Figure 4.1.3 European origin of patents related to control of electri

44、city generation,storage and grids,2011-2022 60Figure 4.1.4 Global origin of patents related to smart grid applications,2011-2022 60Figure 4.1.5 European origin of patents related to smart grid applications,2011-2022 61Figure 4.1.6 Patenting trends in digital enabling technologies,2001-2022 62Figure

45、4.2.1 Growth of patenting in smart EV charging,2001-2022 66Figure 4.2.2 Global origin of patents related to smart EV charging,2011-2022 67Figure 4.2.3 European origins of patents related to smart EV charging,2011-2022 67Figure 4.2.4 Top 10 OEMs and equipment suppliers in smart grids for transport(IP

46、Fs,2011-2022)68Figure 4.2.5 Top 10 OEMs versus equipment suppliers by segment of transport technologies(IPFs,2011-2015 versus 2018-2022)69Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|07List of abbreviationsAC Alternating currentAI Artificial intelli

47、genceBEV Battery electric vehiclesCEIDS Consortium for the Electric Infrastructure to support a Digital SocietyDC Direct currentDERMS Distributed energy resources management systemEMDE Emerging market and developing economiesEPO European Patent OfficeEV Electric vehiclesFACTS Flexible AC transmissio

48、n systemsFCEV Fuel-cell electric vehiclesFFR Fast frequency responseHVDC High-voltage direct currentICT Information and communications technologyIEA International Energy AgencyIEC International Electrotechnical CommissionIPFs International patent familiesLDES Long-duration energy storageOEM Original

49、 equipment manufacturerPHEV Plug-in hybrid electric vehiclesPV PhotovoltaicsR&D Research and developmentRTA Revealed technology advantageSCADA Supervisory control and data acquisitionTEN-E Trans-European Networks for EnergyUHD Ultra-high voltageVAR Volt-ampere reactiveVPP Virtual power plantTable of

50、 contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|08List of countries,territories and economiesCH SwitzerlandCN Peoples Republic of ChinaDE GermanyEU European UnionFR FranceJP JapanKR R.KoreaRoW Rest of worldTW Chinese TaipeiUS United StatesOther Europe Member s

51、tates of the European Patent Organisation that are not part of the EU27:AL,CH,IS,LI,MC,ME,MK,NO,RS,SM,TR,UKTable of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|09About the European Patent OfficeThe European Patent Office was created in 1977.As the executive

52、 arm of the European Patent Organisation,it is responsible for examining European patent applications and granting European patents,which can be validated in up to 45 countries in Europe and beyond.As the patent office for Europe,the EPO is committed to supporting innovation,competitiveness and econ

53、omic growth across Europe by delivering high-quality products and services and playing a leading role in international co-operation on patent matters.The EPO is also one of the worlds main providers of patent information.As such it is uniquely placed to observe the early emergence of technologies an

54、d to follow their development over time.The analyses presented in this study are a result of this monitoring.In October 2023 the EPO launched the Observatory on Patents and Technology,which serves as a digital hub for transparent and informed debate on innovation.This work reflects the views of both

55、 the EPO and the IEA Secretariat,but does not necessarily represent the views of the IEAs individual member countries,the EPOs contracting states,or any specific funder or collaborator.The work does not constitute professional advice on any particular issue or situation.Neither the EPO nor the IEA m

56、akes any representation or warranty,express or implied,regarding the works contents(including its completeness or accuracy)and shall not be responsible for any use of,or reliance on,the work.This document and any map included herein are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any terr

57、itory,to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory,city or area.About the International Energy Agency The International Energy Agency provides authoritative data,analysis and recommendations across all fuels and all technologies,and helps governments

58、 develop policies for a secure and sustainable future for all.The IEA was created in 1974 and examines the full spectrum of issues,including energy security,clean energy transitions and energy efficiency.It is a global leader in understanding pathways to meeting climate goals,reducing air pollution

59、and achieving universal energy access,in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.Its work on energy technology innovation spans the collection of national data on public energy R&D budgets,regular technology trend analysis and policy guidance for governments.The IEA family of coun

60、tries accounts for over 75%of global energy consumption and includes 35 member countries,five accession countries,and thirteen association countries Brazil,P.R.China,India,Indonesia,Morocco,Singapore,South Africa and Thailand.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELE

61、CTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|10Executive summaryElectricity is at the core of ongoing energy transitions.Electricity demand has grown at twice the pace of overall energy demand over the last decade,and the growth of electricity consumption is set to accelerate further in the years ahead.To achieve countrie

62、s national energy and climate goals(which go beyond policies currently in place),the worlds electricity use needs to grow 20%faster in the next decade than it did in the previous one.On the supply side,electricity grids will continue to incorporate more renewable resources with variable output and d

63、ifferent geographical distributions to current grid layouts.At thesame time,many countries face rising investment needsto update ageing grid infrastructure to make it fit for modern energy systems:roughly 50 million km of older transmission and distribution lines will need to be replaced around the

64、world by 2050.Modern,smart and expanded grids are therefore essential for successful energy transitions.Ensuring competitiveness,security and affordability while refurbishing,extending and optimising electricity grids to more flexibly connect sources of power supply and demand are technology innovat

65、ion challenges,as well as investment and policy challenges.There are many opportunities for innovators to accelerate clean energy transitions with improved grid-related technologies and capture the economic value associated with the growing market for these solutions.However,electricity grids are of

66、ten the unsung heroes of energy transitions and their infrastructure is a familiar and uninspiring part of the landscape.At best they are taken for granted,and at worst their expansion is hindered by local opposition.There is a risk that if too little attention is paid to creating new products and s

67、ervices to reduce the costs and improve the performance of grid technologies including by reducing the need for overhead lines and helping electricity customers monetise their consumption choices then grids could become a bottleneck to the modernisation of energy systems.As this report shows,researc

68、hers and innovators around the world are responding to the challenge.Over the past 19 years,patenting of electricity grid technologies has increased to levels roughly seven times higher than in 2005.Thanks to robust data on the technological,geographic and corporate distribution of this patenting ac

69、tivity,governments and innovators can track the trends and gaps that concern them.As a leading indicator of technological change,patent data complement other sources of information to yield actionable insights related to regional advantages,competitive weaknesses and strategic opportunities.This stu

70、dy combines the expertise of the International Energy Agency and the European Patent Office and is the most comprehensive,global and up-to-date investigation so far of patenting in the area of key electricity grid issues and opportunities.The study identifies three groups of critical challenges tech

71、nology can help address.While there is huge scope for making the power network“smarter”a process that is already well underway and involves overlaying a network of communications systems on top of the network that transports the electricity itself each of the three challenges can only be overcome wi

72、th a mixture of hardware and software improvements.While patenting in smart grid technologies is a faster-moving area,the volume of patenting to enhance physical grids is not far behind and keeping up innovation efforts in this area will be crucial in the decades to come.Table of contents|Executive

73、summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|11Key findings1.Grid-related patenting experienced a dramatic acceleration over the period 20092013.It has since stabilised in most major regions,with the exception of P.R.China;in 2022,the country overtook the EU for the first time

74、,becoming the largest regional source of applicationsPatenting activities in grid-related technologies grew at remarkable speed between 2009 and 2013.Over this period,the number of international patent families(IPFs)1 related to grids increased at an average annual growth rate of 30%well above the a

75、verage rates of 12%for low-carbon energy technologies(EPO-IEA,2021)and 4%for all technologies.This take-off phase reflects a period of intense industrial interest in a new suite of smart grid technologies,driven by the creation of policy-driven markets and standards for smart meters and electric veh

76、icles,as well as the prospect of the swifter deployment of renewable energy sources of energy.The trend was also gathered impetus thanks to the emergence of software innovation as a major corporate strategy in this period.This expanded the scope of smart grid inventions being patented,resulting in 5

77、0%more physical grid patents containing smart grid elements in the period 20102022 than in the preceding decade.This impressive growth mostly occurred in Europe,Japan and the US,and patenting activities remained stable at a high level afterwards in these regions.At the same time,steady progress has

78、enabled P.R.China to gradually emerge as the new global engine of electricity grid patent growth,rising from 7%of the global total in 2013 to 25%in 2022.In that year,P.R.China became the worlds top patenting region in this technology area for the first time.Figure E1 Patenting trends by main world r

79、egion(IPFs,2001-2022)4 0003 5003 0002 5002 0001 5001 00050002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022 EU27 Other Europe United States Japan R.Korea P.R.China RoWSource:authors calculationsNote:Calculations are based on country of IPF applicant,using fra

80、ctional counting in the case of co-applications.1 Each IPF covers a single invention and includes patent applications filed and published at several patent offices.It is a reliable proxy for inventive activity because it provides a degree of control for patent quality by only representing inventions

81、 for which the inventor considers the value sufficient to seek protection internationally.The patent trend data presented in this report refer to numbers of IPFs.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|122.The EU27 and Japan have led electricit

82、y grid patenting over the past decadeThe EU27 and Japan each generated more than one-fifth of IPFs related to grids over the period 2011-2022,and they possess a relative technology advantage(RTA)in these technologies compared with non-grid technology areas.2 Europes contribution has drawn primarily

83、upon expertise in physical grid technologies Switzerland alone generated 5%of all grid-related IPFs while Japan shows a stronger relative specialisation in smart grid technologies.Among other regions,the United States contributed 20%of patenting activities related to grids,but does not have any rela

84、tive specialisation in the field.P.R.Chinas share of all grid-related IPFs between 2011 and 2022 was significantly lower,but shows a specialisation in both physical and smart grid technologies as high as that of the EU.Figure E2 Share of international patenting and revealed technology advantage by m

85、ain world region and main type of grid-related technologies(IPFs,2011-2022)30%25%20%15%10%5%0%EU27JapanUnited StatesP.R.ChinaR.Korea Share of IPFs RTA Source:authors calculationsNote:Calculations are based on country of IPF applicant,using fractional counting in the case of co-applications.1.61.41.2

86、10.80.60.40.20AllgridsPhysicalgridsSmartgridsAllgridsPhysicalgridsSmartgridsAllgridsPhysicalgridsSmartgridsAllgridsPhysicalgridsSmartgridsAllgridsPhysicalgridsSmartgrids2 The RTA index indicates a countrys specialisation in terms of grid-related innovation relative to its overall innovation capacity

87、.It is defined as a countrys share of IPFs in a particular field of technology divided by the countrys share of IPFs in all fields of technology.An RTA above one reflects a countrys specialisation in a given technology.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICIT

88、Y GRIDSepo.org|133.Siemens,ABB and General Electric lead the ranking of electricity grid patent applicants,which is testament to their strengths in physical grid technologies in particular.They face strong Asian competitors when it comes to innovation in smart grids The top 15 corporate applicants l

89、isted alone generated nearly one-third(31%)of IPFs in grid-related technologies over the period 2011-2022.Their cumulative share of IPFs is slightly higher in physical grid technologies(35%,compared to 31%in smart grids).Siemens,General Electric and ABB,three large conglomerates from Germany,the US

90、and Switzerland respectively,lead the ranking.However,seven Japanese applicants feature too,all with a stronger specialisation in smart grids.The remaining top applicants include R.Koreas Samsung Electronics,Frances Schneider Electric and P.R.Chinas Huawei,a telecom equipment company expanding into

91、smart grids.Three automotive companies(Toyota,Honda and Ford Motor)feature in the ranking as a result of their strong contribution to innovation in smart EV charging.Figure E3 Top 15 applicants in grid-related technologies(IPFs,2011-2022)Note:Applicants are ranked by total number of IPFs in grid-rel

92、ated technologies.Some of these may be relevant to more than one of the three subcategories shown;they are reported under each of these subcategories.The IPFs filed by ABB Grid have been consolidated under Hitachi.Source:authors calculations EU27 Japan Other Europe P.R.China R.Korea United States Sm

93、art gridSiemens(DE)ABB(CH)General Electric(US)Panasonic(JP)Hitachi(JP)Mitsubishi Electric(JP)Toyota(JP)Toshiba(JP)Samsung Electronics(KR)Bosch(DE)Schneider Electric(FR)Huawei(CN)Honda(JP)Ford Motor(US)Sumitomo Electric(JP)Physical gridNumber of IPFsNumber of IPFsTable of contents|Executive summary|C

94、ontent|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|144.Smart grid innovation is driving the latest burst of electricity grid patenting.Although a great deal of attention is given to innovations helping customers control electricity demand,the largest smart grid patenting areas relate to cont

95、rol of larger grid-scale assetsSmart technologies are being developed to address problems across nearly all aspects of electricity grids.Patenting activities in the control of grid-scale assets took off around 2010 and has kept increasing steadily since then.Japanese applicants have a strong lead in

96、 fields such as forecast and decision or remote control of inverters and electricity storage assets;the recent acceleration of patenting in fault detection has chiefly been driven by Chinese applicants.Smart metering was the first customer-oriented field to show an increase in patenting,mainly in th

97、e US and Europe,but has shrunk significantly after a burst of activity during the period when they were first being rolled out.More generally,patenting trends tend to be more volatile on the customer side of smart grids,due to shorter product development times and the standardisation of protocols an

98、d interfaces for grid-connected equipment.As a result,it is important for innovators to secure intellectual property early in the development of new smart grid technology areas,as they may not enjoy long subsequent periods of incremental improvements.A similar dynamic is seen in EV charging patentin

99、g,though this has returned to impressive growth since 2015 as new techniques for aggregation and remote control have emerged.The new growth phase coincides with a shift in patenting activities from equipment suppliers to OEMs,signalling the latters increased strategic interest in mastering smart cha

100、rging technology.Overall,Japanese applicants alone account for about one-third of IPFs in that field over the period 2011-2022,followed by US and European ones with about 20%each.Source:authors calculationsFigure E4 Growth of patenting in selected smart grid technologies(IPFs,2001-2022)5004504003503

101、00250200150100500 Demand response Off-grid systems Smart metering VPPs Remote/cooperative EV charging2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 20215004003002001000 Inverter control Storage control Energy generation control Fault detection Forecast and decision2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 20

102、13 2015 2017 2019 2021Control of generation,distribution and transmission of electricityControl of demand for electricity and its retail Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|155.Grid-related AI patenting grew by over 500%in the five years to

103、 2022,and is now the most active area of patenting among enabling digital technologies,led by the United States and P.R.ChinaThe main area of AI-related IPFs is those to support forecast and decision,a category that boasts 39%of AI-related IPFs and drove rapid growth of AI-related electricity grid p

104、atenting from 2000 to 2022.AI is nonetheless applied in patents related to other areas of smart grids,in particular micro-grids and outage management.The US and China are the main patenting regions for these technologies,with 24%and 23%of AI-related IPFs respectively,followed by the EU27 countries w

105、ith 18%.Figure E5 The growing impact of AI on innovation in smart gridsNote:The chart on the right shows the percentage of IPFs related to AI for grids that have also been identified as related to another category of smart grid technologies.Some of these may relate to two or more such categories;oth

106、ers may have no clearly identified relation to any of them.Source:authors calculations250200150100500 Data management platforms Artificial intelligence Cloud Security Data transport2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021Patenting trends in selected enabling technologies for smart grid

107、s(IPFs,2001-2022)Forecast and decisionMicro-gridsOutage or fault managementStorage integrationin gridsDemand responseStorage controlData transportVirtual power plantsRemote operation of generation unitsEV interoperabilitySmart metering 0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%Smart grid technologies targeted by AI-

108、related IPFs(2011-2022)39%16%13%8%6%6%5%5%5%4%4%Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCED ELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|166.One-third of startups in electricity grid technologies hold a patent application,which is much higher than in other technology areas.These startups are

109、mostly located in Europe and the United States.358 of the 1 085 startups identified for this report with activities relating to electricity grid technologies hold at least one IPF.This proportion is remarkably high,compared for instance with the estimated 6%share of all European startups that have a

110、 patent application.It is a positive indicator of fundraising capacity for grid-related startups,given the available evidence showing patent ownership has a positive impact of on startups ability to attract VC funding(EPO-EUIPO,2023).Among smart grid technologies,one-third of startups are working on

111、 grid optimisation,and one-quarter on electricity trading.Other important areas include VPPs(20%)and meter hardware(14%).Contrary to expectations,around half of startups are developing hardware,a high-risk innovation path that typically requires patient investors and high upfront capital.Government

112、attention should be given to the successes and difficulties encountered by these startups,to identify whether innovation ecosystems adequately support grid hardware entrepreneurs.Most of the startups are located in the US and Europe,with each of those two regions contributing about 39%of the total,a

113、nd 24%for the EU27 alone.By contrast,the small numbers of startups identified in P.R.China,R.Korea and Japan suggest a lesser role for venture capital in these countries innovation ecosystems.Apart from these main regions,Canada(with 50 startups),India(30)and Israel(13)stand out for sizeable ecosyst

114、ems of grid-related startups.Figure E6 Startups in grid-related technologies:number of startups and patenting profile by main world region,2011-2022250200150100500EU27Other EuropeJapan United StatesP.R.ChinaR.KoreaOther With patents Without patentsSource:authors calculationsTable of contents|Executi

115、ve summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|171.Introduction 1.1.The importance of electricity grids for clean energy transitionsModern,smart and expanded grids are essential for successful energy transitions.Vast networks of cables,pylons,transformers,meters and other asse

116、ts have been the backbone of electricity systems for over 100 years and are set to become increasingly important as electricity comes to represent a larger share of the global energy system.This is because the main sources of low-emission energy solar photovoltaics(PV),wind,hydropower and nuclear ar

117、e typically sources of electricity,unlike the combustible fuels associated with fossil energy.Solar PV and wind are now the cheapest electricity sources in most markets.In addition,electricity is a highly versatile form of energy that is especially valuable for computing,advanced manufacturing and i

118、n the service sector,all of which are key drivers of modern economies.It is also more energy-efficient to use electricity than fossil fuels in end-use applications such as personal mobility,and it leads to less local air pollution.However,electricity grids often receive too little attention.For ever

119、y dollar spent on renewable power,60 cents are spent on grids and storage(IEA,2024a).Many power systems are vulnerable to an increase in extreme weather events and cyberattacks,which are growing risks that put a premium on adequate investment in grid resilience and digital security.Overall,if grids

120、are not in the right place to connect electricity demand and supply,not properly maintained,or not technically capable of meeting the needs of a 21st-century power system,they could become a bottleneck to economic growth and tackling climate change.Electricity use has grown at twice the pace of over

121、all energy demand over the last decade,and demand growth is set to accelerate further in the years ahead,adding the equivalent of Japanese demand to global electricity use each year under todays policy setting,driven by light industrial consumption,electric mobility,cooling,and data centres and AI(I

122、EA,2024a).To achieve countries national energy and climate goals which go beyond todays policy settings,the worlds electricity use needs to grow 20%faster in the next decade than it did in the previous one.At the same time,electricity supplies will continue to incorporate more renewable resources,wi

123、th variable output and different geographical distributions to current grid layouts.1.2.Electricity grids face new challengesGrowing electricity demand and more variable generation increase the operational need for flexibility in power systems,both for short-term and seasonal needs.This requires a r

124、ebalancing of power sector investment and innovation towards grids and battery storage.Three specific challenges present themselves to grid developers and policymakers.Tackling each will require technology improvements and innovation.As this report shows,researchers and innovators around the world h

125、ave shifted their attention to technologies that can help address these issues in the past decade or more.However,the scale of the challenge and its evolving nature require unwavering attention to further enhancements.Expanding and enhancing physical connections.More disparate sources of electricity

126、 need to be connected to locations of end-user demand,which are changing in advanced economies with the growth of data centres and EV charging and expanding quickly in developing economies.Technological improvements promise to help accomplish this task in a manner that minimises total capital costs

127、by enabling highly targeted interventions,deploying more efficient or cheaper grid infrastructure,and facilitating higher capacity utilisation of cables.This cost dimension is important because the installation of low-emission electricity sources is itself a capital-intensive undertaking.It can incl

128、ude the use of mini-and micro-grids as the initial options for connecting new users to networked electricity services.Making grid operations more flexible and bidirectional.The operation of electricity grids must become more flexible so that demand and supply can adapt in real time to minimise the p

129、eak generation Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|18capacity needed to provide all end-users with low-emissions electricity.This must be accomplished without harming the reliability of supply or network frequency.It must allow end-users to

130、reap the benefits of low-cost electricity at times of abundant supply and participate economically as suppliers of electricity or avoided demand,according to the resources they can offer to the system.Protecting people,their data and the environment.It is essential that electricity grids continue to

131、 operate safely and as benignly as possible for the environment,and that protection against cybersecurity keeps pace with the threats it poses.Meeting these challenges requires the network to become smarter,a process that is already well underway and involves overlaying a network of communications s

132、ystems on top of the network that transports the electricity itself.Communications networks need new hardware,such as sensors and switches,to be integrated into points on the grid where they can generate valuable data and be controlled by computer programmes.Therefore,each of the three challenges ha

133、s associated elements of hardware and software.In this report,the hardware and software used to add the layer,or layers,of information flows to improve the efficiency or flexibility of grid operations are referred to as“smart grid technologies”.1.3.Challenge 1:expanding and enhancing physical connec

134、tionsIt is arguable that the largest synchronous electricity grids are the largest physical machines on the planet.Connected grids like those that span most of Europe or multiple Chinese provinces link many power plants with millions of end-users via complex webs of transmission lines(long-distance

135、higher-voltage cables),distribution lines(lower-voltage branches that reach each final consumer)and supporting equipment to instantaneously balance demand with supply while always keeping a stable frequency and voltage of alternating current across many millions of kilometres.This is a remarkable te

136、chnical achievement.While many grids began as local systems,for example at city level,and then were connected into national grids,they have now become international,with interconnections allowing countries to trade electricity between each other to ensure supplies and stability(ACER,2024;CEER,2020).

137、However,not all grids are interconnected and each has design features that are specific to their history,their market design and the local availability of different electricity-generating resources.Box 1:Electricity grid terminology:a primerElectricity grids are complex technical networks comprising

138、 a large range of specialist components that are described using precise terminology often unfamiliar to a non-expert audience.To assist readers of this report,we explain some of the key terms below and provide a schematic diagram of how the main components of an electricity grid interact.AC and DC

139、Electricity can be transmitted either as alternating current(AC)or direct current(DC).Most distribution and transmission grids use AC,which travels in a wave form defined by its frequency.This frequency needs to be approximately the same across all connected parts of an AC grid.It is generated eithe

140、r by a rotating generator,such as that powered by a spinning turbine,or an inverter,which converts DC to AC.One advantage of AC is that the voltage can be changed relatively easily to improve efficiency of transmission or supply different uses.Ancillary services These are essential to stable grid op

141、eration but separate from the supply of electricity to meet demand.They include the provision of inertia or other means of stabilising grid frequency,as well as active(and reactive)power control and voltage control.Most electricity markets remunerate provision of ancillary services,which are increas

142、ingly separated from the market for electricity supply as more variable,distributed and DC-based renewable resources are integrated.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|19Behind-the-meter and in-front-of-the-meter These are terms used to refe

143、r to the location of electricity grid equipment in relation to whether they are on the customers side of the electricity meter(behind-the-meter)or on the grid side(in-front-of-the-meter).Traditionally,electricity suppliers and grid operators have had less visibility over what happens in the behind-t

144、he-meter zone.However,more electricity generation,storage and demand response is now occurring behind-the-meter,for example with rooftop solar PV,and this creates requirements for better communication between the two zones.Demand response and virtual power plants Demand response is the shifting or s

145、hedding of electricity demand to provide flexibility in wholesale and ancillary power markets,helping to balance the grid.Shifting means moving the load curve in time(without affecting total electricity demand).Shedding means interrupting demand for a short duration or adjusting the intensity of dem

146、and for a certain amount of time(which can affect total demand).A rising number of consumers have the option of opting into demand response programmes in return for financial compensation.Aggregators of demand response into MW-scale quantities for trading are sometimes called virtual power plants(VP

147、Ps).Distributed energy resources Smaller-scale resources usually situated near sites of electricity use,such as rooftop solar panels,battery storage or smart EV3 chargers.They can be behind-the-meter or in-front-of-the-meter.If situated on the grid side of the meter,they are usually connected to the

148、 distribution grid,not the transmission grid.Also known as decentralised resources.Distribution The distribution system is the part of an electricity grid that connects to homes,industry and other end-users.It operates at a lower voltage(up to 50 kV)than the transmission network(up to 1 000 kV or mo

149、re).FACTS A Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System(FACTS)includes power-electronics devices to improve responsiveness,quality of service and the final product(electric power)and voltage control on an AC grid.FACTS are sometimes cheaper alternatives to building more traditional power lines

150、or substations.Frequency Electricity generators can only be connected to the same grid if they supply power at the same frequency.The loss of a large generator from the grid in an unexpected outage,or a sudden increase or decrease in power consumption,can cause variations in the system frequency if

151、there is no immediate compensation.Maintaining grid frequency at 50 Hz in most of the world(or 60 Hz in the Americas and parts of Asia)is central to grid operations.HVDC High-voltage direct current(HVDC)is an alternative to high-voltage AC transmission that uses DC because it has lower losses than A

152、C.It requires special equipment to convert between AC and DC,so is typically reserved for long-distance transmission and interconnection.Inertia The energy stored in large rotating generators,flywheels and some industrial motors which gives them the tendency to remain rotating.This stored energy is

153、valuable when a large power plant fails,as it can make up for the power lost for a few seconds,allowing the power plant or other connected devices to respond.Inverter-based DC resources such as solar PV and batteries do not inherently provide inertia,but there are means of supplying it separately to

154、 maintain system frequency,including“synthetic inertia”operations.Interconnection Interconnectors enable electricity to flow between two synchronous electrical grids without affecting their stability.They are often HVDC connections,including subsea cables.3 Throughout this report,unless otherwise sp

155、ecified,electric vehicles(EVs)refers to battery electric(BEV)and plug-in hybrid(PHEV)vehicles,excluding fuel cell electric vehicles(FCEV).Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|20International Electrotechnical Commission(IEC)Much of the equipme

156、nt in this report is covered by technical standards developed by the IEC,an international organisation that prepares and publishes standards for all electrical,electronic and related technologies.Mini-or micro-grid A group of interconnected loads and energy sources that acts as a single controllable

157、 and self-sufficient entity.Typically it does not exceed a few megawatts of total capacity.While many serve campuses,hospitals or industry,they are increasingly used to provide off-grid access to electricity in emerging market and developing economies.If grid-connected,they are capable of disconnect

158、ing to operate in“island mode”.Synchronous grid A single interconnected electricity network that is locked to the same frequency.Europes synchronous grid covers 24 countries.Transformer Transformers are used to change AC voltage levels and are termed“step-up”or“step-down”transformers,depending on th

159、e direction of the change.Tap-changing transformers are instrumental for real-time voltage regulation.Transformers are often found in substations.Transmission The transmission system connects large suppliers and major industrial consumers in a single network that operates at a higher voltage(up to 1

160、 000 kV or more)than the multiple distribution networks(up to 50 kV)to which it connects.UHV Ultra-high voltage(UHV)is a term applied to any power transmission line,whether AC or DC,that operates above 800 000 volts.For long-distance transmission,higher voltages are more efficient and can carry seve

161、ral multiples more electricity compared with equivalent cables at 500 000 volts(typical for high voltage).No country other than China currently has significant lengths of UHV lines.Figure 1.3.1 shows how the main elements of a large modern synchronous electricity grid relate to one another.Such grid

162、s are typically national or at large state-or province-level,and may be international if interconnected by an HVDC link.Figure 1.3.1 Schematic of the electricity grid,as covered by this report Source:EPO,IEATable of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.or

163、g|21Over the past five decades electricity grids around the world have experienced continuous growth,at a rate of about 1 million km per year.The majority of this expansion has occurred in distribution grids,which account for about 93%of the total length.The roughly 80 million km of wires and underg

164、round cables worldwide,of varying functions and voltage capacities,would be enough to make approximately 2 000 voyages around the earth.Between 2000 and 2020 the installed length of lines grew 50%,and it is expected to grow 50%from 2020 to 2050(IEA,2023).80706050403020100197119811991 200120112021 Di

165、stribution Transmission Distribution TransmissionSource:IEA,2023aFigure 1.3.2 Global grid length,19712021Note:Line route length of grids.Milliom kmEMDEAdvanced economiesMost grid expansion has been seen at the distribution level in emerging market and developing economies(EMDEs).These have grown by

166、over 40%in the past decade and have almost doubled over the last 25 years,playing a central role in granting electricity access to many people for the first time.One of the main advances in electricity access is the widespread acknowledgement of three reliable approaches to connecting households and

167、 industry to a dependable electricity supply:grid extension,mini-grids and standalone systems.The expansion of the distribution grid in EMDEs has resulted in impressive examples of raising electricity access.For example,nearly 100%of the populations of India and Indonesia now have electricity access

168、,even though the access rate was less than 45%and 55%respectively only 20 years ago.P.R.China alone accounts for over one-third of the worlds transmission grid expansion in the past decade,having constructed over half a million km of transmission lines connecting,among other places,the eastern load

169、centres to the renewable energy-rich northern and western provinces.Over the same period,China has been responsible for two-thirds of the global increase in electricity demand.To achieve this build-out it has pioneered the use of UHV cables,which are more efficient for carrying electricity and can m

170、ake economic sense over very long distances.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|22In mature electricity grids that are experiencing the integration of variable renewable electricity sources,investment in recent years has been largely in four

171、 areas:connecting new,renewable power plants;refurbishing older lines;constructing high-voltage interconnectors between grids;and installing equipment to enable more responsive or bidirectional exchange of electricity with end-users.Upgrading or replacing existing assets at lowest cost is a particul

172、ar challenge:Around 50 million km of older transmission and distribution lines will need to be replaced around the world by 2050(IEA,2023a).For some replacements and extensions,grid planners are avoiding the use of materials that have tight markets and high price outlooks,such as copper,rare earth e

173、lements and certain battery components.Tightness in these markets is closely related to rising demand in other areas of the energy transition as the rate of electrification increases.Investments have also been made in systems for accessing real-time knowledge about the health of the system,to help i

174、dentify optimal times for equipment renewal.The use of new technologies such as drones and satellite-based technology has revolutionised inspection of power lines.While the challenge of expanding and enhancing physical connections is multifaceted and context-dependent,there are several groups of tec

175、hnologies that can help address it(Table 1.3.1).Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|23Table 1.3.1 Technologies that can help address the challenge of expanding and enhancing physical connectionsTechnology typeMain classificationin this repor

176、tImprovementExample applicationExample sub-typesElectricity storage(mostly stationary storage)Physical gridOffsets the consumption of electricity from the time at which it was generatedReduces congestion and the capacity or peak power generation needed to meet demand and allows demand to match varia

177、ble renewable generationPumped storage hydropower;lithium-ion batteries;redox flow batteries;compressed-air energy storageFar-field wireless power transferPhysical gridSends electricity to a different location without using cables or completing a physical circuitCould facilitate space-based solar po

178、wer or wireless charging of vehicles such as dronesMicrowave power beaming;laser power beamingImproved cablesPhysical gridLower losses of electricity over long distancesEnables remote renewables to be connected and resources to be balanced more efficiently over vast areasHVDC;UHV;superconducting cab

179、les;aluminium cables(to reduce copper demand)Installation,operation and maintenancePhysical gridReduces the time and cost of installing and operating transmission or distribution cables,including underground cables that can help improve local supportAllows more new infrastructure,including new power

180、 plants,to be built without further increasing consumer costsDynamic line rating;inspection drones;pylon designs;helicopter cable installationMini-and micro-grids(AC or DC)Physical grid or smart gridConnects small-scale generators and users of electricity in ways that share resources and lower the t

181、otal cost of access to reliable electricity,with the potential to be grid-connected if desirableProvides off-grid and under-grid communities with shared access to solar PV,battery storage and appliances;ensures uninterruptible power supplies for critical infrastructureControl systems;power electroni

182、c switches;mesh networkPower conditioningPhysical gridChanges the voltage,frequency or type of current more efficiently,reducing losses in the systemUnlocks the use of new cable types,such as HVDC,and the integration of DC-based renewable electricity and batteries into AC-based systemsCircuit breake

183、rs;transformers;inverters;harmonic cleansers;switchgearPredictive maintenanceSmart gridUses large quantities of data to detect emerging faults and alert grid operators,avoiding outages,reducing failures,extending asset lifetimes and lowering the cost per unit of electricity supplyReduces infrastruct

184、ure needs and allows capital to be allocated to other uses,such as installing renewable electricity or electricity storageFault sensors and data processing;smart invertersTable of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|241.4.Challenge 2:making grid oper

185、ations more flexible and bidirectionalBidirectional energy flows over longer distances and the growing presence of variable generation sources are altering the predictability of electricity flows within the system.There are many more active participants connected to todays electricity grids than in

186、the past,requiring ever more sophisticated approaches to monitoring and coordinating them without reducing the level of service to end-users.Less than 20 years ago there were serious disagreements among experts about whether large electricity grids could be safely and cost-effectively operated with

187、over 10%of electricity from variable renewables.Thanks in large part to more flexible operations,grids such as that of South Australia can today operate with rooftop solar PV generation exceeding 100%of the demand on the system at certain times.Solar PV and wind provided two-fifths of Spains electri

188、city in the first half of 2024(Renew Economy,2024).Increasing power injections from distributed generation facilities can result in more dynamic system conditions and local line overloads,depending on the equipment involved.Digital technologies play a crucial role in addressing these changes as they

189、 arise in the energy context,requiring the deployment of technologies commonly associated with the concept of smart grids(CRE,2023).Smart grids co-ordinate the needs and capabilities of all players in the power system(generators,grid operators,end-users and other markets)in more responsive,flexible

190、and integrated ways than were traditionally possible in highly-centralised systems with more limited communication technologies.Smart grid technologies are designed to contribute to more efficient operation of all parts of the grid,minimising costs and environmental impact while maximising system re

191、liability,resilience,flexibility and stability.The smart meter represents the first point from which the visibility of load flows in the distribution grid can be enhanced,even at the low-voltage level,making customers more aware of their own consumption and enabling new billing structures,such as dy

192、namic and time-of-use tariffs.Advanced monitoring and control devices,along with the corresponding software,have the capability to improve real-time system information monitoring and grid management.Remote control of the grid minimises intervention times and the number of operations that need to be

193、performed locally on the grid,making operation possible from a single control centre using dedicated supervisory control and data acquisition(SCADA).Advanced automation tools allow the grid to act autonomously,quickly identifying and automatically isolating a faulty element to prevent cascading powe

194、r outages;this is sometimes known as a“self-healing”grid.Embedded advanced analytics and AI algorithms can process vast amounts of data to predict electricity demand patterns and potential grid issues.By anticipating demand peaks and identifying potential transmission bottlenecks,operators can take

195、proactive measures to reinforce the grid and enhance its capacity.The ability to access real-time knowledge on the health of the system enables more accurate forecasts and more efficient utilisation of existing resources,allowing grids to operate closer to their true limits without compromising reli

196、ability.Various technological tools for addressing the challenges associated with more decentralised and variable grid resources are shown in Table 1.4.1.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|25Table 1.4.1 Technologies that can help address th

197、e challenge of making grid operations more flexible and bidirectionalTechnology typeMain classification in this reportImprovementExample applicationExample sub-typesControl of electricity generation or gridsSmart gridAutomatically or remotely dispatches or regulates electricity supplies or the geogr

198、aphic distribution of power in the gridAllows reliable management of highly complex electricity grids with large numbers of generators and storage plants,minimising reserve margins,outages(duration and frequency)and labour costsSCADA;phasor measurement units;smart inverters;distributed energy resour

199、ce management(DERMS)Demand response and VPPsSmart gridVPPs are aggregated small-scale decentralised resources that can provide power plant-like services when controlled in unisonReduces the instantaneous electricity consumption of many EV chargers or heaters in response to a dip in wind energy gener

200、ationSmart EV chargers;DERMS;smart appliances;smart thermostatsForecasting grid needsSmart gridAnalyses big datasets of weather,transport,economic activity and other inputs to predict supply or demandReduces the need for costly reserve capacity,allows maintenance to be scheduled and lowers risks of

201、unplanned outages(blackouts and brownouts)Sensors;statistical packagesFrequency responsePhysical gridMimics the frequency stabilising effects of AC-generating thermal power generators and hydropower turbinesAllows grid frequency to be maintained at a fixed level even with connection of many inverter

202、-based generators such as solar PV and wind,which produce DC not AC powerGrid-forming inverters;smart transformers;flywheels;synchronous condensers,virtual synchronous generatorsNew approaches to electricity tradingSmart gridProvides alternatives to traditional billing methods designed for centralis

203、ed grid servicesMakes it more attractive and economically rewarding to install decentralised generation,and can incentivise deployment in most-needed locationsBlockchain peer-to-peer markets;pay-as-you-go mobile payments;locational biddingRapid power and voltage adjustmentPhysical gridFlexible AC tr

204、ansmission systems(FACTS)use power electronics to act on a short timescale-less than a wave cycle-to improve voltage,impedance or phase angleImproves the reliability of a grid with rapidly-changing requirements due to variable renewable electricity supplies or unpredictable demandStatic VAR compensa

205、tors;thyristor-controlled series capacitors;thyristor-controlled phase-shifting transformersSmart meteringSmart gridSmart meters collect,and sometimes display,real-time information about consumers electricity consumptionEnhances an electricity retailers prediction of a customers demand,enables more

206、accurate billing and monitoring of losses,and allows customers to benefit from time-of-use tariffsTwo-way communications protocols;power line communication;wireless ad hoc networks;user displaysTable of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|261.5.Chall

207、enge 3:protecting people,data and the environmentElectricity grids comprise equipment that operates at high voltages in close proximity to human activities,which presents risks to people,infrastructure and the environment.They are also considered to be critical national infrastructure that must be p

208、rotected from disruption.With increasing amounts of detailed data about grid operations being communicated wirelessly,there are rising risks to privacy and risks of acts of terrorism or warfare.In advanced economies electricity grids tend to be older,with infrastructure that has sometimes been opera

209、tional for 50 years or more.Only around 23%of the grid infrastructure in advanced economies is less than ten years old,and over 50%is more than 20 years old.In the European Union,more than 50%of the grid has been in operation for over 20 years,which is approximately half its average lifespan.These a

210、geing electrical assets can present significant safety and reliability risks.Over time,insulation materials for example in transformers can degrade,resulting in an increased likelihood of electrical faults,short circuits and even fires.Circuit breakers,as they age,may become less reliable in their a

211、bility to trip during faults.The age of electricity grids varies by country,influenced by factors such as historical development,investment and ongoing modernisation efforts.The lifespan of grid equipment also varies depending on specific components,overloading and capacity issues,environmental fact

212、ors,maintenance practices and technological advancements.Electricity grids are expensive assets that are often in service much longer than the equipment they connect.Some high-voltage grid assets such as circuit breakers and switchgear rely on insulating gases that can have negative impacts on the e

213、nvironment or human health if they are released to the atmosphere.One example is the use of sulphur hexafluoride,which has a global warming potential 23 500 times greater than carbon dioxide(over a 100-year time frame).Greater digitalisation,including the interconnection of many entities through com

214、munication technologies,brings cybersecurity risks to the electricity grid.The 2023 UK National Risk Register,for example,puts the likelihood of a cyberattack on critical infrastructure at between 5%and 25%,ranking as moderate,with a potential impact of hundreds of millions of pounds in losses(HM Go

215、vernment,2023).In recent years the number of cyber incidents has been increasing,reaching five to ten significant incidents in each of the past five years(CSIS,2023).There have been many cases in which cyberattacks on key infrastructure have caused major social disruption around the world.In 2015 it

216、 took up to six hours to restore power to around 225 000 people affected by a malware-based cyberattack on the electricity grid in western Ukraine,and in December 2016 power grid control equipment was disrupted and taken over by unauthorised access,resulting in a 200 MW outage for about an hour.A mi

217、litary cyberattack on a satellite in February 2022 caused collateral damage;approximately 5 800 wind turbines in Germany lost their internet connections,making remote monitoring and control difficult.There are technological means of addressing the challenges of safety,resilience,environmental protec

218、tion and privacy,some of which are summarised in Table 1.5.1.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|27Table 1.5.1 Technologies that can help address the challenge of protecting people,data and the environmentTechnology typeMain classification i

219、n this reportImprovementExample applicationExample sub-typesEncryption and data protocolsSmart gridProgrammes grid-connected devices to follow communications protocols that are securePrevents grid outages caused by a weak link among many thousands of decentralised assets connected behind-the-meterCr

220、yptography,authentication,integrity checksHazard detectionSmart gridUses sensors and analytics to identify potential risks posed by extreme events or malfunctioning equipmentReduces the risk of forest fires or other incidents caused by power lines,transformers or batteriesSensors;statistical package

221、sLess harmful materialsPhysical gridProvides alternatives to materials that can be harmful to human health or the natural environmentAvoids the use of sulphur hexafluoride(a potent greenhouse gas)in gas-insulated circuit breaker for high-voltage linesFluoronitrile mixtures1.6.Structure of the report

222、This study uses patent information to track technical progress in electricity grid-related technologies and assesses their alignment with the needs of energy transitions.The data presented show trends in high-value inventions for which patent protection has been sought in more than one country(IPFs)

223、.While some long-term trends are examined,most of the analysis is focused on the last decade(20112020)so as to provide an up-to-date picture of the current state of play by highlighting technology fields that are gathering momentum and the cross-fertilisation taking place.The study is designed as a

224、guide for policymakers and decision-makers to assess their comparative advantage at different stages of the value chain,shed light on innovative companies and institutions that may be in a position to contribute to long-term sustainable growth,and direct resources towards promising technologies.With

225、 the combined expertise of both the EPO and IEA,the report has been able to map electricity grid-related technologies to patent data with both relevance and precision.The analysis aims to include all technologies that are being pursued to help address the three key challenges introduced in Sections

226、1.3-1.5.While existing patent classification systems and the EPOs Y02 Y04S tagging scheme for climate change mitigation technologies already contain dedicated classes for many technologies related to smart grids,there has to date been less focus on the needs of physical grid technologies to mitigate

227、 climate change.Drawing on recent IEA efforts to model and analyse electricity grid needs for clean energy transitions,the scope includes technical improvements to traditional grid components,newer types of hardware for adapting the grid to the demands of a clean energy system and the diverse range

228、of digital tools(both hardware and software)to enable responsive communication and control(IEA,2023a and 2023b)4.4 Patent statistics on a broader set of technologies related to the clean energy transitions,based on the OECD STI Micro-data Lab:Intellectual Property Database and EPOs Y02/Y04S tagging

229、scheme for climate mitigation technologies,can be consulted on the IEAs Energy Technology Patents Data Explorer.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|28The search tools5 and expertise of the EPO were used to identify all relevant technologies

230、within the universe of international patent applications and design search strategies that fairly present the relevant trends.The resulting scope covers the whole value chain as comprehensively as possible.To reflect policy interest in the progress of smart grids,the technologies are divided into th

231、ose that primarily relate to the physical grid and those that are primarily related to smart grid technologies.Physical grid.These are technologies that seek to improve the performance or reduce the cost of carrying electricity from generators to end-users.They are mostly associated with addressing

232、the challenge of expanding and enhancing physical connections,including by integrating remote renewable power sources,networking off-grid or grid-edge resources,interconnecting nearby grids,and maintaining system frequency or upgrading existing lines.A smaller share of physical grid technologies are

233、 being developed to make grid operations more flexible,including FACTS technologies,or protect people and the environment by reducing hazards and using less harmful materials.Smart grid.These are technologies that individually facilitate increased observability and controllability of the electricity

234、 grid,and have the potential to collectively make all the elements of the grid operate more responsively to changes in supply,demand,environmental or operating conditions(IEA,2011).6 They are mostly associated with addressing the challenge of making grid operations more flexible and bidirectional,fo

235、r example to help match end-user demand instantaneously to variable renewable electricity output,both temporally and geographically,or shifting the time of demand to reduce peak power generation requirements and thereby lower costs.A smaller share of smart grid technologies relate to enhancing the g

236、rid through fault detection or protecting data through cybersecurity upgrades.In addition,this report includes technologies that apply a set of enabling digital approaches to electricity grid challenges in general,including Artificial Intelligence,cybersecurity tools and modes of data transport and

237、exchange.For each category,the patent analysis has been further split into groupings to reveal the trends within physical and smart grids.This allows for a fine-grained comparative analysis of patenting trends as lead indicators of emerging innovation hotspots that might be translated into major rea

238、l-world impact in coming years.The analysis is also able to identify potential weaknesses in global or regional innovation by comparison with the needs of clean energy transitions.Furthermore,it enables comparative analysis between countries and regions,as well as between the main technology fields.

239、Some of the splits that have been made are not entirely clear cut and rely on the judgement of the authors.For example,the category“improved cables”includes HVDC cables and technologies enabling the use of these,such as insulated-gate bipolar transistors that can handle high voltages and currents.Ot

240、her switching technologies that perform similar functions for lower voltage cables are included in“power conditioning”.As another example,we have included technologies related to physical assets for storing electricity for grid services(stationary storage,as opposed to batteries on board EVs)and its

241、 integration into networks within physical grids,while the digital-related technologies that seek to optimise the operation of these assets on the grid is included in smart grids.Due to the very high levels of overlap between lithium-ion battery components and packs for stationary and electric vehic

242、le applications,and the much larger market for the latter,we have not included lithium-ion battery design within the scope of this report.5 The identification of relevant patent documents is based on expert queries developed by EPO examiners specialised in the field,using their professional search t

243、ools and related patent databases.The primary extraction was filtered to select only international patent families with applications filed either in a regional office(WIPO,EPO)and/or in at least two national offices.6 According to IEA(2011),“Smart grids co-ordinate the needs and capabilities of all

244、generators,grid operators,end-users and electricity market stakeholders to operate all parts of the system as efficiently as possible,minimising costs and environmental impacts while maximising system reliability,resilience and stability”.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR

245、 ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|29Figure 1.6.1 Mapping of electricity grid-related technologiesChapter 2 provides a high-level overview of patenting trends in electricity grids since the year 2000.It benchmarks the relative levels of patenting in physical and smart grids and offers a geographic pe

246、rspective on electricity grid innovation ecosystems at global and regional levels.The following two chapters specifically address the dynamics of innovation in the main areas of the cartography.Chapter 3 focuses on physical grids and analyses trends in established distribution and transmission techn

247、ologies,and emerging fields such as stationary storage,FACTS and superconductivity.Smart grid technologies are addressed in Chapter 4,including important enabling technologies such as applying artificial intelligence to electricity grids.Smart gridsPhysical gridsExpanding and enhancing physical conn

248、ectionsMaking grid operations more flexible and bidirectionalProtecting people,data and the environmentEnablingtechnologies Data management platforms Artificial intelligence Cloud data storage Cybersecurity assurances Data transmission and receptionMicro-grids:smart components (including off-grid sy

249、stems)Smart EV chargingDemand responseVirtual power plantsForecast and decisionSmart meteringControl of electricity generation and grids SCADA Storage Energy generation units InvertersFault detection and locationCommunication and data protocolsMicro-grids:physical componentsPower conditioning:qualit

250、y improvementFrequency response/power integrationStorage/storage integrationTransmission and distributionPower conditioning:FACTSFault detectionFrequency response/non-spinning inertiaSF6-free substationsTable of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|30

251、Box 2:The importance of electricity grid enhancement in Europe and its policy contextThe continuous expansion and integration of Europes synchronous electricity grid,spanning the EUs internal international borders and connecting with neighbouring countries,is one of the great technical and political

252、 feats of recent decades.The IEA estimates that Europe will spend around USD 85 billion in 2024 on electricity grid investments,an increase of 50%in just five years,and roughly equal to Europes total estimated investment in solar PV and onshore wind in the same year.In the process of improving and g

253、rowing its electricity grid,Europe has helped pioneer many technologies of global significance,including smart meters,HVDC,interconnectors between national grids,as well as offshore cables to connect offshore wind and solid state transformers.However,Europe faces the key challenges outlined in the i

254、ntroduction to this report,namely the need to refurbish the grid and connect new renewable resources at lost cost;make the grid more responsive and flexible;and improve its safety and security.Ageing and congested power grids are particularly an issue in Europe.While Europes transmission grid expand

255、ed by 12%between 2012 and 2021,90%of its transmission grid and 93%of its distribution grid are more than a decade old(IEA,2023a).The cost of managing grid capacity constraints in 2023 was estimated at EUR 4 billion,a figure that is expected to rise in coming years(ACER,2024).A lack of grid capacity

256、is one of the reasons behind the curtailment,or wastage,of renewable electricity generation,which amounted to around 2%in Spain and 5%in the United Kingdom in 2022.Additional interconnections between countries will help to share Europes electricity resources more evenly while reducing the need for s

257、torage and back-up.They will also enable Europe to reap the benefit of the fact that it is almost always windy,sunny and wet in Europe,but not always in the same place at the same time(European Commission,2024).Efforts towards coordination and interoperabiliy are also essential to ensure flexibiliti

258、y and innovation at the distribution level(DSO Entity,2024;E.DSO,2024).These efforts have been hampered in recent years by issues relating to timelines for permits,tendering procedures,land procurement,social acceptance and finance.The importance of upgrading and investing in Europes electricity gri

259、d was recognised in the 2024 report to the European Commission entitled“The Future of European Competitiveness”(Draghi,2024).The report identifies cross-border grids as a public good that will underpin future EU competitiveness,but which is at risk of undersupply in the current market and policy con

260、text.It points out that power price volatility during the energy crisis resulting from Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine would have been around seven times higher if national markets had been isolated.The report makes the case for doubling down on technology leadership,and states that“supportin

261、g the EU grid manufacturing industry and addressing current barriers(e.g.a lack of standardisation,access to raw materials,security risks associated with third-country providers)is essential to reduce delays linked to the grid component supply chain and enable the adequate roll-out of grid infrastru

262、cture”.To address these challenges,the EU has adopted a range of initiatives.These include the European Grid Action Plan,which outlines 14 measures to make Europes electricity grids stronger,more interconnected,more digitalised and cyber-resilient.Since 2013,the EU Regulation on trans-European energ

263、y infrastructure(“TEN-E”)has labelled more than 100 electricity grid projects as projects of common interest in order to facilitate the building permit process and their construction.It has also allocated funds to many of them,with EUR 4.1 billion from the Connecting Europe Facility.In 2022,the Euro

264、pean Commission adopted an action plan for digitalising the energy sector.This plan outlined 24 key actions such as providing financial support for R&D and the market uptake of digital technologies in the energy sector(through the Digital Europe Programme,LIFE,cohesion policy and a flagship programm

265、e for Digitalisation of Energy in Horizon Europe).In the area of technological innovation,the BRIDGE initiative has been designed to unite EU-funded projects in the areas of smart grids,energy storage,electricity islands and digitalisation and help them to address cross-cutting issues.Launched in 20

266、16,BRIDGE currently includes 183 projects bringing together 2 200 project partners from 38 countries and has attracted EUR 1.6 billion of EU funding in total.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|312.Patents for electricity grids:an overviewPu

267、blished international patent families(IPFs)are used in the study as a uniform metric to measure patenting activities in the different categories of grid-related technologies.This section reports on the main aggregate trends in patenting in these technologies,and on the profiles and geographic locati

268、ons of the applicants of IPFs for grid-related technologies.2.1.General patenting trendsFigure 2.1.1 provides a trend analysis of IPFs in physical grids,smart grids and stationary storage technologies(excluding lithium-ion).It shows an impressive take-off of innovation in both physical and smart gri

269、d technologies over the period 20092013,with compound average growth rates of about 30%in all three subfields,compared to 12%for low-carbon energy technologies and 4%for all technologies over this period.This acceleration phase marks a renewed interest in grid technologies in the industry,with new i

270、nnovation opportunities created by digital technologies and the prospect of the wider deployment of renewable sources of energy.It also coincides with rising penetration of software and software patents in the industry.Figure 2.1.1 Patenting trends in physical grids,smart grids and stationary storag

271、e(IPFs,2001-2022)2 5002 0001 5001 0005000 Physical grids Smart grids Stationary storageSource:authors calculations200120022003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120227 The selection used for the study focuses on technologies that are specifically purposed fo

272、r stationary storage.It therefore excludes lithium-ion batteries which,among other applications,can be used for short-duration grid-scale storage.After stagnating until 2016,a second period of strong growth then starts for smart grids,with a compound average growth rate of 4.7%over the period 2016-2

273、022(compared to 2.6%for all technologies),whereas annual numbers of IPFs in physical grids increase at a lower rate of 2.1%.Patenting in selected stationary storage technologies did not experience the same peak around 2013,and instead shows continuous growth from 2001 to 2022.Overall,innovation in t

274、hese three technology fields generated about 42 500 IPFs over that period,with stationary storage accounting for only a minor share in this total.Innovation in grids has been more dynamic than in other technology fields.As a result,their weight in all patenting activities increased significantly,fro

275、m 0.19%of all IPFs in 20012006 to 0.76%in 2017-2022(Figure 2.1.2).Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|32The proportions of IPFs related to smart grids has remained relatively stable over time:around 70%of all grid-related IPFs.However,the ac

276、celeration of innovation around 2009 marks a stronger convergence between the two fields.In 20012006 only 28%of IPFs related to physical grids involved a smart grid component.Since 2009,this proportion has stabilised at 42%,denoting high penetration levels of digital and software technologies in the

277、 hardware components of grids.Figure 2.1.2 Growth of patenting in grid-related technologies,(IPFs,2001-2022)Source:authors calculations0.8%0.7%0.6%0.5%0.4%0.3%0.2%0.1%0.0%Physical gridsSmart gridsAll grid-related 2001-2006 2009-2014 2017-2022 Grid-related technologies as a share of global IPFsShare

278、of IPFs with smart features in all grid and physical grid IPFs80%70%60%50%40%30%20%10%0%smart in grids%smart in physical grids 2001-2006 2009-2014 2017-2022 The growth of patenting in grid-related technologies reflects an increase in R&D spending by the public and private sectors in this technology

279、area.With patenting rates per unit of financial input varying over time and between technology areas,there is no fixed correlation between R&D expenditure and patenting,but R&D efforts appear to have responded to the same grid challenges and opportunities highlighted in this study.The relatively ste

280、ady increase in grid-related public R&D spending in IEA member countries since around 2007 precedes the sharp increase in patenting.Given the catalytic effect that publicly funded research can have in stimulating the most radical and highest-risk innovation,this may be directly connected to the pate

281、nting trend.While Europe has been the main driver of growth in reported public R&D spending on grids over the past 15 years,governments in North America have rapidly increased their budgets more recently and their spending is now similar to levels seen in Europe.The slowdown in patenting among IEA c

282、ountries therefore appears unrelated to changes in public R&D spending during this period and may be more closely linked to commercial factors.The total reported corporate R&D spending by companies active in electricity supply and networks has declined slightly in real terms since 2015.On the other

283、hand,there has been a sharp increase in R&D spending by Chinese companies,which correlates with the surge in Chinese electricity grid-related IPFs in this period.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|3330 00025 00020 00015 00010 0005 000020152

284、0162017201820192020202120222023 P.R.China United States Europe Japan R.Korea RoW 2 5002 0001 5001 0005000 Europe North America Asia Pacific Figure 2.1.3 Public R&D expenditure in grid-related areas Source:IEAPublic R&D expenditure on power and grids topics by IEA member countries(million USD 2023)Gl

285、obal corporate R&D expenditure in electricity generation,supply and networks sectors,(million USD 2023)2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 20232.2.Geography of electricity grid innovationFigure 2.2.1 provides a trend analysis of grid-and storage-related IPFs originating from the w

286、orlds five largest innovative regions(the EU countries being considered as a block)since 2001.It shows a lead on the part of the EU,Japan and the US over most of this period,with a similar pattern of rapid take-off from 2011 to 2013,followed by slower growth in the EU,a plateau in the US and a relat

287、ive decrease in Japan.P.R.China did not experience the rapid growth observed around 2010 in the other regions,but shows regular progress over the whole period,with a strong acceleration after 2016 which enabled the country to attain top ranking by number of IPFs in 2022.8 R.Korea shows a slight acce

288、leration in 2011 and regular growth afterwards,but still generates a relatively small number of IPFs.8 P.R.China likewise ranks first in 2022 in physical grids,smart grids and stationary storage taken separately.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSe

289、po.org|34Figure 2.2.1 Patenting trends by main world region(IPFs,2001-2022)1 0009008007006005004003002001000 EU27 United States Japan P.R.China R.KoreaSource:authors calculationsNote:Calculations are based on the country of the IPF applicants,using fractional counting in the case of co-applications.

290、200120022003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022Figure 2.2.1 also sheds some light on the shape of the aggregate electricity grid patenting trend since 2009,including the striking peak in 2013 and subsequent dip before annual IPF growth recovered in the

291、past five years.Geographically,it is noticeable that a rise in patenting by Chinese entities has been responsible for much of the recent growth,whereas those in Japan,Europe and the United States were responsible for the earlier peak and stagnation.However,it has not been possible in this study to r

292、each a conclusive answer to the question of why electricity grid patenting peaked among the first-mover regions in 2013.Several possible contributing factors suggest themselves,and these may have coincided to drive the overall trend.First,there appears to have been a rush among some major patent app

293、licants to secure their intellectual property in areas such as smart meters and EV charging during a flurry of equipment deployment starting around 2008.This push to influence and profit from standardisation in the sector may have front-loaded IPFs in an unusually lumpy pattern.Second,between 2011 a

294、nd 2013 the United States and,to a lesser extent,Europe,experienced the“clean tech bust”as value was lost from venture capital investments in startups that struggled to find ready markets for their pioneering products.The rapid deflation of this first clean tech hype cycle caused a cooling of invest

295、or expectations for clean energy hardware innovation in general.Additional contributors may have included the stimulus effect on R&D from countercyclical public research and infrastructure spending in the aftermath of the financial crisis,as well as an emerging mismatch between smart grid R&D and th

296、e pace of deployment by grid operators and utilities.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|35Table 2.2.1 Revealed technology advantages in grid technologies by segment,2011-2022All grids technologiesSmart gridsPhysical gridsStationary storageS

297、hare of IPFsRTAShare of IPFsRTAShare of IPFsRTAShare of IPFsRTAEU2722%1.120%1.026%1.320%1.0Japan22%1.325%1.518%1.118%1.1United States20%0.822%0.818%0.723%0.9P.R.China12%1.312%1.313%1.311%1.1R.Korea8%0.68%0.57%0.511%0.8Germany11%1.410%1.214%1.79%1.2Switzerland5%3.03%2.18%5.11%0.8France4%1.13%0.95%1.3

298、4%1.1United Kingdom2%1.42%1.22%1.44%2.4Italy1%0.81%0.71%0.91%1.0Austria1%1.81%1.51%2.21%1.2Denmark1%2.31%2.21%3.11%1.9Note:Calculations are based on country of IPF applicant,using fractional counting in the case of co-applications.The unshaded rows of the table report on the top seven European count

299、ries in terms of number of IPFs.Table 2.2.1 shows these regions shares of IPFs in the main segments of grid technologies over the same period.It also provides insights into their respective specialisation profiles,as measured by the RTA index.An RTA indicates a countrys specialisation in terms of gr

300、id innovation relative to its overall innovation capacity.It is defined as a countrys share of IPFs in a particular field of technology divided by the countrys share of IPFs in all fields of technology.An RTA above one reflects a countrys specialisation in a given technology.These indicators confirm

301、 the leadership of the EU27 and Japan in grid innovation,each with about 22%of global grid-related IPFs and an RTA in these technologies.However,Japans RTA is larger,and can be observed in all segments of grid-related technologies.It is especially strong in smart grids,where Japan has the largest sh

302、are of IPFs(25%).By contrast,the EU27s lead in grid innovation is primarily due to its strong innovation performance in physical grid technologies,with a strong RTA and 26%of IPFs in those technologies(including 14%from Germany and 5%from France),compared to 18%for Japan and the US.Unlike Japan,the

303、EU27 does not show specialisation in smart grids or stationary storage technologies.Among the other major regions,P.R.China stands out,with RTAs comparable to those of Japan in all main segments of grid-related technologies.While its share of all IPFs remains lower(12%),this was secured in a relativ

304、ely short period and a continuation of that trend would rapidly position P.R.China as the global leader in grid-related patenting.The US generated 20%of all grid-related IPFs,but does not show any specialisation in grid-related technologies or their main subsegments.The pattern is similar for R.Kore

305、a,which generated 8%of all IPFs and actually shows a lack of specialisation in grid-related technologies(with a very low RTA).Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|36A closer analysis of patenting activities at the country level(in the lower p

306、art of the table)highlights the strong contribution made by Germany in grid-related innovation.Germany generated 11%of all grid-related IPFs over the period 2011-2022,half of the EU27 patenting activities in grids,and is comparable to the share of P.R.China.It also shows an RTA in all segments of gr

307、id technologies,with a particularly strong specialisation in physical grid innovation.Among smaller European countries,Switzerland(which is not part of the EU27)and Denmark also stand out,with 5%and 1%respectively of all grid-related IPFs and strong RTAs in both physical and smart grid technologies.

308、2.3.Applicant profilesThe top 15 corporate applicants listed in Figure 2.3.1 alone generated nearly one-third(31%)of IPFs in grid-related technologies over the period 2011-2022.Their cumulative share of IPFs is slightly higher in physical grid technologies(35%,compared to 31%in smart grids),and much

309、 lower in stationary storage technologies(15%).Figure 2.3.1 Top 15 corporate applicants in grids and selected stationary storage technologies(IPFs,2011-2022)Note:Applicants are ranked according to their total number of IPFs in grid-related technologies.Some of these IPFs may be relevant to more than

310、 one of the three subcategories shown;they are reported under each of these subcategories.The IPFs filed by ABB Grid have been consolidated under Hitachi.Source:authors calculations EU27 Japan Other Europe P.R.China R.Korea United States Smart gridSiemens(DE)General Electric(US)ABB(CH)Panasonic(JP)H

311、itachi(JP)Mitsubishi Electric(JP)Toyota(JP)Toshiba(JP)Samsung Electronics(KR)Bosch(DE)Schneider Electric(FR)Huawei(CN)Sumitomo Electric(JP)Honda(JP)Ford Motor(US)Physical gridNumber of IPFsNumber of IPFsStorageNumber of IPFsTable of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTR

312、ICITY GRIDSepo.org|37Siemens,General Electric and ABB,three large conglomerates from Germany,the US and Switzerland respectively,lead the ranking.However,Japan is the most visible country,with seven of the top 15 applicants,including Panasonic,Hitachi,Mitsubishi Electric and Toyota holding fourth to

313、 eighth positions.Compared to their European and US counterparts,these top Japanese applicants show stronger specialisation in smart grids.Besides other German(Bosch),US(Ford Motors)and Japanese companies(Sumitomo Electric and Honda),the remaining top applicants include R.Koreas Samsung Electronics,

314、Frances Schneider Electric and P.R.Chinas Huawei,a telecom equipment company expanding into smart grids.Interestingly,three of the top 15 applicants in grid-related technologies are automotive companies:Toyota,Honda and Ford Motor.Figure 2.3.2 Top 15 research applicants in grids and selected station

315、ary storage technologies(IPFs,2011-2022)Note:Applicants are ranked according to their total number of IPFs in grid-related technologies.Some of these may be relevant to more than one of the three subcategories shown;they are reported under each of these subcategories.Source:authors calculations Fran

316、ce Germany Other P.R.China R.Korea United States Smart gridChina Electric Power Research Institue(CN)Tsinghua University(CN)Battelle Memorial Institute(US)ETRI(KR)CEA(FR)CNRS(FR)MIT(US)University of California(US)IFP Energies Nouvelles(FR)North China Electric Power University(CN)ITRI(TW)Shandong Uni

317、versity(CN)Fraunhofer Gesellschaft(DE)Shanghai Jiao Tong University(CN)KETI(KR)Physical gridNumber of IPFsNumber of IPFsStorageNumber of IPFsTable of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|38With 2.4%and 2.2%of all IPFs related to smart grids and physic

318、al grids respectively,the top 15 research-oriented applicants have a weighting of less than one-tenth of the patenting activities of corporate applicants.However,their share of IPFs in stationary storage technologies is significantly higher at 4.7%,signalling the importance of fundamental research i

319、n some those fields(see Section 3.2 for a more detailed analysis).The top research applicants are dominated by public research organisations,which represent nine out of the 15 top applicants,the six remaining being universities(Figure 2.3.2).In contrast with the list of top corporate applicants,they

320、 do not feature any Japanese organisation.The ranking is dominated by P.R.China(with five research organisations,including the top two),the US and France(three each)and R.Korea(two).The last two applicants are public research organisations from Chinese Taipei(ITRI)and Germany(the Fraunhofer Gesellsc

321、haft).Like top corporate applicants,most of these large research applicants are more active in smart grids,in particular the Chinese ones.However,the CNRS and IFP of France and MIT of the US are notable exceptions,with patenting activities related mainly to stationary storage and physical grids.Box

322、3:Startups and patents in grid-related technologiesStartups are one of the possible routes by which grid-related innovations reach the market.Many of the underlying technologies depend on advanced science coming out of public research organisations and universities,and represent high-risk,disruptive

323、 bets for business developers.Both risks and funding needs are especially significant when startups aim to industrialise and commercialse hardware technology involving manufacturing capacity and relatively long development times.However,given that many of the technologies also have small unit sizes

324、that lend themselves to standardised manufacturing,they can remain attractive to venture capital investors hunting for exponential returns as the clean energy transition gathers speed.The IEA regularly monitors startups operating in the energy sectors.It has categoried a total of 592 startups primar

325、ily focused on power and grids,as well as another 453 startups with grid-relevant activties.Overall,more than one-third(37%)of these have a portfolio of patent applications,including at least one international patent family in 90%of the cases.This proportion of patenting startups is remarkably high,

326、compared for instance with the estimated 6%share of all European startups that have a patent applications(EPO-EUIPO,2023).It is a positive indicator of fundraising capacity for grid-related startups,given the evidence that patent ownership has a positive impact on startups ability to attract venture

327、 capital funding(EPO-EUIPO,2023).To facilitate this matching process,European startups with patent applications at the EPO can be searched online using EPOs free Deep Tech Finder.Most of the startups are located in the US and Europe,with each of those two regions contributing about 39%of the total,a

328、nd the EU27 alone 24%(Figure 2.3.2).By contrast,the small numbers of startups identified in P.R.China,R.Korea and Japan suggest a lesser role for venture capital in these countries innovation ecosystem.Apart from these main regions,Canada(with 50 startups),India(30)and Israel(13)stand out with sizea

329、ble ecosystems of grid-related startups.Table of contents|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|39Figure 2.3.3 Startups in grid-related technologies:number of startups and patenting profile by main world region(2011-2022)250200150100500EU27Other EuropeJapan Uni

330、ted StatesP.R.ChinaR.KoreaOther With patents Without patentsSource:IEA,EPO About half of the startups primarily focused on power and grids are developing grid hardware(Figure 2.3.3).Another third are working on grid optimisation,and a quarter in electricity trading.Other important areas include VPPs

331、(20%)and meter hardware(14%).The proportion of startups with patenting activities is significantly higher in hardware-related activities,such as grid hardware(61%)and meter hardware(59%),reflecting more R&D-intensive forms of innovation and the need to protect technology embodied in tangible product

332、s over relatively long time periods.A large number of startups primarily focused on renewable energies,energy storage and mobility have also been found to have grid-relevant acitivities.Among these,startups innovating in storage and batteries rely most frequently on patent protection.Table of conten

333、ts|Executive summary|Content|Annex PATENTS FOR ENHANCEDELECTRICITY GRIDSepo.org|40Figure 2.3.4 Startups with grid-related profiles:number of startups and patenting profile by primary activity(2011-2022)Grid hardwareGrid optimisationTradeVPP and DERMSMeter hardwareOnsite power quality and managementOther power and grids050100150200 With patents Without patentsStartups in power and gridsRenewablesEn