The power industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by grid security, reduced peak loads, lower operational costs and increased integration of renewables, and growing importance of technologies such as smart grids and battery energy storage systems (BESS). In the last three years alone, there have been over 439,000 patents filed and granted in the power industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Robotics in Power: Renewable energy integrated microgrids. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 83,000 patents to analyse innovation intensity for the power industry, there are 90+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Renewable energy integrated microgrids is a key innovation area in robotics
Renewable energy integrated microgrids deliver efficient, low-cost, clean energy and improve the operation and stability of the regional grid. Their function is to strengthen grid resilience, mitigate grid disturbance, and act as grid resource for faster response and recovery through deployment of renewable energy resources.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 30+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established power companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of renewable energy integrated microgrids.
Key players in renewable energy integrated microgrids – a disruptive innovation in the power industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to renewable energy integrated microgrids
| Company | Total patents (2021 - 2023) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Panasonic | 61 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Wobben Properties | 42 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Group | 42 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kyocera | 35 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Mitsubishi Electric | 32 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Robert Bosch Stiftung | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Johnson Controls International | 24 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sekisui Chemical | 24 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sunverge Energy | 18 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State Grid Corporation of China | 16 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Paloma Industries | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| LG | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Siemens | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sofibol SCA | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Murata Manufacturing | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Tesla | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| AMETEK | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Lt Lighting Taiwan | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Omron | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Denso | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Gree Electric Appliances of Zhuhai | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| South East Water | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Willdan Group | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| E.ON | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Smardt Chiller Group | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| HPS Home Power Solutions | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hitachi | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Eaton | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Acciona | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Chugoku Electric Power | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Honda Motor | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Twenty First Century Utilities | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kawasaki Heavy Industries | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NantEnergy | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Korea Electric Power | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Orison | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Chung-Hsin Electric and Machinery Manufacturing | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Leading patent filers are Mitsubishi Electric and Siemens. In August 2022, Mitsubishi Electric was selected by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) for the supply of battery storage to four microgrids in its service area. The microgrid BESS projects has a total capacity of 39MW/ 180MWh, deployed across the four sites in San Diego in the communities of Elliot, Clairemont, Paradise, and Boulevard. Meanwhile, Siemens' product SICAM A8000 series is a modular device range for telecontrol and automation applications in all areas of energy supply including reliable control of microgrids.
In November 2021, Acciona and Schneider Electric developed the first industrial microgrid in Spain. The microgrid combines the production of renewable energy on site, battery storage and charging points for electric vehicles to achieve maximum autonomy and optimise consumption in the grid.
To further understand how robotics is disrupting the power industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Robotics in Power (2021).
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
