Innovation in batteries and electricity storageA global analysis based on patent data | September 2020
2 Back to contents ForewordWith this report, the European Patent Office (EPO) is teaming up for the first time with the International Energy Agency (IEA) to offer key insights into patent trends in high-value inventions in the field of electricity storage. Because patents are filed many months, or even years, before products appear on the market, patent information is an early indicator of which technologies could be poised to play ground-breaking roles in the future. As the patent office for Europe, the EPO is positioned at the forefront of technical progress. Thanks to our unique access to the world's largest collection of patent and non-patent literature, the EPO can produce cutting-edge business intelligence on the very latest technological trends. Our patent classification scheme for climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies is just one example of the high-quality, specialised data that we provide. With millions of patent documents classified across a wide variety of fields, it has become a widely-used standard for monitoring progress in green technologies across the world.Drawing on the IEA's unparalleled expertise in the field of energy enables us to go one step further by leveraging patent information to zoom in on innovation in this strategic domain. The data produced by our two organisations are designed to address the information needs of decision makers in the public and private sectors. By providing detailed insights into emerging trends, this data will help innovators in the sector get ahead of the technology curve.Our first joint report provides an overview of the innovation landscape in the booming electric storage industry. Specifically, we reveal that patent filings in batteries and electricity storage have soared over the past ten years, at an annual growth rate of 14% versus just 3.5% on average i - highlighting a burst of innovation in the sector and a global battery technology race. The report bears testimony to the challenge that electricity storage represents for energy transition. In view of rising demand for electric mobility and a growing dependence on the renewable energy supply to mitigate climate change, considerable technological progress is being made to find ways of storing massive amounts of electricity at affordable prices.In this context patent information proves a critical source of intelligence. I am therefore delighted that our new co-operation with the IEA will give decision-makers unparalleled data and analyses on innovative solutions to meeting the clean energy needs of industry and society as a whole. António CampinosPresident, European Patent Officei From 2008-2018
3 Back to contents ForewordThe relaunch of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) flagship Energy Technology Perspect...
