增强型电网专利（英文版）

Patentsforenhanced

electricitygrids

Aglobaltrendanalysisofinnovationinphysicalandsmartgrids

December2024

lea

International

EnergyAgency

PATENTSFORENHANCEDELECTRICITYGRIDS

Forewords

AsrecentlyemphasisedinMarioDraghi’slandmarkreport,takingtheleadinnewcleantechnologiesandaccelerating

theenergytransitionawayfromfossilfuelsarekeyconditionsforEuropetosecurethecompetitivenessofitseconomy.Significantprogresshasalreadybeenachieved:Europeisproducingrecordlevelsofrenewableenergy,andelectricity-

poweredvehiclesorheatpumpsarebeingdeployedonacontinentalscale.Thesetrendsmakeitevermoreurgentto

alsoinvestinsmarterandmoreflexibletransmissionanddistributionnetworksthatcaneffectivelybalancethegrowingdemandforpowerwithnew,variablesourcesofenergy.Inthiscontext,producingreliableintelligenceonavailable

technologyoptionsrelatedtoinnovationtrendsiskeyforsupportingrobustbusinessandpolicydecisions.ThisisalsopartoftheEPO’sstrategiccommitmenttosustainability.

Thisstudy–thefourthofitskindundertakenincollaborationwiththeIEAsince2020–addressesinnovationtrends

inpowergrids.CombiningtheenergyexpertiseoftheIEAwiththeEPO’spatentknowledge,ithighlightsspecifically

thedisruptiveimpactofdigitaltechnologiesinthatfield,andthedeeptransformationstakingplaceinacentury-old

industryasaresult.Becausepatentinformationistheearliestpossiblesignalofindustrialinnovation,thisreportoffersauniquesourceofintelligenceonacomplexandfast-movingtechnologylandscapethatisreachingnewheightsof

strategicimportancetodecision-makersaroundtheworld.Patentprotectioniskeyforinnovatorstotransformresearchintomarket-readyinventions.Patentsenableenterprisesanduniversitiestoreaptherewardsoftheircreativityandhardwork.AsthepatentofficeforEurope,theEPOprovideshigh-qualitypatentstoprotectinnovationsinupto45countries(includingallEUmemberstates).Europeanpatentsarenotonlyforlargemultinationalcompanies.Theyarealsokeytohelpingsmallbusinessesraisefunding,establishcollaborationsandeventuallyscale.

Thestudyisaguideforpolicymakers,regulatorsandoperatorstoanticipatetechnologicalchange,assesstheir

comparativeadvantageindifferentsegmentsofthepowerdistributionindustry,anddirectresourcestowardspromisingoptions.DrawingontheEPO’suniquelycuratedandconsolidatedevidencebase,itintroducesnovelpatentdatasearchstrategiestoassessthemodernisationdynamicsaffectingthecomponentsandarchitectureofenergyinfrastructure,

includingitsphysicalandsmartdimensions.Itshedslightonthepathwaysopeninguptoinnovativecompaniesand

theresearchsectorastheycontributetolong-termsustainablegrowth.ItbenefitedfromthesupportoftwelvepatentofficesinvolvedintheenergytransitionactivitiesoftheEPO’sObservatory,namelyAustria,BosniaandHerzegovina,theCzechRepublic,Finland,Italy,Latvia,Lithuania,Monaco,Netherlands,Spain,Sweden,andTürkiye.

Theresultsrevealadramaticaccelerationofinnovationingridstechnologiesinthelastfifteenyears,pavingthe

wayforanewageofpowernetworks,capableofseamlesslysensingandmanagingmyriadsofelectricaldevices.

TheyalsohighlightthemajorcontributionofEuropetothistransformation,thusunderlyingtheopportunityforenergytransitionswithinEuropeanindustries–startupsandlargecompaniesalike.Importantly,thisreportalsoremindsus

allofthecompetitivenatureofinnovationincleantechnologies:theglobalraceforsmartergridtechnologiesison,

andhasevenacceleratedinrecentyearsthankstotheincreasedimpactofartificialintelligenceandsmartEVcharging.Bygivingdecision-makersanunparalleledperspectiveoverpatentingtrends,thesefindingsprovideavaluablemapforourtransitiontoanewenergysystem.

AntónioCampinos

President,EuropeanPatentOffice

|02

<

Tableofcontents|Executivesummary

|Content|Annex

PATENTSFORENHANCEDELECTRICITYGRIDS

Gridshavebeenthebackboneofelectricitysystemsformorethanacentury,underpinningeconomicactivitybybringingpowertohomes,industryandservices.Theroleofelectricityisbecomingevenmoreprominent,andtheInternational

EnergyAgency(IEA)hasmadeitclearthatthefutureoftheglobalenergysystemisincreasinglyelectric.Inenergyhistory,we’vewitnessedtheAgeofCoalandtheAgeofOil–andwe’renowmovingtowardstheAgeofElectricity.Thismakestheexpansionofpowerinfrastructureevenmoreimportantforcontinuedsocietalandeconomicdevelopment.

Withoutadequateelectricitynetworkstodelivernewpowersupplytocentresofdemand,economicactivitycouldbestymiedwhilethemostvulnerableinsocietyarelikelytobetheworstaffected.Energyaccessinemerginganddevelopingeconomiescouldstall,andtheintegrationofnewenergysourceswouldlikelybecomemorecostlyandcomplex.Ensuringtheworld’sgridsarefit-for-purposerequiresnotonlybuildingnewlinesbutalsorefurbishingandupgradingexistingnetworkstomakethemostoftheinfrastructurealreadyinplace.

Interconnectedelectricitygridsbringbenefitsforconsumersandarefundamentaltoenergysecurity.Ithasbeen

estimatedthatcross-borderelectricitytradeinEuropedeliverseconomicbenefitsofaroundEUR34billionperyear.

FollowingRussia’sfull-scaleinvasionin2022,Ukraine’selectricitygridwasinterconnectedwiththecontinentalEuropeansysteminrecordtimeand,bysummer2024,exportsfromEuropemetnearlyone-fifthofUkraine’speakpowersupplies.InApril2025,theissueofelectricitygridsandsecurepowersupplieswillbeontheagendaattheInternationalSummitontheFutureofEnergySecurityconvenedbytheIEAandhostedinLondonbytheGovernmentoftheUnitedKingdom.

Newapproachestotheexpansionandrefurbishmentofelectricitygridscancontributetonationalcompetitiveness,apertinentpolicypriorityformanycountriesfollowingaglobalenergycrisisandaperiodofhighprices.Technologyinnovationisattheheartofthischallenge.Theworldwillcontinuetorelyoninnovatorstodriveforwardthepaceofprogresstoresolvearangeofemergingchallenges,includingintegratinggreatersharesofvariablerenewableenergysuchaswindandsolar,andimprovingdemand-sidemanagementmeasurestoensureconsumersplaytheirpart.

Governmentshaveacriticalroleinsupportinginnovationandencouraginggridoperatorstoimplementthelatest

solutions.Manycountriesarenowseekingtofostermanufacturingofcleanenergytechnologiesandstimulatedomesticdemand.Todate,thesehavelargelyfocusedonproductsincludingsolarPV,windturbines,batteries,electricvehicles,

electrolysersandheatpumps.Butthisreportshowsthatcompetitionforleadershipinelectricitygridinnovationisalsointensifying,withastrongcaseforexpandingindustrialstrategiestoencompassgrid-relatedtechnologies.

Thisstudy,whichisanotherexampleofthestrongpartnershipbetweentheIEAandtheEuropeanPatentOffice(EPO),isthemostcomprehensiveanalysisofpatentingtrendsacrosselectricitygridtechnologies.Suchanintegratedapproach–thatlooksatphysicalgridtechnologies,smartgridtechnologiesandtheincreasingoverlapsbetweenthem–isessentialforunderstandingprogresstowardstacklingthechallengesfacedinadvancedandemergingeconomiesalike.

Thereportfindingsgiveusconfidencethatinnovatorsaroundtheworldarerespondingtothenewchallengesfacingelectricitygrids,andtotheeconomicopportunitythisrepresents.Butthereportalsoidentifiesareaswheresome

regionsrisklosingtheirtechnologicalleadershiporwheremoreeffortisrequired.Ourcontinuedco-operationwiththeEPOwillallowustotrackthisprogressgoingforward.

DrFatihBirol

ExecutiveDirector,InternationalEnergyAgency

|03

<

Tableofcontents|Executivesummary

|Content|Annex

PATENTSFORENHANCEDELECTRICITYGRIDS

Tableofcontents

Forewords

2

Listoftablesandfigures

5

Listofabbreviations

7

Listofcountries,territoriesandeconomies

8

Executivesummary

10

1.

Introduction17

1.1.

Theimportanceofelectricitygridsforcleanenergytransitions..............................................................................................17

1.2.

Electricitygridsfacenewchallenges...............................................................................................................................................17

1.3.

Challenge1:expandingandenhancingphysicalconnections..................................................................................................18

1.4.

Challenge2:makinggridoperationsmoreflexibleandbidirectional....................................................................................24

1.5.

Challenge3:protectingpeople,dataandtheenvironment......................................................................................................26

1.6.

Structureofthereport.........................................................................................................................................................................27

2.

Patentsforelectricitygrids:anoverview31

2.1.

Generalpatentingtrends....................................................................................................................................................................31

2.2.

Geographyofelectricitygridinnovation........................................................................................................................................33

2.3.

Applicantprofiles..................................................................................................................................................................................36

3.

Physicalgridsandstationarystorage40

3.1.

Mainpatentingtrendsinphysicalgridtechnology.....................................................................................................................40

3.2.

Recenttrendsinstationarystoragetechnologies........................................................................................................................53

4.

Smartgrids57

4.1.

Mainpatentingtrendsinsmartgridtechnologies......................................................................................................................57

4.2.

RecenttrendsinsmartEVcharging.................................................................................................................................................64

ANNEX1:Termsofuse70

References

71

<

Tableofcontents|Executivesummary

|Content|Annex

|04

PATENTSFORENHANCEDELECTRICITYGRIDS

Listoftablesandfigures

Tables

Table1.3.1Technologiesthatcanhelpaddressthechallengeofexpandingandenhancingphysicalconnections23

Table1.4.1Technologiesthatcanhelpaddressthechallengeofmakinggridoperationsmoreflexibleand

bidirectional25

Table1.5.1Technologiesthatcanhelpaddressthechallengeofprotectingpeople,dataandtheenvironment27

Table2.2.1Revealedtechnologyadvantagesingridtechnologiesbysegment,2011-202235

Table4.1.1Impactofkeyenablingtechnologiesonasubsetofotherfieldsofsmartgrids,2011-202263

Figures

FigureE1Patentingtrendsbymainworldregion(IPFs,2001-2022)11

FigureE2Shareofinternationalpatentingandrevealedtechnologyadvantagebymainworldregionand

maintypeofgrid-relatedtechnologies(IPFs,2011-2022)12

FigureE3Top15applicantsingrid-relatedtechnologies(IPFs,2011-2022)13

FigureE4Growthofpatentinginselectedsmartgridtechnologies,2001-202214

FigureE5ThegrowingimpactofAIoninnovationinsmartgrids15

FigureE6Startupsingrid-relatedtechnologies:numberofstartupsandpatentingprofilebymainworld

region,2011-202216

Figure1.3.1Schematicoftheelectricitygrid,ascoveredbythisreport20

Figure1.3.2Globalgridlength,1971-202121

Figure1.6.1Mappingofelectricitygrid-relatedtechnologies29

Figure2.1.1Patentingtrendsinphysicalgrids,smartgridsandstationarystorage(IPFs,2001-2022)31

Figure2.1.2Growthofpatentingingrid-relatedtechnologies,(IPFs,2001-2022)32

Figure2.1.3PublicR&Dexpenditureingrid-relatedareas33

Figure2.2.1Patentingtrendsbymainworldregion(IPFs,2001-2022)34

Figure2.3.1Top15corporateapplicantsingridsandselectedstationarystoragetechnologies(IPFs,2011-2022)36

Figure2.3.2Top15researchapplicantsingridsandselectedstationarystoragetechnologies(IPFs,2011-2022)37

Figure2.3.3Startupsingrid-relatedtechnologies:numberofstartupsandpatentingprofilebymainworld

region(2011-2022)39

Figure2.3.4Startupswithgrid-relatedprofiles:numberofstartupsandpatentingprofilebyprimaryactivity

(2011-2022)40

Figure3.1.1ExpansionofHVDCtransmission,1971-202141

Figure3.1.2Growthofpatentingingrid-relatedtechnologies,2001-202242

Figure3.1.3Penetrationofsmartfeaturesinphysicalgridtechnologies43

Figure3.1.4Globaloriginofpatentsrelatedtophysicalgrids,2011-202244

Figure3.1.5Europeanoriginofpatentsrelatedtophysicalgrids,2011-202244

Figure3.1.6Penetrationofsmartfeaturesinphysicalgridtechnologiesbymainregion,2011-202245

Figure3.1.7Patentingtrendsinremotefaultdetectionandlocation(IPFs,2001-2022)46

Figure3.1.8GlobaloriginofIPFsinremotefaultdetectionandlocation(IPFs,2011-2022)47

Figure3.1.9Patentingtrendsinflywheelsversussyntheticinertiabyregion(IPFs,2011-2022)49

<

Tableofcontents|Executivesummary

|Content|Annex

|05

PATENTSFORENHANCEDELECTRICITYGRIDS

Figure3.1.10Patentingtrendsinpowertransmission(IPFs,2001-2022)50

Figure3.1.11Regionalecosystemsinsuperconductingcables(IPFs,2011-2022)51

Figure3.1.12Top10applicantsinsuperconductingcables,2011-202252

Figure3.2.1Patentinginselectedstationarystoragetechnologies(IPFs,2001-2022)54

Figure3.2.2Globaloriginofpatentsinstationarystoragetechnologies,2011-202255

Figure3.2.3Europeanoriginofpatentsinstationarystoragetechnologies,2011-202255

Figure3.2.4Regionalecosystemsinselectedstationarystoragetechnologies(IPFs,2011-2022)56

Figure4.1.1Growthofpatentinginselecteddigitaltechnologiesforgrids(IPFs,2001-2022)58

Figure4.1.2Globaloriginofpatentsrelatedtocontrolofelectricitygeneration,storageandgrids,2011-202259

Figure4.1.3Europeanoriginofpatentsrelatedtocontrolofelectricitygeneration,storageandgrids,2011-202260

Figure4.1.4Globaloriginofpatentsrelatedtosmartgridapplications,2011-202260

Figure4.1.5Europeanoriginofpatentsrelatedtosmartgridapplications,2011-202261

Figure4.1.6Patentingtrendsindigitalenablingtechnologies,2001-202262

Figure4.2.1GrowthofpatentinginsmartEVcharging,2001-202266

Figure4.2.2GlobaloriginofpatentsrelatedtosmartEVcharging,2011-202267

Figure4.2.3EuropeanoriginsofpatentsrelatedtosmartEVcharging,2011-202267

Figure4.2.4Top10OEMsandequipmentsuppliersinsmartgridsfortransport(IPFs,2011-2022)68

Figure4.2.5Top10OEMsversusequipmentsuppliersbysegmentoftransporttechnologies(IPFs,2011-2015

versus2018-2022)

69

<

Tableofcontents|Executivesummary

|Content|Annex

|06

PATENTSFORENHANCEDELECTRICITYGRIDS

Listofabbreviations

ACAlternatingcurrent

AIArtificialintelligence

BEVBatteryelectricvehicles

CEIDSConsortiumfortheElectricInfrastructuretosupportaDigitalSociety

DCDirectcurrent

DERMSDistributedenergyresourcesmanagementsystem

EMDEEmergingmarketanddevelopingeconomies

EPOEuropeanPatentOfficeEVElectricvehicles

FACTSFlexibleACtransmissionsystems

FCEVFuel-cellelectricvehicles

FFRFastfrequencyresponse

HVDCHigh-voltagedirectcurrent

ICTInformationandcommunicationstechnologyIEAInternationalEnergyAgency

IECInternationalElectrotechnicalCommissionIPFsInternationalpatentfamilies

LDESLong-durationenergystorage

OEMOriginalequipmentmanufacturer

PHEVPlug-inhybridelectricvehicles

PVPhotovoltaics

R&DResearchanddevelopment

RTARevealedtechnologyadvantage

SCADASupervisorycontrolanddataacquisition

TEN-ETrans-EuropeanNetworksforEnergy

UHDUltra-highvoltage

VARVolt-amperereactiveVPPVirtualpowerplant

<

Tableofcontents|Executivesummary

|Content|Annex

|07

PATENTSFORENHANCEDELECTRICITYGRIDS

Listofcountries,territoriesandeconomies

CHSwitzerland

CNPeople’sRepublicofChinaDEGermany

EUEuropeanUnionFRFrance

JPJapan

KRR.Korea

RoWRestofworld

TWChineseTaipei

USUnitedStates

OtherEurope

MemberstatesoftheEuropeanPatentOrganisationthatarenotpartoftheEU27:

AL,CH,IS,LI,MC,ME,MK,NO,RS,SM,TR,UK

<

Tableofcontents|Executivesummary

|Content|Annex

|08

PATENTSFORENHANCEDELECTRICITYGRIDS

AbouttheEuropeanPatentOffice

TheEuropeanPatentOfficewascreatedin1977.Asthe

executivearmoftheEuropeanPatentOrganisation,itisresponsibleforexaminingEuropeanpatentapplicationsandgrantingEuropeanpatents,whichcanbevalidatedinupto45countriesinEuropeandbeyond.

AsthepatentofficeforEurope,theEPOiscommittedtosupportinginnovation,competitivenessandeconomic

growthacrossEuropebydeliveringhigh-qualityproductsandservicesandplayingaleadingroleininternational

co-operationonpatentmatters.TheEPOisalsooneof

theworld’smainprovidersofpatentinformation.Assuchitisuniquelyplacedtoobservetheearlyemergenceof

technologiesandtofollowtheirdevelopmentovertime.Theanalysespresentedinthisstudyarearesultofthismonitoring.

InOctober2023theEPOlaunchedthe

Observatoryon

PatentsandTechnology,

whichservesasadigitalhubfortransparentandinformeddebateoninnovation.

AbouttheInternationalEnergyAgency

TheInternationalEnergyAgencyprovidesauthoritativedata,analysisandrecommendationsacrossallfuelsandalltechnologies,andhelpsgovernmentsdeveloppoliciesforasecureandsustainablefutureforall.

TheIEAwascreatedin1974andexaminesthefull

spectrumofissues,includingenergysecurity,clean

energytransitionsandenergyefficiency.Itisaglobal

leaderinunderstandingpathwaystomeetingclimate

goals,reducingairpollutionandachievinguniversal

energyaccess,inlinewiththeUnitedNationsSustainableDevelopmentGoals.Itsworkonenergytechnology

innovationspansthecollectionofnationaldataonpublicenergyR&Dbudgets,regulartechnologytrendanalysisandpolicyguidanceforgovernments.

TheIEAfamilyofcountriesaccountsforover75%of

globalenergyconsumptionandincludes35member

countries,fiveaccessioncountries,andthirteen

associationcountries–Brazil,P.R.China,India,Indonesia,Morocco,Singapore,SouthAfricaandThailand.

ThisworkreflectstheviewsofboththeEPOandtheIEASecretariat,butdoesnotnecessarilyrepresenttheviewsoftheIEA’sindividualmembercountries,theEPO’scontractingstates,oranyspecificfunderorcollaborator.Theworkdoesnotconstituteprofessionaladviceonanyparticular

issueorsituation.NeithertheEPOnortheIEAmakesanyrepresentationorwarranty,expressorimplied,regardingthework’scontents(includingitscompletenessoraccuracy)andshallnotberesponsibleforanyuseof,orrelianceon,thework.

Thisdocumentandanymapincludedhereinarewithoutprejudicetothestatusoforsovereigntyoveranyterritory,tothedelimitationofinternationalfrontiersandboundariesandtothenameofanyterritory,cityorarea.

<

Tableofcontents|Executivesummary

|Content|Annex

|09

PATENTSFORENHANCEDELECTRICITYGRIDS

Executivesummary

Electricityisatthecoreofongoingenergytransitions.

Electricitydemandhasgrownattwicethepaceofoverallenergydemandoverthelastdecade,andthegrowthofelectricityconsumptionissettoacceleratefurtherintheyearsahead.Toachievecountries’nationalenergyand

climategoals(whichgobeyondpoliciescurrentlyinplace),theworld’selectricityuseneedstogrow20%fasterinthenextdecadethanitdidinthepreviousone.Onthesupplyside,electricitygridswillcontinuetoincorporatemore

renewableresourceswithvariableoutputanddifferentgeographicaldistributionstocurrentgridlayouts.Atthesametime,manycountriesfacerisinginvestmentneedstoupdateageinggridinfrastructuretomakeitfitfor

modernenergysystems:roughly50millionkmofoldertransmissionanddistributionlineswillneedtobe

replacedaroundtheworldby2050.

Modern,smartandexpandedgridsaretherefore

essentialforsuccessfulenergytransitions.Ensuring

competitiveness,securityandaffordabilitywhile

refurbishing,extendingandoptimisingelectricitygridstomoreflexiblyconnectsourcesofpowersupplyand

demandaretechnologyinnovationchallenges,aswellasinvestmentandpolicychallenges.Therearemany

opportunitiesforinnovatorstoacceleratecleanenergytransitionswithimprovedgrid-relatedtechnologiesan