Inventions for photovoltaics increased more than seventeen-fold in three decades

The latest technology insight report from the EPO’s Observatory on Patents and Technology reveals that innovation in photovoltaics has experienced significant growth over the last three decades.  

The photovoltaics field has grown significantly in recent decades, driven by global moves toward sustainability, energy security, technological progress and declining production costs. Looking ahead, advancements in materials, storage integration and smart grids are expected to further enhance the field, making solar energy a cornerstone of a clean, decentralised and resilient global energy infrastructure. This report offers valuable insights for both public and private sector decision-makers, drawing on the latest patent data and the combined expertise of the EPO and the European Innovation Council (EIC) to spotlight technology trends and emerging challenges.

Five decades of trends: how photovoltaic innovation has evolved across materials, devices, and applications

The technology insight report analyses trends across 30 technologies over a period of five decades. The findings consider information on some 340 000 inventions, including 70 000 international patent families, spread across four areas: photovoltaic materials, photovoltaic devices, the management of these devices, and application areas.

The number of photovoltaic inventions started to grow considerably in the late 1990s, increasing more than seventeen-fold over the past three decades. While device technologies played a key role throughout the period 1990-2023, accounting for up to 78% of all inventions, the role of the other sub-areas has steadily grown. For the years 2020-2023, 48% of all inventions were related to device technologies, followed by applications (25%), photovoltaic materials (17%) and device management (10%).

Number of inventions in photovoltaics

China leads as global hub for photovoltaics patenting, Europe strong in key innovative niches

Over the past 15 years, patenting activity has increasingly shifted to China, mirroring its rise as a leader in photovoltaic manufacturing and deployment. Although international patent families (IPFs) have declined since 2012, patent filings in China surged nearly six-fold since 2010. By 2022, China accounted for 80% of all new photovoltaic inventions worldwide.

While China leads in photovoltaic panel production, Europe retains a strong edge in deployment-related technologies—such as agrivoltaics (combining solar panels with agricultural land use) and installations on rooftops, carports and buildings.

Top applicants

Between 1990 and 2023, the top 20 IPF applicants were primarily from Japan (13), followed by companies from the United States (3), R. Korea (2), Germany and France (1 each). Leading Chinese institutions, such as the Chinese Academy of Science and State Grid Corporation, do not appear in this ranking due to their focus on domestic filings.

During the reporting period, the top 20 applicants focused primarily on device technologies (15 146 IPFs), photovoltaic materials (3 178 IPFs) and applications (2 517 IPFs), with technologies related to photovoltaic device management playing a minor role (1 010 IPFs).

European startups and universities fuel innovation in devices and materials

European startups primarily innovate in photovoltaic devices, followed by materials, with a recent and growing focus in application-related inventions. Startup activity is highest in Germany, France, Switzerland and Sweden. Key regional hotspots include southern England, Belgium and southern Netherlands, the upper Rhine, Zurich, Lake Geneva, southeast France, Dresden and Stockholm.

European universities consistently demonstrate high levels of inventive activity, particularly in photovoltaic devices and materials. The UK leads in academic patenting, followed by France, Switzerland and Germany.

Key regional hotspots include southern England, Belgium and southern Netherlands, the Paris and Lausanne areas, the upper Rhine region and the Madrid area.

The report features case studies outlining innovative developments in this sector. Among the featured inventors are Portuguese engineers Nuno Correia and Carla Gomes, who led a team that developed a mooring platform for floating solar farms that tracks the sun. Their system can increase photovoltaic panel efficiency, providing an incentive for further investment in floating solar farm technology.