In the field of renewable energies, patent applications at the German and European Patent Offices are stagnating. Against the background of the discussion about Germany's dependence on fossil fuels and Russian gas, the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) in Munich announced the new figures: According to these figures, the two authorities published a total of 1,099 patent applications for solar energy, wind and hydro power, geothermal energy, biogas, and other alternative energy sources in 2021. That was roughly in line with the average of the past five years.
Ten years ago, both agencies had published 2,246 patent applications in the field of renewable energy, as Patent Office President Cornelia Rudloff-Schäffer and her colleagues reported on the occasion of the annual DPMA User Forum.
The current political situation shows "that we have to become more independent from fossil energy sources," Rudloff-Schäfer said. "That's why more innovation momentum is also needed again in renewable energies."
Since 2016, however, the number of applications for alternative energies published each year has hovered around the 1,100 mark, with the most applications for solar and wind plants, led by two wind turbine manufacturers: the German-Spanish joint venture Siemens Gamesa and the Danish company Vestas.
The trend is different in an area that is important for the automotive industry: Within 10 years, the number of patent applications for batteries has doubled - in 2012, there were 1,602, and last year there were already 3,374. What is particularly striking here is the sharp increase in applications from China, even if in 2021 patent applications from German companies and developers continued to top the list in absolute terms. All applications for batteries are included, not just those developed for car engines.
Notice: No person, organization and/or company shall disseminate or broadcast the above article on Xinhua Silk Road website without prior permission by Xinhua Silk Road.
A single purchase
