The power industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by increasing energy demand and need for energy efficiency, and growing importance of technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. In the last three years alone, there have been over 656,000 patents filed and granted in the power industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Artificial intelligence in power: power grid digital twins. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 70,000 patents to analyze innovation intensity for the power industry, there are 40+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Power grid digital twins is a key innovation area in artificial intelligence
Power grid digital twins are digital replicas of physical power grid systems. These digital copies can be continuously updated and provide accurate insights into the operation of the power grid system by utilizing real-time data from sensors and other sources.
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 80+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established power companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of power grid digital twins.
Key players in power grid digital twins – a disruptive innovation in the power industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to power grid digital twins
| Company | Total patents (2021 - 2023) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| State Grid Corporation of China | 132 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Southern Power Grid | 36 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ABB | 33 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Siemens | 27 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Intel | 24 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Dominion Energy | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sunverge Energy | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Schneider Electric | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sun Electric | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ember Technologies | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Oracle | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Accenture | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hitachi | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Gree Electric Appliances | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| IHI | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Tinicum | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toshiba | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Electric | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State Grid Shanghai Municipal Electric Power | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Samsara | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Daedalus Blue | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Daikin Industries | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State Grid Hebei Electric Power Supply | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| International Business Machines | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Moixa Energy | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| LS Electric | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| EDSA Micro | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Panasonic | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| AES | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| UtiliData | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ThinkEco | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Embertec | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| WaveTech Global | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NARI Technology | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SolarEdge Technologies | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| AMETEK | 4 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NEC | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NARI Group | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Measurable | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hangzhou Power Supply Company State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Caterpillar | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Beijing Electronics | 3 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Qingdao Power Supply Company Of State Grid Shandong Electric Power | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Peak Power | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| OrxaGrid | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| UVIC Industry Partnerships | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| arbnco | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State Grid NARI Nanjing Control System | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Applied Underwriters | 2 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
State Grid Corporation of China is one of the leading patent filers in power grid digital twins. The company’s core business includes the construction and operation of power grids. It focuses on research and development of ultra-high voltage (UHV) transmission and smart grid technologies. SGCC owns proprietary intellectual property rights and promotes the export of technology and related equipment. It also operates large-scale commercial UHV projects. SGCC supplies power to municipalities, provinces, and autonomous regions, servicing most of the territory in China. Some other key patent filers include China Southern Power Grid, ABB, and Siemens.
In terms of application diversity, Leia leads the pack, while Toshiba and Schneider Electric stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Sunverge Energy held the top position, followed by Sun Electric and Ember Technologies.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the power industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Artificial intelligence (AI) in Power.
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