China Surpasses EU in Global Patents for Power Grid Technologies

A new study reveals China's rapid growth in power grid innovation, driven by AI integration, while the EU and Japan maintain long-term dominance.

China overtook the EU in 2022 as the largest filer of international patent families for power grid technologies, according to a study by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Patent filings for artificial intelligence integration in power grids have surged sixfold in recent years, with China and the U.S. leading this trend.
Despite China's recent growth, the EU and Japan still account for the largest shares of patents from 2011 to 2022, each holding 22%, followed by the U.S. with 20%.
Major companies from the EU, U.S., and Japan dominate the rankings, with Siemens, ABB, and General Electric leading, while China's Huawei ranks twelfth.
The study highlights China's role in revitalizing innovation in power grid technologies after a period of stagnation, intensifying global competition in the sector.