ISLAMABAD, Sep 20 (APP): China has cemented its position as a global leader in solar innovation, accounting for over 80% of capacity and production across all stages of the solar photovoltaic (PV) supply chain in 2022, including polysilicon, wafers, cells, and modules.
This was highlighted by Chen Wei, Executive Deputy Director of China’s Photovoltaics Industry IP Operation Centre, at the China IP annual meeting, as reported by China Economic Net on Friday.
According to the Photovoltaics IP Development Report 2023, Chinese firms have significantly increased their investment in research and development (R&D) to drive innovation in PV technology.
Major Chinese PV companies have been allocating around 5% of their revenue towards R&D, a notable investment given the specialized nature of the industry.
Leading in Solar Cell Efficiency and Patent Growth
Chinese enterprises and research institutes have made notable contributions to advancements in solar cell efficiency, a key metric measuring how effectively a solar cell converts sunlight into electricity.
These developments are documented in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) best research-cell efficiency chart, which tracks the highest confirmed conversion efficiencies across various solar technologies.
China’s surge in intellectual property (IP) initiatives is evident, with annual solar patent applications jumping from 40.8% of the global total in 2014 to 82.6% in 2021, amounting to over 175,000 cumulative applications by 2022.
The country now holds 33,970 valid patents in critical PV technologies such as raw materials, wafers, cells, and modules, accounting for 48% of the global total — equivalent to the combined total from the U.S., South Korea, Japan, and Europe.
Focus on High-Quality Patents
Chen emphasized the need for increased international patent protection through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) mechanism and the development of high-quality patents in critical technology areas. Strategic portfolio management and improved patent writing will be essential to harnessing China’s growing intellectual property power.
Industry forecasts predict that renewable energy could account for 76% of global power generation by 2050, with solar energy playing a pivotal role. Chen concluded that while China’s solar IP peak is still ahead, it is fast approaching.
