Slowdown in innovation

Clean energy inventions have seen their annual growth rate slow in the past decade, the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) announced on Tuesday.

Low Carbon Technologies

The number of international patents dedicated to low-carbon technologies has grown for 20 years, unlike the decline observed since 2015 in fossil fuels, according to this report "Patents and energy transition", between 2000 and 2019.

For a few years, its average annual growth rate has even decreased. Since 2017, it is four times lower than in the period 2000-2013 (3,3% versus 12,5%).

But the world can only stop global warming "with a great acceleration of innovation in clean energy," warned the IEA.

Climate Change

"About half of the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that will make it possible to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 would have to result from technologies that are not yet on the market," estimated IEA director Fatih Birol.

For the president of the EPO, Antonio Campinos, "this report highlights the need to further accelerate innovation in carbon-neutral energies, some of which are just emerging."

Fall in innovation

According to the document, patents related to energy production technologies, including renewable energy, have decreased since 2012.

For five years, 60% of innovations have been linked to end uses. Transport is the first innovation sector, ahead of energy efficiency in industry.

Electric cars

Electric vehicles have fueled the movement with advances in lithium-ion batteries.

While geographically, Europe is the first innovative region in terms of low-carbon energy, with 28% of patents submitted between 2010 and 2019, according to the report.