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U.S. Renewable Energy Patent Trends (2015-2025): Insights from PatSeer Analytics
According to the U.S. EIA, renewables made up 24% of U.S. electricity generation in 2024, overtaking coal for the first time. Solar and wind led this growth, with solar alone growing 25% year-on-year. Yet while the market has shifted, innovation footprints vary widely across technologies. Understanding patenting trends helps decode which technologies are truly advancing and where future opportunities lie.
To better understand the trajectory of renewable energy innovation, we conducted an analysis using PatSeer’s patent Analysis Software and Patent Search Engine, focusing on U.S. patent filings from 2015 to mid-2025 under the CPC Y02E10/00, which includes various forms of energy generation through renewable sources. Our goal was to assess filing trends, key technology segments, leading players, and the overall portfolio value of patents in this field. This study effectively serves as a Patent Landscape review for renewable energy technologies in the U.S.
Technology Segments Covered
The study focused on the following renewable energy sources (segmented by CPC class codes of the filings):
| CPC Code | Focus Area |
|---|---|
| Y02E10/10 | Geothermal energy |
| Y02E10/20 | Hydro energy |
| Y02E10/30 | Energy from the sea |
| Y02E10/40 | Solar thermal energy |
| Y02E10/50 | Photovoltaic energy |
| Y02E10/60 | Thermal-PV hybrids |
| Y02E10/70 | Wind energy |
Figure 1: Number of Inventions with a US priority in last 10 years by Renewable energy sources
An analysis of US originated patent filings (2015–2025) under the CPC Y02E10 classification reveals:
- Photovoltaic energy leads by a large margin, with over 3,200+ filings.
- Wind energy has the lowest number of filings, despite being a major contributor to actual power generation.
- Thermal-PV hybrids, geothermal, and marine energy show early-stage but promising patent activity.
These trends reflect the divergence between market deployment and innovation focus.
Leaders by Renewable Energy type
The chart below summarizes the key innovators across all categories within the same dataset:
Figure 2: Top 5 Innovators by Renewable Energy source
Strategic Insights from U.S. Renewable Energy Patent Filings (2015–2025)
- Maxeon’s presence across PV, solar thermal, and hybrid segments signals its ambition to dominate the full solar value chain with multi-modal innovation.
- Tech disruptors and agile startups like Tesla (photovoltaic energy), Maxeon (PV and hybrid solar), Eavor Tech (geothermal), and Lone Gull Holding (marine energy) are leading filings in niche or emerging domains, capitalizing on underexplored white spaces with focused, early-stage innovation.
- Oil & gas giants such as Halliburton, Schlumberger, and Saudi Aramco are repurposing drilling and thermal expertise to secure IP in clean energy sectors like geothermal and solar thermal.
- Universities (like Michigan) and research institutes (e.g., Battelle) show up in marine and thermal sectors, indicating early-stage or foundational R&D.
- Despite wind contributing around 10% of U.S. electricity, it has the lowest patent filings among renewable sectors-reflecting a mature field where innovation has shifted beyond hardware, with Alphabet Inc. leading through advancements in AI, smart grid integration, and intelligent control systems.
Strategic Control through Critical Patents
Beyond volume, it’s critical to understand who holds the most influential patents. PatSeer’s Choke Point chart identifies companies with strategically dominant patents.
What are Choke Points?
Choke points refer to patents that cover critical components, processes, or methods that others in the industry may need to license or design around. These patents can effectively give the holder leverage in the market, as they may control fundamental steps in technological development. If multiple companies hold choke points in a given area, it may create barriers to entry or increase the complexity of innovation. Fewer choke points, on the other hand, could signal white space or investment opportunities.
Figure 3: Choke point holders in renewable energy innovation
- Legacy leaders like GE and Boeing, alongside disruptors such as Tesla and Maxeon, are shaping core innovation across renewable technologies.
- Non-energy entrants like IBM and Hilti are driving cross-sector innovation, blending energy with automation, software, and infrastructure.
- SolAero and Battelle hold compact but high-impact portfolios, offering strong leverage for licensing and partnerships.
- Concentrated patent control in solar and hybrid segments signals potential entry barriers for new players and startups, making a clear case for continuous Patent Landscape monitoring.
Conclusion
The U.S. renewable energy IP landscape is both vibrant and uneven. While sectors like photovoltaics are saturated and strategic, others such as thermal-PV hybrids, geothermal, and marine energy offer rare white-space potential.
For companies, startups, and policymakers, this patent intelligence should inform R&D focus, funding strategy, and competitive positioning in the decade ahead. A well-maintained Patent Landscape can be the key to identifying where innovation investments will yield the greatest long-term advantage.
PatSeer empowers stakeholders to navigate the intricate landscape of patents across diverse sectors. It provides comprehensive and actionable insights into global patent data, emerging trends, and potential collaboration opportunities. Whether conducting in-depth patentability searches, identifying relevant prior art, or assessing the competitive landscape, PatSeer streamlines the patent research process, enabling informed decision-making at every stage of the patenting journey.