Assessing Innovation in Geothermal Energy Technologies: A Review of the Patent Landscape

Abstract

Geothermal energy is now enjoying a resurgence driven by a number of factors including heightened interest in renewable energy, increased project activity, and greater investments in research and development (R&D). Of these, innovation is a critical driver receiving greater attention thanks to an increase in both public and private funding. Patents play a key role in sustainable technology development and economic growth. Patent literature is highly sophisticated technology information freely available to the public. Hence, study of the patent filing activities across the globe, provides insights about major filers, company activities, technology trends, emerging areas, etc. Patent searches were conducted covering patents filed in 71 countries. The search was conducted for the period January 1836 to December 2010 using a combination of keywords related to geothermal power generation and relevant International Patent Classification (IPC) codes. The search results have been screened to identify patent records describing hydrothermal (HT) and enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) technologies. The results have been appropriately categorized further and mapped to derive valuable insights.