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A top-down analysis: Determining photovoltaics R&D investments from patent analysis and R&D headcount

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  • Breyer, Christian
  • Birkner, Christian
  • Meiss, Jan
  • Goldschmidt, Jan Christoph
  • Riede, Moritz

Abstract

For alternative energy technologies like photovoltaics (PV), the analysis of Research and Development (R&D) expenses is important to observe and understand market dynamics. This is, in turn, essential for policymakers. However, the quantitative evaluation of global corporate R&D investments is a challenging task due to unavailability or high scatter of precise data. Here we present a top-down approach to estimate the current and global historic cumulated PV R&D investments based on international PV patent applications. High growth rates of PV-related patents and R&D headcount accompany growth and development of the PV market and are an excellent indicator to analyze R&D investments. With this approach, current annual corporate PV R&D investments are found to be about 6000m€ and show a rapidly increasing trend on a global scale.

Suggested Citation

  • Breyer, Christian & Birkner, Christian & Meiss, Jan & Goldschmidt, Jan Christoph & Riede, Moritz, 2013. "A top-down analysis: Determining photovoltaics R&D investments from patent analysis and R&D headcount," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1570-1580.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:62:y:2013:i:c:p:1570-1580
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.07.003
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    2. Martin Kalthaus, 2017. "Identifying technological sub-trajectories in photovoltaic patents," Jena Economics Research Papers 2017-010, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.
    3. Hansen, Kenneth & Breyer, Christian & Lund, Henrik, 2019. "Status and perspectives on 100% renewable energy systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 471-480.
    4. Bruns, Stephan B. & Kalthaus, Martin, 2020. "Flexibility in the selection of patent counts: Implications for p-hacking and evidence-based policymaking," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    5. Francesco Pasimeni & Alessandro Fiorini & Aliki Georgakaki, 2018. "Patent-based Estimation Procedure of Private R&D: The Case of Climate Change and Mitigation Technologies in Europe," SPRU Working Paper Series 2018-06, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    6. Teresa Pakulska, 2021. "Green Energy in Central and Eastern European (CEE) Countries: New Challenges on the Path to Sustainable Development," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-19, February.
    7. Petros Gkotsis & Antonio Vezzani, 2019. "Heterogeneity of technology-specific R&D investments. Evidence from top R&D investors worldwide," JRC Working Papers on Corporate R&D and Innovation 2018-04, Joint Research Centre.
    8. Hoppmann, Joern & Vermeer, Ben, 2020. "The double impact of institutions: Institutional spillovers and entrepreneurial activity in the solar photovoltaic industry," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(3).
    9. Hille, Erik & Oelker, Thomas J., 2023. "International expansion of renewable energy capacities: The role of innovation and choice of policy instruments," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(PA).
    10. Marina Van Geenhuizen & Pieter Stek, 2015. "Mapping innovation in the global photovoltaic industry: a bibliometric approach to cluster identification and analysis," ERSA conference papers ersa15p697, European Regional Science Association.
    11. Hoppmann, Joern & Wu, Geng & Johnson, Jillian, 2021. "The impact of demand-pull and technology-push policies on firms’ knowledge search," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    12. Yoon‐Hee Ha & John Byrne & Hae‐Seok Lee & Ye‐Jin Lee & Dong‐Hwan Kim, 2020. "Assessing the impact of R&D policy on PV market development: The case of South Korea," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(2), March.

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