The position of Italy
It’s Italy? It does its part. If we look at the period 2010-2019 (and classified according to the number of families of international patents in carbon-free energy technologies), Italy ranks 4th in Europe and 9th globally, contributing with the 1.4% of all global patents in this field. Between 2015 and 2018, 7.6% of all Italian global patents in all technologies concerned low-carbon technologies, with an average growth rate of international patents from Italy in these technologies over 10 years. 7% per annum. The international patents “made in Italy” are mostly concentrated in the sectors of construction, road vehicles, solar photovoltaics, electric vehicles, solar thermal energy. The leading Italian companies in the filing of low carbon emissions patents (2000-2019) were Fiat Chrysler (251 families of international patents), Eni (167), Leonardo (59), Magneti Marelli (59), and Sind International ( 58). As patent applications are filed months or even years before products reach the market, they are often seen as early indicators of future technological trends. While “on the front of public institutions – research institutions and universities – added Stefani Meini, one of the curators of the study – Italy ranks 15th in the ranking, (6th in Europe), without substantial changes in recent 20 years”.
Since 2000, companies have filed more than 420,000 families of international patents for low-carbon energy in three main categories: energy supply technologies (solar, wind, geothermal or hydroelectric); technologies for transport, buildings or industrial production and, finally, “enabling” technologies (which include batteries, hydrogen, smart grids, carbon capture systems, use and storage). The rise of electric vehicles has been a key driver of innovation over the past decade. This trend is also reflected in the ranking of the best companies in low-carbon energy technologies since 2000, which includes six automotive companies and six of their major battery suppliers.
The “triangle” of Europe, Japan and the USA
The study notes that since 2000 European companies and research institutes have excelled in patenting low-carbon energy inventions, with 28% (12% for Germany alone). While Europe ranks first in most renewable energy sectors and is particularly strong in some end-use sectors such as rail and aviation, Japan is a leader in electric vehicle, battery and hydrogen technology, and the United States has a technological advantage in aviation, biofuels and carbon capture systems. South Korea’s main strengths are batteries, solar photovoltaic technology and energy efficiency in industrial manufacturing and the information and communication technology sector (as in China).
«There are sectors – concluded Gregori and Meini – such as that of technologies and the storage of lithium batteries, in which Europe is confirmed as lagging behind, for example, Asia. But the game is not yet over and a good use of European funds could help the EU to regain competitiveness in a strategic context for the future ».