Robotics innovation: leading companies in renewable energy integrated microgrids for the power industry 

The power industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by grid security, reduced peak loads, lower operational costs and increased integration of renewables, and growing importance of technologies such as smart grids and battery energy storage systems (BESS). In the last three years alone, there have been over 439,000 patents filed and granted in the power industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Robotics in Power: Renewable energy integrated microgrids. 

According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 83,000 patents to analyse innovation intensity for the power industry, there are 90+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry. 

Renewable energy integrated microgrids deliver efficient, low-cost, clean energy and improve the operation and stability of the regional grid. Their function is to strengthen grid resilience, mitigate grid disturbance, and act as grid resource for faster response and recovery through deployment of renewable energy resources. 

GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies.  According to GlobalData, there are 30+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established power companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of renewable energy integrated microgrids. 

‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators. 

Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.