EGEB: These companies lead in green patent applications

• Which companies are leading the way in green energy innovation?
• A new battery electric vehicle survey offers EV charger insights for utilities and EV owners.
• Offshore wind giant Ørsted is pushing into solar in 2021 in a big way.
• Arcadia Power is committed to making clean energy work for the planet and your bank account — all without changing your utility company. Sign up to receive your $20 Amazon Gift Card.

Green patent leaders

The adoption of green energy sources is crucial in reducing the amount of fossil fuels used each year. With businesses around the world continually working to develop new technologies in the sector, which companies are leading the way in green innovation?

Electronic component supplier company RS Components has analyzed patent applications from 1905 to 2020 that contain the words “renewable energy” to reveal which companies are applying for the most green energy patents. With over 6,000 green patents analyzed, here’s who is leading the pack:

• Mitsubishi is leading with 123 renewable energy patent applications made during the time period analyzed.
• General Electric Company is second, with 83 patent applications.
• Cool Planet, Gevo Inc, Haldor Topsoe A/S, and Novamont S.p.A. all submitted 21 applications from 1905 to 2020.

The busiest year for applications was 2012, with a total of 667 applications submitted.

EV charging insights

For electric vehicle owners, figuring out the right charging method, installing a charger at home, and navigating the available government or utility rebates can be overwhelming, according to a HomeServe survey of 500 EV owners. Home repair and improvement company HomeServe operates in the UK, US, Canada, France, Spain, and Japan.

The survey found that the vast majority of electric car owners (88%) charge their EVs at home, and the choice of charging method for most is a Level 2 charger (75%). But when it comes to setting up and installing home charging, it is less clear for vehicle owners, with 29% of survey respondents expecting their electric utility to assist, and 27% believing that vehicle manufacturers should help.

While many electric utilities provide rebates and incentives for customers to purchase electric vehicles and install chargers at home, only 54% of owners surveyed were aware of a rebate or incentive from their provider. However, of those who were aware, 84% took advantage of the program. This suggests that if more people were aware of such offers, more would take advantage of them.

Ørsted embraces solar

Ørsted, an offshore wind giant, is making a big pivot in 2021: All of the new power plants it completes will be onshore, and most will involve solar.

The Danish company has never before completed a major solar project anywhere in the world. But Ørsted is currently building two huge solar arrays in Texas and Alabama that total nearly 700 megawatts. The Texas project is the 460-MW Permian Energy Center, which will sell its solar power to ExxonMobil and includes a 40-megawatt battery system.

Assuming its 2021 construction plans go forward, Ørsted will, in a single year, become a major US PV developer in terms of capacity built. It’s unusual for a company to offer both wind and solar, so this is pretty exciting.

Vishal Kapadia, chief financial officer of Ørsted’s onshore business, said:

Solar is the fastest-growing power generation technology in the world. Given [solar’s] generation shape, it pairs well with storage, and that lends itself to opportunities as well.