Perovskite Solar Cell Patent Landscape 2026
Perovskite Solar Cell Patent Landscape in 2026
Perovskite solar cell patenting is in a clear growth phase, with a 345% rise in recent-window filings and Chinese manufacturers commanding the top positions. The field is moderately concentrated at the top — Trina Solar leads — but the competitive tier below is dense, signalling rapid entry by industrial players alongside long-standing academic contributors.
Trina Solar leads a China-heavy field with a dense challenger tier
Trina Solar Co. Ltd. holds the top position with 252 patent families, ahead of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) at 170 and Hanwha Solutions Corp. at 133. The top five filers account for 18% of the combined total across the hundred largest filers, indicating moderate concentration — no single player dominates outright.
The gap between the leader (252 patent families) and the fifth-ranked applicant (98 patent families) is substantial, but ranks six through twenty are tightly packed, with counts ranging from 85 down to 48. This compressed mid-tier reflects rapid industrial entry rather than a settled duopoly or oligopoly.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trina Solar Co. Ltd. | 252 | |
| 2 | Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. | 170 | |
| 3 | Hanwha Solutions Corp. | 133 | |
| 4 | Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | 114 | |
| 5 | Zhejiang Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. | 98 | |
| 6 | Contemporary Amperex Technology (Hong Kong) Limited | 85 | |
| 7 | Wuxi Utmost Light Tech Co. Ltd. | 81 | |
| 8 | RES & BUSINESS FOUND SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIV | 80 | |
| 9 | Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. | 73 | |
| 10 | CubicPV Inc. | 70 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Tongwei Solar Energy (Chengdu) Co. Ltd. | 70 | |
| 12 | Chint New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. | 70 | |
| 13 | LONGi Green Energy Technology Co. Ltd. | 62 | |
| 14 | Xi’an TJ-Solar New Energy Co. Ltd. | 60 | |
| 15 | Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) | 60 | |
| 16 | Oxford University Innovation Ltd. | 57 | |
| 17 | Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) | 52 | |
| 18 | Northwestern Polytechnical University | 51 | |
| 19 | Contemporary Amperex Future Energy Research Institute (Shanghai) | 50 | |
| 20 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co. Ltd. | 48 |
The leaders’ positions — largely Chinese module and battery manufacturers — suggest that scale-up and manufacturability patents are now central, complementing the foundational device-physics IP that earlier academic entrants established.
Filing counts for 2025 and 2026 are understated due to the 18–24 month publication lag; apparent softening in those years should not be read as a slowdown. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filings have grown steeply since 2021 and the technology mix is broad but device-layer dominated
The annual trend and the IPC composition together reveal a field transitioning from exploratory research to industrial-scale patenting, with device and materials branches both active.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings grew from 196 in 2017 to a visible peak of 1,706 in 2024, with particularly steep acceleration from 2021 onward. The 2025 and 2026 counts (1,296 and 117 respectively) are substantially understated by publication lag and should not be interpreted as a genuine decline. The lifecycle evidence confirms the field remains in a growth stage.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H10K (organic semiconductors, which encompasses perovskite device layers) is by far the dominant IPC class. H01L (semiconductor devices) and H02S (photovoltaic systems) rank second and third, reflecting interest in both device physics and balance-of-system integration. Chemistry branches — C07F, C07D, C23C — occupy the middle tier, pointing to active materials and deposition research running in parallel with device work.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Electron transport layer for perovskite solar cell…
The present disclosure relates to an electron transport layer for a perovskite solar cell, which is tin oxide (SnO<sub>2-x</sub>, 0<x<1) comprising oxygen vacancies, wherein the oxygen vacancies are passivated by oxidized black phosphorus quantum dots (O-BPs), and a perovskite solar cell including the same. The electron transport layer for a perovskite… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Optoelectronic device | 513 |
| 2 | Optoelectronic device | 195 |
| 3 | Photovoltaic device comprising a metal halide pero… | 98 |
| 4 | Optoelectronic device comprising perovskites | 85 |
| 5 | Optoelectronic device comprising porous scaffold m… | 80 |
| 6 | Quantum-dot-in-perovskite solids | 77 |
| 7 | 一种钙钛矿太阳能电池的化学气相沉积制备方法 | 69 |
| 8 | 一种钙钛矿太阳能电池及其溶液法制备方法 | 69 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the competitive structure means for R&D investment decisions
Four structural readings — maturity, concentration, collaboration networks, and geographic footprint — each carry distinct implications for where new entrants and incumbents should focus.
Growth stage with industrial momentum accelerating
The lifecycle evidence classifies this field as Growth, with annual filings still rising and recent-window growth at 345%. The surge from 2021 to 2024 aligns with commercialization efforts by module manufacturers, suggesting the window for foundational IP is narrowing. New entrants should prioritize differentiated process or material claims rather than broad device architecture.
Growth stageModerate at the top, highly contested in the mid-tier
The top five filers hold 18% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, leaving 82% distributed across a large and active challenger pool. The mid-tier (ranks 6–20) spans battery makers, utilities, solar manufacturers, and universities, meaning competitive pressure comes from multiple industry segments simultaneously. No single player controls a blocking position.
Moderate concentrationCo-filing concentrated within corporate families and university-industry pairs
The most active co-filing pair is Zhejiang Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. and Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. with 67 joint families, reflecting intra-group coordination. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. and its Shanghai research institute account for 50 joint families. Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute co-files heavily with Huaneng New Energy and Huaneng Qinghai. Cross-institutional links include Sungkyunkwan University with the Multi-dimensional Energy System Research Group (34 families) and Oxford University Innovation with Oxford Photovoltaics (8 families), illustrating academia-to-spinout transfer pathways.
Intra-group & university pairsChina dominates filings; US and Europe are secondary but strategically important
China accounts for the largest share of patent records by jurisdiction, followed by the United States, Europe (EPO), South Korea, and WIPO PCT filings. India and Germany hold notable secondary positions. The PCT route provides an entry point for global protection strategies, and the active South Korean presence reflects the competitiveness of players such as Hanwha Solutions and Korean research institutes.
China-led, global reachGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Zhejiang Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. | Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. | 67 |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) | Contemporary Amperex Future Energy Research Institute (Shanghai) | 50 |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | Huaneng Renewables Corporation Limited | 38 |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | Huaneng Qinghai Power Generation Co. Ltd. | 34 |
| Sungkyunkwan University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation | Global Frontier Center for Multiscale Energy Systems | 34 |
| Alliance for Sustainable Energy LLC | University of Louisville Research Foundation | 12 |
| Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. | Jinko Solar (Haining) Co. Ltd. | 11 |
| Zhejiang Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. | Jinko Solar (Haining) Co. Ltd. | 9 |
| Oxford University Innovation Ltd. | Oxford Photovoltaics Ltd. | 8 |
| Sungkyunkwan University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation | Seoul National University R&DB Foundation | 8 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Trina Solar and CATL lead by volume; Oxford University Innovation anchors the academic tier
The top two positions are held by Chinese industrial players with very recent and rapid filing ramps; the academic leader Oxford University Innovation shows a more stable, earlier-established portfolio.
Trina Solar Co. Ltd.
Trina Solar leads with 252 patent families and is classified as a new entrant on momentum metrics, meaning its recent filing volume of 178 families represents a sharp ramp from a negligible prior base. Its technical focus is concentrated in H10K30 (perovskite device layer structures) and H10K71 (fabrication processes), consistent with a manufacturer building process-oriented IP for commercial scale-up.
patent families: 252Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd.
CATL ranks second with 170 patent families and shows an 8.7× increase versus its prior three-year filing period — the strongest momentum ratio among established applicants. Its focus mirrors the leader’s in H10K30 and H10K85 (materials), signalling a deliberate push into perovskite solar from a battery-technology base. Its Hong Kong affiliate and Shanghai research institute add further portfolio depth.
patent families: 170| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Trina Solar Co. Ltd. | 178 | ▲ new entrant |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) | 174 | ▲ 8.7× vs prior 3-yr |
| Hanwha Solutions Corp. | 84 | ▲ 3.8× vs prior 3-yr |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | 76 | ▲ new entrant |
| Zhejiang Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. | 66 | ▲ +187% |
| Oxford University Innovation Ltd. | 11 | ▼ -8% |
| Wuxi Utmost Light Tech Co. Ltd. | 74 | ▲ new entrant |
| Sungkyunkwan University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation | 21 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served adjacent branches worth monitoring
Several IPC classes sit adjacent to the dominant device-layer and semiconductor branches but carry relatively low patent record counts, indicating areas where prior art density remains thin relative to their technical relevance.
H02S · Photovoltaic / solar power generation (systems integration)
With 455 patent records against a dominant H10K base of 5,548, system-level integration of perovskite cells into power generation architectures is comparatively sparse. As perovskite modules approach commercial deployment, patents covering inverter interfaces, module-level power electronics, and field performance monitoring could become strategically valuable. The entry path is accessible to balance-of-system specialists and utility-adjacent players who are already present in this IPC class in conventional solar.
Search this in Eureka →C23C · Coating & surface deposition
C23C covers thin-film deposition methods including CVD, ALD, and sputtering, and has 221 patent records in this corpus. Scalable, low-defect deposition of perovskite absorber and transport layers is a known commercial bottleneck, yet this branch remains lightly covered relative to the device-layer classes. Equipment and process-materials companies with deposition expertise could find relatively open prior art space here, particularly for large-area and roll-to-roll processes.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by IPC technology route
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H10K 30 · Organic semiconductors (OLED etc.) | H10K 71 · Organic semiconductors (OLED etc.) | H10K 85 · Organic semiconductors (OLED etc.) | H01L 31 · Semiconductor devices | H01L 51 · Semiconductor devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trina Solar Co. Ltd. | Strong · 238 | Strong · 201 | Moderate · 117 | Absent | Absent |
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) | Strong · 184 | Moderate · 81 | Moderate · 90 | Moderate · 46 | Absent |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | Strong · 107 | Strong · 93 | Strong · 59 | Absent | Absent |
| Hanwha Solutions Corp. | Strong · 129 | Moderate · 37 | Strong · 76 | Absent | Absent |
| Wuxi Utmost Light Tech Co. Ltd. | Strong · 80 | Strong · 62 | Moderate · 31 | Absent | Absent |
| Chint New Energy Technology Co. Ltd. | Strong · 70 | Strong · 59 | Strong · 42 | Absent | Absent |
| Oxford University Innovation Ltd. | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 31 | Strong · 71 | Strong · 49 |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 6,686 patent families globally. This is the base from which applicant rankings, trend analysis, and technology composition are derived.
Trina Solar Co. Ltd. holds the top position with 252 patent families, followed by Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. at 170 and Hanwha Solutions Corp. at 133.
Yes. The lifecycle assessment classifies this field as Growth. Annual filings rose from 196 in 2017 to 1,706 in 2024. Figures for 2025 and 2026 are understated due to the standard 18–24 month publication lag and should not be interpreted as a downturn.
China has the highest patent record count, followed by the United States, Europe (EPO), South Korea, and WIPO PCT filings. India and Germany are notable secondary markets.
H10K (organic semiconductors, covering perovskite device layers) dominates the IPC composition. H01L (semiconductor devices), H02S (photovoltaic systems), H01G (capacitors), and a range of chemistry classes (C07F, C07D, C23C) represent significant secondary branches.
The most active co-filing pair is Zhejiang Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. and Jinko Solar Co. Ltd. with 67 joint families. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. and its Shanghai research institute have 50 joint families. Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute co-files extensively with Huaneng New Energy (38 families) and Huaneng Qinghai (34 families).
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
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