Power Grid Technology Patent Landscape 2026
Power Grid Technology Patent Landscape in 2026
The power grid technology patent field spans 8,395 patent families and is in a mature phase, with annual volume having peaked in 2022 and since plateaued; the field has still grown on a multi-year basis. General Electric leads by portfolio size, though rapidly rising challengers such as LG Energy Solution and Honor Device signal a structural shift toward energy storage and wireless charging applications.
General Electric leads a moderately concentrated field with active challengers closing fast
General Electric holds the top position with 354 patent families, followed closely by LG Energy Solution at 317 and Causam Energy at 250. The top five filers collectively account for 21% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, indicating moderate concentration rather than outright dominance by a single entity.
A meaningful tier gap exists between the top three applicants and the remainder of the top ten, which ranges from 215 (Honor Device) down to 107 (LG Electronics). This tiering suggests that leadership is contestable: no single player holds an insurmountable position, and the distance between ranks two through five is narrow.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Electric Company | 354 | |
| 2 | LG Energy Solution Ltd | 317 | |
| 3 | Causam Energy Inc | 250 | |
| 4 | Honor Device Co Ltd | 215 | |
| 5 | Siemens AG | 212 | |
| 6 | Vestas Wind Systems A/S | 198 | |
| 7 | ABB (Schweiz) AG | 147 | |
| 8 | Toyota Motor Corporation | 126 | |
| 9 | Accenture Global Services Ltd | 111 | |
| 10 | LG Electronics Inc | 107 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | State Grid Corporation of China | 100 | |
| 12 | Toshiba Corporation | 100 | |
| 13 | Hitachi Energy Ltd | 92 | |
| 14 | Delta Electronics Inc | 90 | |
| 15 | General Electric Technology GmbH | 88 | |
| 16 | Tianjin University | 84 | |
| 17 | Murata Manufacturing Co Ltd | 82 | |
| 18 | 8ME Nova LLC | 80 | |
| 19 | Huawei Technologies Co Ltd | 78 | |
| 20 | Hitachi Ltd | 75 |
General Electric’s broad emphasis on grid systems (H02J3) and power conversion (H02M7) reflects a utility-infrastructure orientation, while the rapid ascent of LG Energy Solution and Honor Device signals that battery management and device-level charging are becoming primary battlegrounds within the same patent space.
Patent publication typically lags filing by 18–24 months, so activity recorded for 2025 and 2026 represents a partial view; the apparent step-down in those years should not be read as a real decline in inventive activity.
Filing peaked in 2022 and has plateaued; grid systems dominate but EV and storage branches are expanding
The annual filing trend and the technology branch composition together reveal a maturing but internally dynamic field: the headline volume has eased from its 2022 peak while several adjacent branches are accumulating critical mass.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings climbed from 797 in 2018 to a peak of 1,121 in 2022, then eased to 996 in 2023 and 914 in 2024. The 2025 and 2026 bars are incomplete due to publication lag and should not be interpreted as further decline. The multi-year window still shows a 12% net growth rate, consistent with a field that has matured rather than contracted.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H02J (power supply and grid systems) is the dominant branch by a wide margin, reflecting the core infrastructure focus of the field. The next three branches — G06Q (business and administrative data processing), B60L (electric vehicle propulsion), and H02M (power conversion) — each carry comparable weight, together signalling that grid-edge intelligence, EV integration, and power electronics are co-equal growth vectors within the broader landscape.
↗ 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.
Charging/discharging system for solar light power …
Provided are a charging and discharging system for a solar light power generator in a smart grid environment, a method of operating the same, and a duplex converter for charging and discharging electricity into/from a battery. The system includes: an electricity price monitoring part which collects electricity price information from an electric grid; an… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | System and method for inductive charging of portab… | 1,897 |
| 2 | Inductive power source and charging system | 1,613 |
| 3 | Smart electric vehicle (EV) charging and grid inte… | 1,036 |
| 4 | Wireless energy transfer between a source and a ve… | 1,006 |
| 5 | Power storage device and power storage system | 1,005 |
| 6 | Optimized energy management system | 961 |
| 7 | Power source, charging system, and inductive recei… | 801 |
| 8 | Grid Shifting System for a Lighting Circuit | 751 |
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 observations — maturity stage, concentration level, collaboration patterns, and geographic spread — sharpen where new entrants and incumbents can most productively deploy resources.
Mature field with plateauing annual volume
The lifecycle evidence places this field at the Maturity stage, with annual filings having plateaued near their 2022 peak. The 12% multi-year growth rate reflects accumulation over the full window rather than accelerating new activity. For R&D teams, this means foundational grid-systems patents are well-covered; differentiation now favours targeted bets in adjacent branches rather than broad infrastructure filings.
Lifecycle: MatureModerate concentration with a contestable top tier
The top five filers hold 21% of the combined output of the hundred largest filers, a level that signals moderate concentration without lock-in. The narrow gap between ranks two through five — LG Energy Solution at 317, Causam Energy at 250, Honor Device at 215, and Siemens at 212 — means the leadership order can shift quickly. New entrants with focused portfolios in storage or grid-edge analytics can realistically reach the top-ten tier.
Concentration: ModerateCo-filing activity concentrated within corporate families
The most active co-filing pair is General Electric and GE Grid Solutions with 13 joint filings, followed by Toshiba and Toshiba Infrastructure Systems with 9. General Electric also co-files with Aclara Technologies and GE Renewable Energy Spain. Siemens partners with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and with Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, the latter being the only university-industry pairing in the top-ten collaboration list. ABB and Hitachi Energy co-file 3 times, reflecting their corporate relationship. Most collaboration is intra-group, suggesting limited open-innovation activity at the top of the field.
Collaboration: Intra-groupUS-dominant filing with substantial European and Asian secondary coverage
The United States is the leading jurisdiction by patent records, followed by Europe via the EPO, India, WIPO PCT filings, and China. Germany, Australia, and Canada form a secondary cluster. Japan and South Korea are present but proportionally smaller than their manufacturing footprint in the sector might suggest, which may indicate strategic filing choices or gaps worth monitoring for freedom-to-operate analysis.
Geography: US-ledGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| General Electric Company | GE Grid Solutions LLC | 13 |
| Toshiba Corporation | Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation | 9 |
| General Electric Company | Aclara Technologies LLC | 4 |
| Siemens AG | Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy | 4 |
| ABB (Schweiz) AG | Hitachi Energy Ltd | 3 |
| General Electric Company | GE Renewable Energy Spain SL | 2 |
| General Electric Company | GE DIGITAL HLDG LLC | 2 |
| ABB (Schweiz) AG | Marici Holdings Netherlands BV | 2 |
| Toshiba Corporation | Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation | 2 |
| Siemens AG | Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
General Electric anchors grid infrastructure; LG Energy Solution and Honor Device are the fastest-rising challengers
The top players differ sharply in technology emphasis and trajectory. General Electric’s position rests on deep grid-systems and power-conversion coverage accumulated over many years, while LG Energy Solution and Honor Device have built their portfolios rapidly, primarily around battery management and device charging.
General Electric
General Electric leads with 354 patent families, concentrated in H02J3 (grid power systems), H02M7 (power conversion), and H02J7 (charging systems). Its momentum trend shows a sharp recent-period decline of 95% versus the prior three years, suggesting the company has shifted filing strategy or consolidated activity into subsidiaries such as GE Grid Solutions and GE Renewable Energy Spain. The core portfolio nonetheless remains the broadest in the field.
families: 354LG Energy Solution
LG Energy Solution holds 317 patent families and is the most aggressive riser in the ranking, with recent filings running at 9.0 times the volume of the prior three-year period. Its technology emphasis centres on H02J7 (battery charging systems), H02J3 (grid integration), and G01R31 (battery measurement and diagnostics), reflecting a strategy tightly linked to EV and stationary storage deployment. At this trajectory, LG Energy Solution is positioned to challenge for the top rank.
families: 317| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| General Electric Company | 3 | ▼ -95% |
| LG Energy Solution Ltd | 199 | ▲ 9.0× vs prior 3-yr |
| Causam Energy Inc | 48 | ▼ -29% |
| Siemens AG | 12 | ▲ new entrant |
| Honor Device Co Ltd | 181 | ▲ 8.2× vs prior 3-yr |
| Vestas Wind Systems A/S | 11 | ▼ -78% |
| ABB (Schweiz) AG | 22 | ▼ -12% |
Under-served adjacent branches worth monitoring in power grid technology
Several IPC branches appear alongside the dominant H02J class but carry comparatively lower filing share relative to their technical relevance to grid modernisation. These are observations of relative sparsity; they become candidate opportunities only where sparse coverage aligns with plausible technical value and a realistic entry path.
G06N · AI-based computing for grid optimisation
G06N (computing based on AI models) accounts for a proportionally small share of the overall branch distribution despite the growing deployment of machine-learning methods in demand forecasting, fault detection, and autonomous grid control. The branch sits at the intersection of grid systems and digital intelligence — a pairing that carries clear technical value. Teams with existing H02J3 or G05B portfolios would have a natural entry path by extending claims into AI-driven optimisation methods.
Search this in Eureka →H02B · Power switchboards and substations
H02B (power switchboards and substations) appears with a comparatively sparse filing count relative to the broader grid-systems activity in H02J. Substation automation and digital switchgear are active engineering areas driven by grid modernisation programmes, yet the patent record here is thin. Applicants already active in H02J3 or H02M power conversion would have a technically coherent path into substation-level protection and monitoring claims.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across core technology routes
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H02J 3 · Power supply & grid systems | H02J 7 · Power supply & grid systems | H02J 13 · Power supply & grid systems | G06Q 50 · Business, commerce & admin data processing | B60L 53 · Electric vehicle propulsion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Electric Company | Strong · 420 | Emerging · 69 | Emerging · 47 | Emerging · 37 | Absent |
| Causam Energy Inc | Strong · 238 | Absent | Strong · 153 | Moderate · 72 | Emerging · 25 |
| LG Energy Solution Ltd | Strong · 131 | Strong · 206 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Siemens AG | Strong · 199 | Absent | Emerging · 34 | Absent | Absent |
| Vestas Wind Systems A/S | Strong · 191 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Honor Device Co Ltd | Absent | Strong · 188 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Accenture Global Services Ltd | Strong · 83 | Absent | Moderate · 36 | Moderate · 23 | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 8,395 patent families. The United States is the leading filing jurisdiction, followed by Europe via the EPO, India, WIPO PCT, and China.
General Electric leads with 354 patent families, concentrated in grid power systems (H02J3) and power conversion (H02M7). LG Energy Solution is the closest challenger at 317 patent families and is growing at 9.0 times its prior three-year filing rate.
The field is at the Maturity stage. Annual filings peaked in 2022 at 1,121 and have since plateaued; the multi-year net growth rate remains positive at 12%. The 2025 and 2026 figures are incomplete due to publication lag.
H02J (power supply and grid systems) is dominant. G06Q (business and administrative data processing), B60L (electric vehicle propulsion), and H02M (power conversion) each carry comparable secondary weight, reflecting the convergence of grid infrastructure with EVs, energy storage, and digital management.
LG Energy Solution’s recent filing rate is 9.0 times its prior three-year level, and Honor Device’s is 8.2 times. Siemens AG is recorded as a new entrant in the most recent period. By contrast, General Electric’s recent filings are down 95% versus its prior three-year baseline, and Vestas Wind Systems is down 78%.
G06N (AI-based computing) and H02B (power switchboards and substations) show relatively sparse filing counts compared with the dominant H02J class, despite clear technical relevance to grid modernisation. These are observations of relative sparsity and become opportunity candidates only when assessed against a specific applicant’s existing portfolio and freedom-to-operate position.
Ready to map your own power grid technology landscape?
Join 18,000+ innovators using PatSnap Eureka to map any technology landscape: search 2B+ patents and papers, surface key assignees, and generate a report like this in minutes.
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.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. PatSnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.