A top-down analysis: Determining photovoltaics R&D; investments from patent analysis and R&D; headcount
For alternative energy technologies like photovoltaics (PV), the analysis of Research and Development (R&D;) expenses is important to observe and understand market dynamics. This is, in turn, essential for policymakers. However, the quantitative evaluation of global corporate R&D; in...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2013
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| Summary: | For alternative energy technologies like photovoltaics (PV), the analysis of Research and Development (R&D;) expenses is important to observe and understand market dynamics. This is, in turn, essential for policymakers. However, the quantitative evaluation of global corporate R&D; investments is a challenging task due to unavailability or high scatter of precise data. Here we present a top-down approach to estimate the current and global historic cumulated PV R&D; investments based on international PV patent applications. High growth rates of PV-related patents and R&D; headcount accompany growth and development of the PV market and are an excellent indicator to analyze R&D; investments. With this approach, current annual corporate PV R&D; investments are found to be about 6000. m? and show a rapidly increasing trend on a global scale. |
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