KEY POINTS
- The EU excels in high-readiness technology and high-value innovation, while China dominates the volume of early-stage scientific output and domestic patenting.
- Europe leads in photovoltaics, smart electricity, and carbon capture; the US produces highly influential research despite a smaller overall output share.
- The Clean Energy Technology Observatory (CETO) identified 151 emerging technologies to guide EU policy on competitiveness and technological sovereignty.
MAIN STORY
A new report by the Clean Energy Technology Observatory (CETO) reveals a fragmented global landscape for clean energy innovation, with the EU, China, and the US holding distinct regional strengths. According to the analysis, the EU is the strongest performer in technologies with a high Technology Readiness Level (TRL), meaning those closer to industrial deployment.
Europe is particularly specialized in advanced fuels, geothermal energy, photovoltaics, and carbon capture. Furthermore, the EU leads globally in international patenting, reflecting a strategic focus on securing commercial protection across multiple markets.
China leads in the sheer scale of innovation, producing the highest volume of scientific publications and patents in low-TRL signals. Its strengths span batteries, energy storage, fuel cells, and next-generation wind systems. However, the report notes that much of China’s patenting remains domestic, focused on its large home market.
Meanwhile, the United States contributes a smaller share of total output but produces some of the most influential scientific research, specifically in smart electricity, ocean energy, and batteries.
Smaller economies like Japan, South Korea, India, and the UK continue to lead in selected niche sectors. The study, implemented by the Joint Research Centre, serves as an evidence-based tool for policymakers to detect future dependencies and decide where to scale up investment. By monitoring 151 early-stage technologies, CETO supports the EU’s Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan and its broader climate and industrial goals.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
- The report highlights that: “The EU excels in scientific output on high-level readiness technologies and in high-value innovation compared with its global competitors.”
- Regarding China’s focus: “Much of China’s patenting is domestic… reflecting a stronger focus on protection within its large home market.”
- On the US contribution: “The United States contributes a smaller share of output but produces some of the most influential scientific work.”
WHAT’S NEXT
- CETO findings will be used to support the EU’s Competitiveness Progress Report and guide international cooperation.
- Policymakers will utilize the identification of 151 technologies to determine which early-stage research requires immediate funding to avoid future dependencies.
- CETO will continue to publish yearly reports assessing the EU’s industrial capacity and global positioning in the clean energy value chain.
BOTTOM LINE
The Bottom Line is that while China leads the world in the volume of early-stage clean energy research, the EU maintains a competitive edge in high-value, deployment-ready technologies. Strategic patenting and influential research from the US further define a global market where technological sovereignty is increasingly tied to early detection and scaled investment.
 reveals a fragmented global landscape for clean energy innovation, with the EU, China, and the US holding distinct regional strengths. According to the analysis, the EU is the strongest performer in technologies with a high Technology Readiness Level (TRL), meaning those closer to industrial deployment.){kind=link}