Innovation Timeline
Clean Energy
Solar cells, wind turbines, battery technology — the patent story of the energy transition.
Landmark patents
83
Total citations
1,987
Span
1851 – 2024
Milestones
18
1880s
How Charles Hall Invented Modern Aluminum Production
This 1889 patent describes the Hall-Héroult process, which uses electricity to extract pure aluminum from its ore, making the metal affordable for everyone.
18 citations
William Stanley Jr.'s Early Alternating Current Transformer System
An 1886 patent describing an early design for an electrical transformer that helped make alternating current power distribution practical for homes and businesses.
12 citations
How Nikola Tesla Invented the Modern AC Electric Motor
Nikola Tesla's 1888 patent for an induction motor that uses rotating magnetic fields to convert electricity into mechanical motion without needing physical brushes.
1 citation
1890s
Nikola Tesla's Early System for Electric Lighting
A 19th-century patent by Nikola Tesla describing an early method for distributing and regulating electric light using high-frequency alternating current.
13 citations
How Rudolf Diesel's Engine Works
Rudolf Diesel's 1898 patent describes a highly efficient engine that ignites fuel using the heat generated by compressing air rather than using a spark plug.
10 citations
1900s
How Willis Carrier Invented the Modern Air Conditioner
Willis Carrier's 1906 patent for an apparatus to control humidity and temperature, forming the technical foundation for modern air conditioning systems.
19 citations
John Holland's Design for an Early Submarine Boat
This 1906 patent by John P. Holland describes an early design for a submarine, a vessel capable of traveling underwater, laying the groundwork for modern naval technology.
1910s
How William Burton Invented Modern Gasoline Refining
A 1913 patent by William Burton that describes a thermal cracking process to turn heavy crude oil into usable gasoline for automobiles.
2 citations
How William Coolidge Invented the Modern X-Ray Tube
A 1916 patent by William Coolidge for a high-vacuum X-ray tube that used a heated tungsten filament to control electron flow, replacing older, unreliable gas-filled tubes.
32 citations
1920s
How Early Electromagnetic Pumps Moved Liquid Metal Using Magnetic Fields
A 1927 patent for a pump that uses electromagnetic forces to move conductive liquids without needing moving mechanical parts like pistons or impellers.
7 citations
How Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard Designed a Silent Refrigerator
A 1930 patent by Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard for a refrigerator that uses electromagnetic pumps instead of moving mechanical parts to circulate coolant.
22 citations
1940s
How the First Nuclear Reactor Works
The foundational 1955 patent by Enrico Fermi and Leo Szilard describing the design of the first nuclear reactor capable of a self-sustaining chain reaction.
232 citations
How the Geiger Counter Detects Invisible Radiation
A 1947 patent for a radiation detection device that uses a gas-filled tube to identify and count high-energy particles.
6 citations
1950s
How Eugene Houdry Invented the Modern Catalytic Converter
A 1952 patent for a durable, thin-film catalyst structure that allows gases to flow freely over reactive surfaces, forming the foundation for modern vehicle exhaust systems.
55 citations
How the First Practical Silicon Solar Cell Works
A 1954 invention by Bell Labs researchers that created the first silicon-based solar cell capable of converting sunlight into enough electricity to power everyday devices.
59 citations
How the Modern Alkaline Battery Was Invented
A 1957 patent from Union Carbide that defined the construction of the long-lasting alkaline battery, replacing older zinc-carbon designs.
25 citations
1970s
How a Single Coil Powers Multiple Motor Armatures Simultaneously
A 1973 design for an electric motor that uses a single central coil to power several separate armatures arranged in a circle.
22 citations
How Scientists Created Bacteria That Eat Oil Spills
A 1981 patent for genetically engineered bacteria capable of breaking down multiple types of oil, which became the first living organism ever patented.
28 citations
Early Lithium-Ion Battery Design Using Chalcogenides
This 1977 patent describes an early rechargeable battery design using lithium as one electrode and titanium disulfide as the other, a key step towards modern lithium-ion technology.
93 citations
How Amorphous Silicon Changed Solar Power
This 1976 patent describes using a specific form of non-crystalline silicon to create cheap, thin semiconductor devices like solar cells.
197 citations
1980s
How Lithium-Cobalt Battery Cathodes Were Invented
This 1981 patent details the chemistry behind the lithium-cobalt oxide cathodes that power almost every modern smartphone, laptop, and electric vehicle.
90 citations
How Lithium-Ion Battery Cathodes Are Made
A foundational 1982 method for creating the materials used in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries by removing ions at low temperatures.
41 citations
1990s
Boosting Fuel Cell Power for Vehicles Using Oxygen Injection
A system that boosts a vehicle's fuel cell power by injecting pure oxygen into the air supply when the engine needs extra energy.
90 citations
How Nichia Created the First Practical Blue LED Electrodes
A foundational patent describing the specific metal contacts needed to make gallium nitride LEDs efficient and commercially viable.
251 citations
2000s
How Car Battery Modules Combine High and Low Voltage Systems
A self-contained battery module that houses both high and low voltage batteries, a power converter, and safety switches in a single unit designed for efficient heat management.
46 citations
How Enzymes Help Turn Corn Into Ethanol More Efficiently
A process for making ethanol from starch by using specific enzymes to break down proteins, which helps the fermentation process run more smoothly.
How Fuel Cells Reuse Exhaust Hydrogen for High Efficiency
This patent describes a fuel cell system that captures and recycles over 95% of the unused hydrogen from its exhaust stream using a special pump, significantly boosting efficiency.
29 citations
Wind Turbine Blades with a Deeply Curved Front Surface
This patent describes a wind turbine blade designed with a deeply curved, concave front surface and a high camber ratio to potentially capture more wind energy.
6 citations
Wind Turbine Blades with Noise-Reducing Serrated Edges
This patent describes a wind turbine blade design that reduces noise by attaching a special serrated plate to its trailing edge, integrated directly into one of the blade's outer surfaces.
20 citations
Solar Cells Made of Stacking Layers with Different Energy Gaps
This patent describes a solar cell built by stacking multiple layers, each designed to capture a different part of the light spectrum for maximum energy conversion, achieving high efficiency.
2 citations
Making Iron More Efficiently and Generating Power with Oxygen
This patent describes an integrated system that uses extra oxygen in a blast furnace to make iron more efficiently, while also capturing the furnace's waste gases to generate electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
62 citations
How to Measure Stability in Complex Power Grids Using D-Q Impedance
A method for testing how electrical components in a power grid react to disturbances to ensure the grid remains stable and doesn't crash.
7 citations
Making Chemicals from Carbon Dioxide and Steam Using Electricity
This patent describes a process that uses electricity to split steam and then reacts the resulting hydrogen with carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide to create various carbon-based compounds, like fuels or plastics.
22 citations
How to Make Hydrogen Gas and Cupric Chloride Using an Electrolysis Cell
This patent describes an electrochemical cell that uses cuprous chloride in hydrochloric acid to produce hydrogen gas and cupric chloride, separated by a special membrane.
3 citations
How Wind Turbine Blades Get More Lift with Extra Parts
This patent describes adding special front and back parts to a wind turbine blade to create specific air channels, making the blade generate more power from the wind.
14 citations
2010s
How to Make Solar Troughs Catch More Sunlight at Their Ends
This patent describes adding special reflective extensions and caps to the ends of a single-axis tracking solar trough to capture more sunlight that would otherwise be lost, making the collector more efficient.
23 citations
Making Caustic Soda with Less Salt Using a Special Electrolysis Cell
This patent describes a method to make purer caustic soda and chlorine gas using a two-chamber electrolysis cell with a gas diffusion electrode by carefully controlling pressure differences.
7 citations
How Electric Cars Adjust Charging Speed to Available Power
This patent describes how an electric vehicle's onboard charger intelligently adjusts its charging speed based on the real-time electrical power available from the wall outlet or charging station, preventing overloads and optimizing charge time.
11 citations
How Electric Cars Safely Pause Charging When You Want to Unplug
A system for electric vehicles that safely pauses power flow when a driver signals they want to disconnect the charging cable, preventing electrical arcing or damage.
1 citation
How an EV Charging Station Manages Power from Batteries and the Grid
This patent describes a smart charging system for electric vehicles that decides whether to power cars from a local battery or the main electricity grid, and when to recharge that local battery, to help balance power demand.
1 citation
How to Grade Used Batteries for a Second Life
This patent describes a system that reads electrical characteristics and usage history from a rechargeable battery module to determine if it's good enough to be used again for a different purpose, like energy storage.
4 citations
Solar Cells with Built-in Smart Electronics on the Back
This patent describes a solar cell design that integrates electronic components, like a bypass switch, directly onto the back of the cell to improve performance, especially when parts of the cell are shaded.
4 citations
How a Snake Robot Uses Two Arms to Work Together
This patent describes a snake-like robot with at least two movable arms that work together to perform complex tasks, like inspecting pipes or lifting heavy objects.
27 citations
Optimizing Power for Remote Grids with Diesel, Wind, Solar, and Batteries
This patent describes a computer-based method for designing and operating independent power systems, called micro-grids, to balance cost, reliability, and environmental impact using a mix of diesel generators, wind turbines, solar panels, and energy storage batteries.
Improving Lithium Battery Life with a Built-in Lithium Source
This patent describes a method for building rechargeable lithium-based batteries with a special extra lithium source electrode inside that helps the main battery parts work better and last longer by giving them an initial charge of lithium ions.
11 citations
How Smart Home Devices Automatically Connect to Utility Energy Programs
A system that lets smart home devices like thermostats enroll in energy-saving programs without the user needing to manually provide their utility account number.
7 citations
How Batteries Charge Fast in the Cold Without Damage
This patent describes a smart battery system that uses an internal heater to warm itself up for quick, safe charging, even when it's freezing outside.
11 citations
Recycling Lithium-Ion Batteries to Make New Cathode Materials
This patent describes a method for recycling used lithium-ion batteries by dissolving their cathode materials, adjusting the metal ratios in a liquid, and then pulling out a custom mix of materials for new batteries without needing extreme heat.
9 citations
How Nuclear Power Plants Reuse Fuel Between Multiple Reactors
This patent describes a method for nuclear power plants with several reactors to efficiently reuse partially used fuel by moving it between different reactor cores across multiple operating cycles.
2 citations
How Fuel Cells Get Even Gas Flow with Special Layers
This patent describes a fuel cell component that uses a special two-layer design with linear channels and transverse openings to evenly spread fuel gas for better performance.
1 citation
How to Fast-Charge Lithium Batteries Without Damaging Them
This patent describes a three-phase method for quickly charging lithium-ion batteries while carefully controlling voltages to prevent harmful lithium metal buildup and electrolyte damage.
8 citations
How a Hybrid Layer Stops Metal Growths in Lithium Batteries
This patent describes a special multi-layered electrolyte system for lithium metal batteries that uses a stiff, hybrid material to block dangerous metal growths, aiming for safer, higher-energy batteries.
13 citations
How to Smartly Manage Power in Small Grids with Renewable Energy
This patent describes a method for quickly and efficiently planning how different energy sources (like solar, wind, and batteries) work together in a small, local power grid, especially when renewable energy output changes unexpectedly.
How Smart Light Networks Coordinate Without a Central Controller
A system where individual smart lights talk to each other to make lighting decisions based on sensors, rather than relying on a single master computer.
How Printers Manage Power States and Sleep Timers
A method for printers to intelligently decide whether to reset their sleep timer based on the type of network activity they encounter.
Making Solid-State Battery Electrodes That Don't Swell and Crack
This patent describes a special design for solid-state battery electrodes that uses tiny internal holes and spaces between particles to prevent them from expanding and cracking during charging and discharging.
6 citations
How a Fuel Cell Humidifier Controls Air Moisture with a Smart Valve
This patent describes a fuel cell humidifier that uses two humidifying spaces and a controllable valve to precisely adjust the moisture content of incoming air before it reaches the fuel cell stack, improving efficiency and durability.
4 citations
Electric or Natural Gas Blending and Pumping for Oil Wells
This patent describes a compact, modular system for mixing and pumping fluids used in oil and gas wells, powered by electricity or natural gas, using gravity to feed materials into a main blender.
34 citations
How Mobile Cranes Power Their Upper Parts Using The Lower Base
A design for mobile construction cranes that moves the power generator to the base while keeping the control electronics separate and protected.
Boosting Solid-State Batteries with a Capacitor Interlayer
This patent describes a solid-state battery design that includes a special capacitor-like layer between the main battery parts to improve performance and stability.
14 citations
How a Nuclear Reactor's Rotating Drum Controls Power
This patent describes a rotating drum for nuclear reactors, especially mobile ones, that uses tubes filled with different materials to absorb or scatter neutrons, precisely controlling the reactor's power output.
8 citations
2020s
Smart EV Charging to Protect Battery Life During Long Parking
This patent describes a system that intelligently discharges and recharges an electric vehicle's battery while parked for a long time, like at an airport, to prevent battery damage and ensure it's ready when the owner returns, using vehicle-to-grid technology.
3 citations
How to Make Big Electrodes for Splitting Water
This patent describes a simple, energy-saving way to create large, efficient catalyst electrodes using a mix of iron, cobalt, and nickel compounds through an electrical plating process.
21 citations
How a Battery Automatically Disconnects Itself During Overheating
A safety system for battery packs that uses a heat-sensitive material to physically break the electrical connection between cells if they get too hot, preventing thermal runaway.
How a Device Receives Wireless Power Using Terahertz Waves and Blockchain
This patent describes a receiver device that wirelessly collects terahertz electromagnetic energy using special materials and an antenna, then converts it to electricity, but only after a transmitter authenticates it using a blockchain.
Capturing Carbon Dioxide While Making Electricity with Hydrogen and Solar
This patent describes an integrated system that captures carbon dioxide from the air or industrial exhaust while simultaneously generating clean electricity using a hydrogen gas turbine powered by solar-generated hydrogen and oxygen, all without burning fossil fuels.
2 citations
How to Capture Carbon Dioxide from Air or Smoke Using Seawater
This patent describes a system that uses natural seawater to wash carbon dioxide out of industrial smoke or the air, then stores it safely in the ocean, aiming for an affordable, green way to fight climate change.
2 citations
Using Gas Pressure to Safely Control Liquid Fuel Nuclear Reactors
This patent describes a method to control a nuclear reaction in liquid-fueled reactors by using gas pressure to adjust the amount of fuel solution in special pipes, ensuring the reactor always returns to a safe state if something goes wrong.
How Drones Use Temperature Maps to Safely Start Controlled Fires
A system for drones to drop ignition balls for controlled burns while using thermal sensors to navigate away from dangerous heat and optimize fire patterns.
How to Make Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Last Longer Using Polymer Coatings
A new way to coat sulfur battery cores with a special polymer to prevent them from degrading, helping them hold a charge for more cycles.
How to Build Solid-State Batteries with Tiny Holes for Better Electrolyte
This patent describes a method for manufacturing solid-state batteries by punching small holes through battery electrodes and then filling these holes with a liquid that hardens into a solid electrolyte, aiming for more efficient power delivery.
2 citations
How a System Tracks and Transfers Rechargeable Batteries Between Users
This patent describes a system that verifies a rechargeable battery's actual capacity and then updates which user is associated with that specific battery, especially useful for shared or transferable batteries.
2 citations
Dome-Shaped Plates for Efficient Hydrogen Production in Electrolyzers
This patent describes an electrolyzer that uses uniquely dome-shaped plates to improve how water is split into hydrogen and oxygen, enhancing efficiency and product separation.
1 citation
How to Precisely Control Solid-State 3D Printing for Stronger Materials
This patent describes a system for precisely controlling solid-state additive manufacturing, allowing real-time adjustments to create specific material structures without melting, using continuous material feeds.
9 citations
How Medium Voltage Power Switches Safely Direct Electricity
A mechanical system for medium voltage power grids that uses a rotating contact and a series of levers to safely switch electricity between lines and ground.
How Oil Wells Send Acoustic Signals Using Mechanical Hammers
A device that uses pressure differences to slam a piston against a metal surface, creating a specific sound vibration that acts as a signal for deep-well operations.
How to Adapt Existing Motors to Power New Equipment
A mechanical adapter system that lets you connect an existing motor's spinning shaft to a new, secondary machine like a generator or pump.
How Rondo Energy Stores Electricity as High-Temperature Industrial Heat
A system that converts cheap renewable electricity into continuous, high-temperature heat for factories by using two stages of thermal storage units that can charge and discharge independently.