Technology Fusion Characteristics in the Solar Photovoltaic Industry of South Korea: A Patent Network Analysis Using IPC Co-Occurrence

• Main Authors: Sungho Son, Nam-Wook Cho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: solar photovoltaic industry; technology fusion; international patent classification (IPC) code co-occurrence; social network analysis; exploration and exploitation
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/21/9084

This study analyzes the technology fusion phenomena and its characteristics, focusing on the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry in South Korea. Co-occurrence networks of international patent classification (IPC) codes have been analyzed based on the photovoltaic patents in South Korea during a 15-year period (2002–2016). The results reveal that, while the strength of technology fusion has greatly increased during the period, the structural pattern of fusion has been diversified or decentralized. In the early stage, widespread emergence of new technologies has been observed but, in the later stage, the focus of fusion shifted to the utilization of existing technologies. The characteristics of key technologies also changed as the technology fusion progressed. In the early stage, product technologies such as materials and components played a central role, while operation technologies such as monitor, structure, and arrangement were the drivers of fusion during the later stage.