The World Intellectual Property Organization recently published a report authored by CambridgeIP examining the latest trends in innovation, technology ownership and geographical focus in the field of desalination technology, with a special focus on desalination systems using renewable energy.
Thermal energy integration with desalination has seen the most patenting activity, accounting for more than 80% of the patent families relating to renewable energy integration with desalination.
“We believe we are seeing a high level of innovation in the integration of thermal energy with desalination because of the multitude of available thermal energy sources – such as industrial waste heat, solar heat and geothermal energy. This provides innovators with more industrial applications and therefore more routes to market,” says Helena van der Vegt from CambridgeIP.
Company and product case studies in the report also illustrate how patents underpin real commercial products in this space, such as container-based Solar PV-desalination integration solutions, ideal for rural communities and remote industrial applications. There has also been ambitious integration with the rapidly maturing wave power energy technologies.
“Renewable energy-desalination integration is already a reality in off-grid remote locations and island communities. As the cost of various renewable energy sources decreases and the newer desalination technologies are deployed at scale, we anticipate that desalination renewable energy applications will become a core part of the modern water utility system," says Ilian Iliev, CEO of CambridgeIP.
"As the market size and competition in this space increases companies with a solid IP strategy and awareness of their patent landscape will find they are better positioned to take advantage of growth opportunities.”
The report also found that the desalination technology competitive landscape is changing. 
The study was developed in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and Global Institute for Water Environment and Health (GIWEH). The data underlying this report can be used by researchers and investors to investigate:
- Key technologies in the renewable energy desalination space
- The commercial value of competing technologies
- Existing protection behind various products currently on the market