Tracking offshore wind technological evolution through patent text mining: A macro-micro analysis framework

Abstract

Offshore wind generation is widely recognized globally as a key technological pathway for achieving energy transition under carbon neutrality goals. Tracking the development trajectory of offshore wind technology (OWT) becomes essential for maintaining competitiveness in the global market. While existing studies have explored OWT development through expert knowledge and qualitative methods, few have quantitatively examined its detailed evolution paths. This study proposes a novel macro-micro analysis framework leveraging patent text mining methods. The framework aims to uncover both the overall development patterns and detailed technical evolution paths of OWT, informing decisions across academia, policy, and industry. At the macro level, the analysis depicts global innovation trends, major patent applicants, and the distribution of technology categories. The tracking results reveal distinct regional innovation patterns and highlight the leading role of government in offshore wind development. At the micro level, the framework identifies the technical evolution paths across three major fields, revealing key R&D hotspots and lifecycle stages of sub-technical categories. Through systematic patent text mining and multi-level analysis, this study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of OWT development trajectory and provides evidence-based support for future technology planning and innovation strategies.