Investigating the structure and evolution of the innovation network of catching-up countries in the field of solar energy using patent citations analysis

Over the past three decades, research has focused on how and under what conditions latecomers have been able to become major producers of new technologies, such as renewable energy, and make technological catch-up in this area. This is emphasized for developing countries because, on the one hand, the greatest growth in energy demand in the coming years will be in these countries, and on the other hand, it is a green window of opportunity for other developing countries to learn and work towards catching-up in these areas. In this research, from the perspective of global innovation networks, the technological approach was investigated by analyzing the structure and evolution of the solar energy innovation network using patent citation analysis. For this purpose, patents in this field were extracted and cleared from the Derwent Innovation over a period 1980-2017. Then, a citation network was formed and the topological structure and country-level indicator were examined using social network analysis methods. The results showed that countries that were able to gradually increase their absorption capacity by joining the global innovation network and moving in the path of technology of leading countries by increasing citations to their patents, could able to be producers of knowledge and granted high quality patents which have been increasingly cited by other countries. These countries found a special place in the network as intermediaries for the diffusion of technology and succeeded in technological catch-up.