Evolution of collaborative networks of solar energy applied technologies

This paper proposes to investigate solar energy applied patents published between 1997 and 2016. Social network analysis and Source path link count algorithms are used as a method to identify technological routes, trends, promising technologies, cooperation features and market of interest protection. Patents applied in Japan and Brazil were selected for analysis of several issues, showing two different contexts when it comes to innovation in solar energy. Mapping these issues can support governments, companies and universities in their decisions about solar energy applications, offering data of the most relevant technologies, their owners, relationships between them, as well as their marketing protection coverage through reliable and replicable metrics. It enables an analysis of competitive technological intelligence and can be used as a tool for Research and Development manager's decisions of future efforts and investments. Companies can observe in a simplified way, standards that are followed and adopted by scientists and market, bringing a possibility of increasing technological knowledge that previously had only empirical means. In addition, government can understand the dynamic of solar energy development from/to their countries and propose policies that improve the use of solar energy in an urban environment. Also, a set of recommendations based on findings was provided to construct a better environment for cooperation and to improve solar energy researches. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)