Patent mining and diversity assessment of nuclear power technologies

Nuclear power technology is one of the pivotal avenues for ensuring a clean global energy transition. Bolstering technological diversity is critical for the sustainable advancement of nuclear power worldwide. However, a gap exists in investigating the trends and diversification of nuclear power technology over the past decade. This study proposes a data-driven integrated approach, leveraging descriptive statistics, co-occurrence analysis, network analysis, and multi-criteria decision-making methods to delve into the patent development, research and development (R&D) landscapes, and international layouts of nuclear power technology. Furthermore, the diversity of nuclear power technology globally and specifically within China is assessed. The findings unveil a substantial surge in nuclear power technology patents since 2020, with China, Japan, and Korea emerging as prominent R&D hubs. The R&D efforts in nuclear power technology predominantly concentrate on the design of nuclear reactor structures and cooling systems. Europe and the United States occupy significant positions within the nuclear power technology patent network. While China's nuclear power technology diversity slightly lags the global average, it has demonstrated a marginal lead since 2021. This study offers a comprehensive decision-support tool for trend analysis and diversity assessment in nuclear power technology.