Estonia vs South Africa: Annual patents filed for renewable energy technologies
Estonia
6 patents
in 2020
South Africa
14 patents
in 2023
Estonia rank
17th
South Africa rank
14th
Annual patents filed for renewable energy technologies over time
- Estonia
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 14 patents against 6 patents in Estonia, a difference of 8 patents.
That makes South Africa's figure about 2.3 times Estonia's.
Across all 5 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Estonia ranks 17th and South Africa ranks 14th of 64 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Estonia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.5 patents | 6 patents | 3.5 patents | South Africa |
| 2010s | 3 patents | 39 patents | 36 patents | South Africa |
| 2020s | 6 patents | 28 patents | 22 patents | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patents filed for renewable energy technologies, Estonia or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 14 patents against 6 patents in Estonia as of 2023.
- What is the difference in annual patents filed for renewable energy technologies between Estonia and South Africa?
- 8 patents, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Estonia and South Africa?
- 5 years are reported by both, from 2001 to 2020.
- How do Estonia and South Africa rank globally for annual patents filed for renewable energy technologies?
- Estonia ranks 17th and South Africa ranks 14th of 64 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- IRENA - INSPIRE Platform (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Annual patents filed for renewable energy technologies. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Data only includes energy source technologies, and excludes technologies such as energy storage or transport. Figures in recent years are subject to a time lag; submitted patents may not yet be reflected in the data.