R&D and innovation
Innovating for positive impact
Clean tech innovation aligned with UN SDGs
Our innovation strategy is advancing our commitment to cleaner, lower carbon technology and solutions. Our customer solutions solve global sustainability challenges and align closely with four of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations:
- Clean water and sanitation
- Affordable and clean energy
- Industry, innovation and infrastructure
- Sustainable cities and communities
Environmental impact doesn’t stop at political borders. We are committed to being the best global citizen we can be and helping others achieve their goals as well.
Measuring and reporting on progress
In 2020 we invested $551 million in research and development.In addition, 312 first-issued patents and 1,504 total worldwide patents were granted to Eaton innovators in 2020. To discover and design solutions that enable our customers to conserve resources and make smart energy decisions, we have committed to spending $3 billion in research and development by 2030. In 2020, 47% of our net sales were from product solutions that met our rigorous positive-impact criteria, and 62% of our product revenue was from clean tech solutions which provide energy efficiency and help to advance sustainable development including: renewables, water infrastructure and sustainable transportation.
Where intelligence drives power
In the age of big data and IoT, we’re innovating Intelligent Power solutions that collect data, learn and provide actionable insights to optimize power use and continuity.
Positive Impact Framework (PIF)
To ensure every Eaton product improves on its predecessor, we ask our engineers to complete a Positive Impact Framework (PIF) assessment during the design phase. This allows them to re-examine products from a different perspective, evaluating six key dimensions of sustainability through a new set of eyes:
- Environmental footprint
- Human and ecological toxicity
- Efficiency during use-phase
- Safety and reliability
- Cost of ownership
- Socio-economic benefits
Our framework takes into account a host of sustainability factors, including raw materials, energy efficiency, ease of recycling, and much more.
Design for the Environment (DfE)
A circular economy relies on designing out waste and pollution and optimizing the use of natural resources. Our production processes follow several of these principles.
For example, we are developing solutions for second-life electric vehicle batteries, extending their lives before the batteries are ultimately recycled. We partnered with Nissan to use second-life lithium ion batteries from their electric vehicles in our xStorage energy storage systems. For example, the xStorage Buildings system installed at the Johann Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam uses the equivalent of 63 second-life Nissan Leaf batteries as part of the solution.
And our Transfer Switch Monitor 900 makes it easier and more cost effective to upgrade existing equipment rather than perform a total equipment replacement. This approach prolongs the useful life of equipment and helps prevent unnecessary waste.
We continually take environmental concerns into account as a part of our product design process. The principle objective of Design for the Environment (DfE) is to reduce the overall impact of a product across its lifecycle—production, distribution, use and end of life. Four characteristics guide our design decisions: energy efficiency, resource efficiency, recycling and compliance with regulations. We use Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to calculate the potential environmental impacts of a growing selection of products adhering to ISO 14040/14044 standards.
Related key sustainability topics
