energy transition
Japan and EU ahead in hydrogen patents
A hydrogen tank on the premises of the energy company Enertrag in Brandenburg. photo
© Christophe Gateau/dpa
Hydrogen can store wind and solar energy and replace oil, coal and gas in industry. The European Patent Office and the International Energy Agency see German companies in a good position.
When it comes to hydrogen technology, Japan and the EU are at the forefront. This is the result of a new study by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Energy Agency (IEA). EPA President António Campinos said: “Harnessing the potential of hydrogen is an essential part of Europe’s strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.”
According to the study, the new heavyweights in hydrogen patents are companies from the automotive and chemical industries that focus on electrolysis and fuel cell technologies. An electrolyser can generate hydrogen with electricity from wind and solar systems and thus store energy. “The most innovative regions are now competing for the first phase of industrial deployment, with data suggesting that Europe is gaining a lead as a location to invest in new electrolyser production capacity.”
Leading global applicants from the EU
Today, hydrogen is mostly produced with natural gas. However, innovations are shifting “towards low-emission solutions, with the EU and Japan leading the way and the US losing ground,” according to the study. Japan secured 24 percent of all hydrogen patents granted from 2011 to 2020, the US 20 percent and Germany 11 percent. According to the EPA, the EU as a whole reached 24 percent and China 4 percent.
The French gas manufacturer Air Liquide and its German-American competitor Linde were ahead in patents for established hydrogen technology. BASF, Siemens and Bosch are also among the world’s leading applicants. Munich and the Ruhr area are among the world’s ten leading areas for hydrogen technology, as is Paris. In Germany, there are also many registrations from Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Nuremberg.
Mainly used in the automotive industry
Most innovations for applications are in the automotive industry. The leading applicants are Japanese and Korean companies, most notably Toyota, Hyundai and Honda. In other industrial applications, the EPA and IEA still see too few innovations. Hydrogen is needed for heavy industry, for long-distance transport, for ships and airplanes.
In fertilizer production, too, there are hardly any other clean alternatives to fossil fuels, said IEA director Fatih Birol. Steel production is a ray of hope: the number of patent applications has recently increased here.