Alkaline Fuel Cell for Agricultural Irrigation Patent Landscape
Alkaline Fuel Cell for Agricultural Irrigation Patent Landscape in 2026
The intersection of alkaline fuel cells and agricultural irrigation remains a nascent, highly concentrated field with 13 patent families in scope and the top five filers commanding 75% of activity among the hundred largest filers. Filing activity accelerated sharply after 2021, peaked in 2023, and is still expanding on a multi-year basis — though annual volume has eased from that peak and the most recent years are further understated by publication lag.
A nascent field led by H2C Safety Pipe and PuriCore with tight concentration
H2C Safety Pipe Inc and PuriCore jointly lead the
The top five filers account for 75% of the combined total among the hundred largest filers — an unusually high concentration for a field this small, indicating that a handful of organizations have defined the current IP perimeter with little mid-tier competition visible.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | H2C Safety Pipe Inc | 5 | |
| 2 | PuriCore plc | 5 | |
| 3 | Realm Therapeutics Inc | 4 | |
| 4 | Hydrogenics Corp | 4 | |
| 5 | The Boeing Company | 3 | |
| 6 | Urgo US Inc | 2 | |
| 7 | Lohman Laurence Peter | 2 | |
| 8 | COUNCIL OF SCI & IND RES | 2 | |
| 9 | Astrobotic Technology Inc | 1 |
The leaders’ positions span electrolytic hydrogen production, fuel-cell systems, and hydrogen delivery infrastructure, suggesting that foundational technology claims — rather than application-specific irrigation IP — currently anchor the landscape.
The corpus covers 13 patent families. The most recent 18–24 months of filing data are subject to publication lag and likely understate true activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Post-2021 acceleration with a broad cross-disciplinary technology mix
The annual filing trend reveals a field that was dormant through 2019, began moving in 2020, and surged to a 2023 peak before easing — consistent with growth-stage dynamics. The technology composition spans electrochemistry, hydrogen infrastructure, water treatment, and select agrochemical classes.
Annual filing trend
Zero filings were recorded from 2017 through 2019; a single filing appeared in 2020, followed by a gap in 2021, then a jump to 3 in 2022 and a peak of 6 in 2023. Figures for 2024 and 2025 should be read as partial due to publication lag and do not represent a confirmed decline.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
C25B (electrolytic production of compounds) is the dominant IPC class, reflecting the centrality of electrolysis in hydrogen generation. H01M (batteries, cells and fuel cells) and C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds) follow, while agrochemical and water-supply classes — A01N, C02F, E03B, C05D — appear at low counts, indicating that direct irrigation-application IP remains sparse relative to the underlying hydrogen technology.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Electrochemically treated nutrient solutions
The invention relates to nutrient compositions for agricultural applications, and methods for plant or crop growth and care. The nutrient composition comprises a potassium-based nutrient solution enriched by electrochemical treatment. In various embodiments, the potassium-based nutrient composition comprises hypochlorous acid. The present invention involves… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
Open this patent in Eureka →| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Process for the production of graphene sheets with… | 40 |
| 2 | Apparatus and method for wound, cavity, and bone t… | 13 |
| 3 | System and method for controlling the generation o… | 12 |
| 4 | Method and apparatus for delivering hydrogen | 11 |
| 5 | Water Harvesting System | 7 |
| 6 | Process for the production of graphene sheets with… | 4 |
| 7 | Water harvesting system | 3 |
| 8 | System and method for controlling the generation o… | 2 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the IP structure means for R&D investment decisions
The combination of a growth-stage lifecycle, extreme concentration, absent formal collaborations, and near-total US jurisdiction dominance shapes a clear set of strategic considerations for any organization evaluating entry.
Growth stage — multi-year expansion, annual volume eased from 2023 peak
The field carries a Growth lifecycle designation: recent three-year filings sit well above the prior three-year window. Annual volume has eased from its 2023 peak, and the most recent years are further understated by publication lag. An entrant can still stake early claims, but the window of truly uncrowded territory is narrowing.
Growth stageFive filers hold 75% of leading-filer activity — minimal mid-tier
H2C Safety Pipe Inc and PuriCore together account for the largest share of patent records, with Realm Therapeutics Inc, Hydrogenics Corp, and The Boeing Co rounding out the top five. There is no visible mid-tier challenger cluster, meaning a new entrant faces either direct competition with established names or an opportunity to occupy uncontested adjacent branches.
High concentrationNo co-applicant activity detected in this corpus
The collaboration evidence is absent — no co-filed patents between organizations appear in the dataset. This is consistent with a very early-stage niche where individual actors are establishing proprietary positions rather than forming joint ventures or consortia. It also means there are no existing alliances to navigate or join.
No co-filers detectedUS-centric filings with selective PCT and EPO extension
All 13 patent families were filed at the United States patent office. Six records extend to the EPO and five to WIPO (PCT), with four in Canada and one in Denmark. The narrow geographic footprint means that protection outside North America and select European markets is largely unclaimed, offering potential freedom-to-operate in other jurisdictions.
US-dominantGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
H2C Safety Pipe and PuriCore lead; new entrants are emerging in fuel-cell and electrolysis routes
The top two filers are tied on patent records but differ in technical emphasis: H2C Safety Pipe focuses on hydrogen infrastructure (pipes, pressure vessels, electrolysis), while PuriCore concentrates on electrolytic compound production. Several new entrants appeared recently across fuel-cell and catalysis branches.
H2C Safety Pipe Inc
H2C Safety Pipe Inc holds 5 patent records and concentrates on pipe fittings (F16L 9), pressure vessel storage (F17C 11), and electrolytic production (C25B 1) — a hydrogen delivery and infrastructure stack. Its trajectory and recent entrant peers in related routes suggest active portfolio building in the hydrogen conveyance layer relevant to field irrigation.
patent records: 5Hydrogenics Corp
Hydrogenics Corp holds 4 patent records with a focus anchored in H01M 8 (fuel cell systems), directly addressing alkaline fuel cell technology. As a new entrant in the recent filing window, its activity signals fresh investment in the fuel-cell layer of this niche. The Boeing Co also holds 3 patent records with H01M 8 and water-supply (E03B 3) coverage, representing a rare crossover into agricultural water applications.
patent records: 4| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrogenics Corporation | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
| Lohman Laurence Peter | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches adjacent to the core hydrogen and irrigation stack
Several IPC classes appear at low counts relative to the dominant C25B and H01M branches. Two in particular sit at the intersection of the core hydrogen technology and direct agricultural or catalytic application pathways.
C02F · Water and wastewater treatment
C02F carries only 4 patent records in this corpus — sparse relative to the electrolysis and fuel-cell classes that dominate. Water treatment is technically adjacent to alkaline electrolysis by-products and to irrigation water quality management. An entrant with expertise in electrochemical water conditioning for agricultural use could address a gap where no incumbent has established a strong position.
Search this in Eureka →A01N / C05D · Agrochemicals and inorganic fertilisers
A01N (biocides and agrochemicals) has 3 patent records and C05D (other inorganic fertilisers) has 2 — together representing the thinnest coverage in the corpus despite being the most direct agricultural-output classes. Alkaline fuel cell effluents and electrolytic by-products have plausible connections to soil amendment and controlled-release fertiliser delivery; the near-absence of IP here suggests the application layer has not been claimed by any current filer.
Search this in Eureka →How leading filers differ across technology routes
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | C25B 1 · Electrolytic production of compounds | H01M 8 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | C25B 15 · Electrolytic production of compounds | C01B 7 · Non-metallic elements & inorganic compounds | F16L 9 · Pipes & pipe fittings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PuriCore plc | Strong · 9 | Absent | Strong · 6 | Strong · 5 | Absent |
| Hydrogenics Corporation | Absent | Strong · 4 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| The Boeing Company | Absent | Strong · 3 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| H2C Safety Pipe Inc | Strong · 1 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Strong · 1 |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 13 patent families in scope. This is a very small corpus, consistent with an early-stage niche that only began attracting consistent filing activity after 2021.
H2C Safety Pipe Inc and PuriCore each hold 5 patent records and jointly lead the ranking. Realm Therapeutics Inc and Hydrogenics Corp follow with 4 patent records each, and The Boeing Co holds 3.
The field is designated Growth stage: recent three-year filings sit well above the prior three-year window. Annual volume peaked in 2023 and has eased since, with the most recent data further understated by publication lag.
All 13 patent records are filed in the United States. Six extend to Europe (EPO), five to WIPO (PCT), four to Canada, and one to Denmark, indicating that protection outside North America and selective European markets is largely unclaimed.
No co-applicant activity is detected in the current corpus. All filings appear to be individual organizational or inventor efforts, with no joint-applicant patents present.
Water and wastewater treatment (C02F, 4 records), agrochemicals (A01N, 3 records), and inorganic fertilisers (C05D, 2 records) are the sparsest branches adjacent to the dominant electrolysis and fuel-cell classes — representing the thinnest IP coverage in direct agricultural-application territory.
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
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