Alkaline Fuel Cell for Renewable Hydrogen Patent Landscape
Alkaline Fuel Cell for Renewable Hydrogen Patent Landscape in 2026
The alkaline fuel cell for renewable hydrogen field is in a Growth stage, with the three-year filing window up 55% versus the prior period, though annual volume has eased from its 2021 peak. Dai Nippon Printing leads by patent records, but the top five filers account for only 24% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, signalling a fragmented competitive structure with room for new entrants.
Fragmented field with a slim lead for Dai Nippon Printing
Dai Nippon Printing holds the top position with 38 patent records, followed closely by Proton Power (36) and Amogy (33). The ranking separates into a tight leading trio and a broader mid-tier that includes Intelligent Energy, Hyundai Motor, Georgia Tech Research Corporation, and ZTEK Corp.
The top five filers collectively represent 24% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total — a relatively low concentration figure that indicates no single player dominates and that the landscape is genuinely contested. The gap between rank 1 (38 records) and rank 5 (20 records) is narrow enough that momentum shifts can rapidly reshuffle the order.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. | 38 | |
| 2 | Proton Power Inc | 36 | |
| 3 | Amogy Inc | 33 | |
| 4 | Intelligent Energy Inc | 25 | |
| 5 | Intelligent Energy Ltd | 20 | |
| 6 | Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd. | 17 | |
| 7 | Georgia Tech Research Corporation | 17 | |
| 8 | ZTEK Corp | 14 | |
| 9 | Claire Technologies Corp | 14 | |
| 10 | Energyield | 13 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | KOREA INST OF SCI & TECH | 13 | |
| 12 | Hewlett Packard Development Company LP | 13 | |
| 13 | NE M E SYS SRL | 13 | |
| 14 | Hysytech | 12 | |
| 15 | Claire Technologies Licensing LLC | 12 | |
| 16 | Maceda Joseph Peter | 11 | |
| 17 | Promerus LLC | 11 | |
| 18 | Amminex | 11 | |
| 19 | Annas | 10 | |
| 20 | Millennium Cell Inc | 10 |
Dai Nippon Printing’s lead is anchored in membrane separation and inorganic compound chemistry rather than core fuel-cell stack IP, suggesting the front-runner’s strength is in upstream materials rather than system integration. This creates a distinct opening for stack- and system-focused challengers.
The most recent 18–24 months of filings are under-counted due to standard patent publication lag; apparent softness in 2024–2026 data should not be read as a real decline. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
A 2021 surge reshaped the field; hydrogen generation dominates the technology mix
Annual filing activity and IPC class distribution together reveal both the pace of competitive entry and the underlying technical focus of the corpus.
Annual filing trend
Filings jumped sharply to 58 in 2021 — the field’s recorded peak — and have remained elevated at 49–50 through 2022–2023 before tapering in 2024–2025, figures that are further suppressed by publication lag. The three-year recent window is 55% above the prior three-year window, confirming the field is still expanding on a multi-year basis even as annual volume has eased from the 2021 peak.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01M (batteries, cells and fuel cells) is the dominant IPC class, followed by C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds, covering hydrogen production chemistry) and B01J (catalysis). The substantial weight of C01B and B01J reflects an emphasis on renewable hydrogen generation and reforming chemistry rather than on fuel-cell stack engineering alone. Lower-count branches such as C25B (electrolytic production), F17C (pressure vessels) and C10J (gasification) round out a technically diverse corpus.
↗ 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.
Alkaline fuel cell for various applications
The invention relates to an alkaline fuel designed to allow the free flow of hydrogen. Conventional alkaline fuel cells suffer from a gasket that tends to restrict hydrogen flow and limit hydrogen production. By getting rid of the gasket and providing an enclosure comprising a top cover with fittings and a compartment case having plate divider guides used… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
Open this patent in Eureka →| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zero/low emission and co-production energy supply … | 240 |
| 2 | Portable chemical hydrogen hydride system | 237 |
| 3 | Portable chemical hydrogen hydride system | 235 |
| 4 | Plasmatron-fuel cell system for generating electri… | 216 |
| 5 | Portable hydrogen generator-fuel cell apparatus | 144 |
| 6 | Systems and methods for hydrogen generation from s… | 142 |
| 7 | Self-regulating feedstock delivery systems and hyd… | 96 |
| 8 | Hydrogen-producing fuel processing assemblies, hea… | 94 |
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 competitive structure means for R&D investment
Four structural dimensions — maturity, concentration, collaboration, and geography — shape where future IP positions can be built most efficiently.
Growth stage, with annual volume easing from the 2021 peak
The lifecycle evidence places this field firmly in Growth: the recent three-year filing window is 55% above the prior three-year window. Annual volume reached its highest recorded level of 58 filings in 2021 and has since eased, a pattern consistent with post-surge normalisation rather than contraction. New entrants such as Amogy and Hyundai Motor entered the corpus recently, reinforcing that the competitive window remains open.
Growth stageLow concentration invites new entrants
The top five filers account for only 24% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total. With the leading applicant holding 38 patent records and rank five at 20, the gap is narrow and not yet entrenched. A focused filing programme in membrane materials, ammonia cracking catalysis, or alkaline electrolyser integration could realistically reach tier-two status within two to three years.
FragmentedHyundai–Kia–KRICT triangle is the most active co-filing cluster
The strongest co-applicant relationship is Hyundai Motor and Kia, which have jointly filed 15 patent records, followed by two parallel pairs — Hyundai Motor with Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, 11 records) and Kia with KIST (11 records) — forming a coherent Korean industrial-academic triangle. Georgia Tech Research Corporation and Promerus have co-filed 11 records, representing the most active US academic-industry pairing. The Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology also appears as a secondary collaborator with both Hyundai and Kia.
Active clustersUS-centric prosecution with selective PCT and EPO coverage
The United States is the dominant prosecution jurisdiction with 251 patent records, roughly 2.4 times the EPO (103) and PCT (102) counts. China (44), Canada (36), and Australia (33) form a secondary tier. Japan (5) and South Korea (1) show limited national-phase entry, noteworthy given that Korean applicants are among the most active co-filers. Applicants seeking broad commercial coverage should assess whether their PCT and EPO designations adequately mirror their US filing scope.
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.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd. | Kia Corporation | 15 |
| Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd. | Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) | 11 |
| Georgia Tech Research Corporation | Promerus LLC | 11 |
| Kia Corporation | Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) | 11 |
| Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd. | Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology | 5 |
| Claire Technologies Corp | Claire Technologies Licensing LLC | 3 |
| Kia Corporation | Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology | 3 |
| Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd. | Kia Corporation | 2 |
| Georgia Tech Research Corporation | Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd. | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Dai Nippon Printing leads on volume; Amogy and Hyundai are the fastest-rising challengers
The top two players differ sharply in technical emphasis and trajectory: the incumbent leader is materials-focused while the fastest-growing challenger is system- and ammonia-cracking-focused.
Dai Nippon Printing
Dai Nippon Printing holds 38 patent records — the largest single-applicant count in the corpus. Its technical emphasis sits in B01D separation processes (membrane filtration) and C01B inorganic hydrogen chemistry, meaning its IP position is strongest in upstream membrane materials rather than full fuel-cell systems. Momentum data for this applicant is not broken out in the trend evidence, so trajectory should be verified independently.
patent records: 38Amogy Inc
Amogy holds 33 patent records and is classified as a new entrant in the momentum data, with 30 records filed in the recent window — the highest recent-period count of any tracked applicant. Its technical focus spans C01B hydrogen chemistry, B01J catalysis (ammonia cracking), and H01M fuel-cell stacks, reflecting an integrated ammonia-to-power positioning. This trajectory makes Amogy the fastest-growing challenger in the corpus.
patent records: 33| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Amogy Inc | 30 | ▲ new entrant |
| Claire Technologies Corp | 10 | ▼ -37% |
| Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd. | 12 | ▲ new entrant |
| Georgia Tech Research Corporation | 4 | ▼ -69% |
| Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) | 6 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served adjacent branches worth monitoring
Several IPC classes appear in the corpus at low share relative to the dominant H01M and C01B branches, signalling areas where technical coverage is sparse. These observations reflect relative filing sparsity and should be assessed against each team’s technical roadmap before being treated as investment targets.
F17C · Pressure vessels & gas storage
F17C accounts for only 3% of the IPC record distribution, despite hydrogen storage being a critical balance-of-plant requirement for any alkaline fuel-cell system. The technical need is well-established — compact, safe, high-pressure storage is a system-level bottleneck — and the sparse filing count suggests that storage integration with alkaline fuel-cell architectures is not yet systematically claimed. Teams with existing pressure-vessel or solid-state storage expertise may find a realistic entry path through integration-focused claims that couple storage design with alkaline electrolyser or fuel-cell stack interfaces.
Search this in Eureka →C10J · Gasification of fuels
C10J (gasification) holds only 2% of the IPC record distribution despite biomass and waste gasification being a plausible renewable hydrogen feedstock route that pairs with alkaline fuel cells. Proton Power is the primary filer in this branch, indicating that competition is concentrated in a single applicant. For teams working on biomass-to-hydrogen pathways, the sparse and concentrated nature of C10J filings suggests that well-scoped gasification-integration claims could establish a defensible adjacent position with limited direct opposition.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across technology routes
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | H01M 8 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | C01B 3 · Non-metallic elements & inorganic compounds | C25B 1 · Electrolytic production of compounds | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | B01J 19 · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. | Strong · 38 | Strong · 38 | Absent | Emerging · 4 | Absent |
| Hewlett Packard Development Company LP | Strong · 24 | Strong · 26 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Claire Technologies Corp | Strong · 18 | Strong · 15 | Moderate · 7 | Absent | Absent |
| Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd. | Strong · 13 | Strong · 17 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 9 |
| Maceda Joseph Peter | Strong · 12 | Strong · 11 | Absent | Strong · 11 | Absent |
| Intelligent Energy Inc | Absent | Strong · 17 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 14 |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 268 patent families related to alkaline fuel cells for renewable hydrogen.
Dai Nippon Printing holds the most patent records (38) and concentrates on membrane separation processes (B01D) and inorganic hydrogen chemistry (C01B), giving it a materials-upstream rather than system-level position.
The field is in a Growth lifecycle stage. The recent three-year filing window is 55% above the prior three-year window on a multi-year basis. However, annual volume reached a recorded peak of 58 filings in 2021 and has eased since then. The most recent years (2024–2026) are further understated by publication lag, so apparent softness in that period should not be read as a real decline.
Amogy Inc is the fastest-growing applicant tracked in the momentum data, classified as a new entrant with 30 patent records filed in the recent window. Hyundai Motor and Kia are also classified as new entrants in the momentum data, each building positions in hydrogen production chemistry and fuel-cell stack integration.
The United States is the dominant prosecution jurisdiction with 251 patent records. Europe (EPO) and WIPO (PCT) follow at 103 and 102 records respectively. China (44), Canada (36), and Australia (33) form a secondary tier. Japan and South Korea show limited national-phase entry relative to the activity levels of Korean co-filers.
The most-cited works in the corpus include documents titled ‘Zero/low emission and co-production energy supply’ (240 citations), two versions of ‘Portable chemical hydrogen hydride system’ (237 and 235 citations respectively), and ‘Plasmatron-fuel cell system for generating electricity’ (216 citations). These highly cited references anchor the field’s foundational prior art.
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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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