Green Ammonia Synthesis Patent Landscape 2026
Green Ammonia Synthesis Patent Landscape in 2026
Green ammonia synthesis is a growth-stage field with 232 patent families in scope, dominated by a single incumbent that holds a commanding lead over a cohort of new entrants. Annual filings have expanded sharply on a multi-year basis, with electrolytic production and inorganic nitrogen chemistry forming the technical core of activity.
Air Products leads a highly concentrated field of emerging challengers
Air Products & Chemicals holds the top position with 59 patent families, a total that exceeds the next four ranked applicants combined. Haldor Topsoe follows in second place with 19 patent families, while Linde, Nuovo Pignone Tech, and Koloma cluster between 10 and 12 patent families each.
The top five filers account for 45% of the combined total across the hundred largest filers, indicating a highly concentrated upper tier. A clear gap separates Air Products from the rest of the field; the second-tier players are broadly comparable in scale to one another, suggesting the challenger cohort has not yet differentiated strongly.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AIR PROD & CHEM INC | 59 | |
| 2 | Haldor Topsoe A/S | 19 | |
| 3 | Linde AG | 12 | |
| 4 | Nuovo Pignone Tech SRL | 11 | |
| 5 | Koloma Inc. | 10 | |
| 6 | The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois | 7 | |
| 7 | ACWA Power Company | 6 | |
| 8 | Doty Scientific Inc. | 5 | |
| 9 | ThyssenKrupp AG | 5 | |
| 10 | ThyssenKrupp Uhde GmbH | 5 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Carbon Engineering ULC | 4 | |
| 12 | Remo Energy Inc. | 4 | |
| 13 | Versitech Ltd. | 4 | |
| 14 | Robertson John S. | 4 | |
| 15 | NewSouth Innovations Pty Ltd | 4 | |
| 16 | United Kingdom Research and Innovation | 3 | |
| 17 | Case Western Reserve University | 3 | |
| 18 | Fuzhou University | 3 | |
| 19 | Renam Properties Pty Ltd | 3 | |
| 20 | LAIR LIQUIDE SA POUR LETUDE & LEXPLOITATION DES PR… | 2 |
Air Products’ position reflects a long-established portfolio in hydrogen and gas processing infrastructure that it has extended into green ammonia. The cluster of new entrants — including Haldor Topsoe, Linde, Nuovo Pignone, and Remo Energy — signal that established industrial-gas and engineering firms are converging on this space simultaneously, which is likely to intensify prosecution competition in core electrolysis and ammonia synthesis routes.
Filing counts for 2024 and 2025 are understated due to standard patent publication lag; the apparent slowdown in those years should not be read as a real decline in activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filings surged from 2021 and electrolytic production now anchors the technology mix
The annual filing trend reveals a step-change in activity starting in 2021, consistent with accelerating policy and investment interest in green hydrogen and ammonia. The technology composition shows electrolytic and inorganic chemistry branches dominating, with a long tail of adjacent enabling classes.
Annual filing trend
Filings were negligible through 2020, then jumped sharply in 2021 with 56 families filed, followed by sustained high volumes in 2022 and 2024. The dip visible in 2023 and the lower counts for 2025 and 2026 reflect publication lag rather than a real slowdown; those years remain undercounted and will revise upward. The multi-year window shows 100% recent growth, confirming an active growth trajectory.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
Electrolytic production of compounds (C25B) is the single largest branch, reflecting the centrality of water electrolysis to green ammonia routes. Non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds (C01B) and ammonia and nitrogen compounds (C01C) are nearly as prominent, together covering the core synthesis chemistry. Separation processes (B01D) form a sizeable secondary cluster, while gas liquefaction (F25J), catalysis (B01J), and refrigeration (F25B) represent smaller but structurally relevant enabling branches.
↗ 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.
Production of renewable ammonia
A renewable ammonia synthesis process is provided. (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hydrocarbon and alcohol fuels from variable, renew… | 89 |
| 2 | Ammonia cracking for green hydrogen | 87 |
| 3 | Energy conversion system | 78 |
| 4 | Hydrocarbon and alcohol fuels from variable, renew… | 58 |
| 5 | Ammonia cracking for green hydrogen | 44 |
| 6 | Energy storage and conversion systems | 42 |
| 7 | Ammonia cracking process | 40 |
| 8 | Ammonia cracking for green hydrogen with NOX removal | 36 |
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 decisions
Three structural signals stand out: a dominant incumbent with established process-engineering IP, a cohort of new entrants arriving with electrolysis-focused portfolios, and a geographic filing pattern that spans both established industrial markets and emerging energy-transition hubs.
Growth stage — filings surged from 2021 and the field is still expanding
The lifecycle assessment classifies green ammonia synthesis as a Growth-stage field, with annual filings still rising and recent-period counts understated by publication lag. The 100% recent growth figure confirms that the overall multi-year trajectory remains strongly upward. New entrants are arriving at scale, which is typical of a field transitioning from early exploratory work to commercial-scale engineering IP.
Growth stageSingle dominant incumbent; second tier is fragmented and converging
Air Products & Chemicals holds 59 patent families — more than three times the next-largest filer — giving it substantial freedom to shape claim scope in core process routes. The top five filers together account for 45% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total. The second tier (Haldor Topsoe, Linde, Nuovo Pignone, Koloma, Remo Energy) is entering primarily through electrolysis and ammonia-synthesis chemistry, creating a zone of direct overlap with Air Products’ portfolio that warrants freedom-to-operate analysis.
High concentrationThyssenKrupp AG and ThyssenKrupp Uhde are the most active co-filers
The most prominent co-filing relationship identified in the evidence is between ThyssenKrupp AG and ThyssenKrupp Uhde GmbH, with five jointly filed families — reflecting the parent-subsidiary engineering structure typical of large industrial plant builders. A secondary co-filing pair exists between Remo Energy and Koloma Inc with two shared families. These dyadic relationships indicate targeted joint development rather than broad open-innovation consortia.
Narrow collaborationChina leads jurisdiction filings; PCT and EPO provide broad multilateral coverage
China leads all jurisdictions by patent-record count, followed by the United States and WIPO PCT at equal levels, with Europe (EPO) and Australia close behind. India and Canada also appear as significant destinations, reflecting the role of those markets in green-energy infrastructure build-out. Singapore, Germany, and Spain round out the coverage footprint. The PCT and EPO routes taken together indicate that leading applicants are pursuing broad international protection beyond their home markets.
Multi-jurisdictionalGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| ThyssenKrupp AG | ThyssenKrupp Uhde GmbH | 5 |
| Remo Energy Inc. | Koloma Inc. | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Air Products anchors process engineering; new entrants concentrate on electrolysis chemistry
The leader-challenger gap in green ammonia synthesis is unusually wide at the patent-family level. Air Products’ portfolio spans ammonia synthesis chemistry, gas separation, and inorganic compounds, while the challenger cohort is converging on electrolytic and ammonia-nitrogen chemistry routes.
Air Products & Chemicals
Air Products & Chemicals holds 59 patent families — the largest portfolio in this landscape by a wide margin. Its technology emphasis spans non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds (C01B), separation processes (B01D), and ammonia and nitrogen compounds (C01C), reflecting an integrated process-engineering approach that covers upstream hydrogen generation through to ammonia handling. Momentum shows a recent trend of –91% versus the prior period, indicating that the bulk of its filings were concentrated in an earlier wave; this large base may now transition from prosecution to enforcement and licensing activity.
patent families: 59Haldor Topsoe
Haldor Topsoe enters as a new entrant in the recent period with 19 patent families, making it the second-ranked filer. Its focus is concentrated on ammonia and nitrogen compounds (C01C), electrolytic production (C25B), and inorganic nitrogen chemistry (C01B) — a profile that maps directly onto electrochemical and catalytic green ammonia synthesis. The new-entrant designation indicates all 19 families were filed in the recent window, signalling a rapid and deliberate entry into the space.
patent families: 19| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. | 5 | ▼ -91% |
| Haldor Topsoe A/S | 19 | ▲ new entrant |
| Linde AG | 12 | ▲ new entrant |
| Nuovo Pignone Tech SRL | 10 | ▲ new entrant |
| Remo Energy Inc. | 11 | ▲ new entrant |
| The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
| Koloma Inc. | 5 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served adjacent branches in catalysis and downstream fuel integration
Several IPC classes appear at low share relative to the dominant electrolysis and synthesis chemistry branches. Two stand out as plausibly under-served given their technical relevance to green ammonia value chains.
B01J · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis
Catalysis (B01J) accounts for a relatively small share of records despite being a foundational enabler of both the Haber-Bosch route and emerging electrochemical nitrogen reduction. Novel catalyst materials — including iron, ruthenium, and transition-metal nitrides — remain an active research area but appear sparsely claimed relative to upstream electrolysis. An entrant with materials-science capability could differentiate by filing on catalyst compositions and reactor configurations that are distinct from Air Products’ process-engineering claims.
Search this in Eureka →H01M · Batteries, cells & fuel cells
Fuel-cell integration (H01M) appears at low share, despite ammonia being a candidate hydrogen carrier for fuel-cell power systems. The relatively sparse coverage here suggests that the interface between ammonia cracking and fuel-cell stack design — including membrane tolerance to trace ammonia and integrated cracker-cell architectures — is not yet densely claimed. Organisations with dual expertise in fuel cells and gas processing are best positioned to pursue this route.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by technology route
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | C25B 1 · Electrolytic production of compounds | C01C 1 · Ammonia, cyanides & nitrogen compounds | C01B 3 · Non-metallic elements & inorganic compounds | B01D 53 · Separation processes (filtration etc.) | C25B 9 · Electrolytic production of compounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. | Absent | Moderate · 19 | Strong · 59 | Strong · 48 | Absent |
| Haldor Topsoe A/S | Strong · 18 | Strong · 18 | Strong · 16 | Emerging · 2 | Absent |
| Remo Energy Inc. | Strong · 11 | Strong · 7 | Moderate · 5 | Moderate · 5 | Moderate · 4 |
| Nuovo Pignone Tech SRL | Strong · 11 | Strong · 11 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Linde AG | Strong · 10 | Strong · 10 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois | Strong · 7 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Strong · 7 |
| ACWA Power Company | Strong · 6 | Strong · 6 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The analysis covers 232 patent families in scope globally. Filing counts for 2024, 2025, and 2026 are understated due to publication lag and will increase as pending applications publish.
Air Products & Chemicals holds the top position with 59 patent families, more than three times the portfolio of the second-ranked filer, Haldor Topsoe, which has 19 patent families.
The field is classified as Growth stage. Annual filings rose sharply from 2021 onward and the recent-period growth rate is 100%, indicating active and accelerating patenting activity. Recent-year counts are understated by publication lag.
Electrolytic production of compounds (C25B), non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds (C01B), and ammonia and nitrogen compounds (C01C) are the three largest IPC branches, reflecting the dominance of electrochemical synthesis and core ammonia chemistry in current filings.
China leads all jurisdictions by patent-record count, followed by the United States and WIPO PCT at equal levels. Europe (EPO) and Australia are also significant destinations, with India and Canada representing additional important markets for coverage.
Haldor Topsoe, Linde, Nuovo Pignone Tech, Remo Energy, the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, and Koloma are all identified as new entrants, meaning their patent families were filed entirely within the recent period examined, signalling rapid and deliberate market entry.
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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.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. PatSnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.