Green Hydrogen PEM Electrolysis Patent Landscape 2026
The green hydrogen and PEM electrolysis patent field is in a confirmed growth phase, with annual filings rising sharply from 2017 through 2024 and a corpus of 6,907 patent families spanning global jurisdictions. China-headquartered filers, led by Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute, dominate the ranking, while the top five filers account for roughly 15% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, indicating a moderately concentrated but still contested competitive structure.
Huaneng leads a China-heavy field with moderate top-tier concentration
Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute holds the top position with 141 patent families, followed closely by De Nora Permelec (104), Sungrow Hydrogen Science & Technology (103), Huaneng Group Technology Innovation Center (101), and Sichuan Huaneng Hydrogen Tech (95). The top five filers collectively represent 15% of the hundred largest filers’ combined output, signaling a moderately concentrated first tier rather than a monopoly.
Below the top five, the ranking is dense: at least eight additional Huaneng-affiliated entities each hold 86 patent families, and Asahi Kasei sits alongside them at 86. The gap between rank one and rank ten is narrower than in many mature fields, which means that second-tier players are only modestly behind the leader on a pure volume basis.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | 141 | |
| 2 | De Nora Permelec Ltd. | 104 | |
| 3 | SUNGROW HYDROGEN SCI &TECH CO LTD | 103 | |
| 4 | Huaneng Group Technology Innovation Center Co., Ltd. | 101 | |
| 5 | Sichuan Huaneng Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd. | 95 | |
| 6 | Sichuan Huaneng Fujiang Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 87 | |
| 7 | Sichuan Huaneng Taipingyi Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 87 | |
| 8 | Sichuan Huaneng Jialingjiang Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 86 | |
| 9 | Huaneng Mingtai Electric Power Co., Ltd. | 86 | |
| 10 | Sichuan Huaneng Baoxinghe Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 86 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Sichuan Huaneng Dongxiguan Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 86 | |
| 12 | Sichuan Huaneng Kangding Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 86 | |
| 13 | Asahi Kasei Corporation | 86 | |
| 14 | Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | 74 | |
| 15 | CHINA PETROLEUM & CHEMICAL CORP | 69 | |
| 16 | Yokohama National University | 65 | |
| 17 | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. | 60 | |
| 18 | Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. | 59 | |
| 19 | Tsinghua University | 59 | |
| 20 | Agfa-Gevaert N.V. | 56 |
The dominance of Huaneng-group entities across multiple ranked slots implies a coordinated, group-wide IP strategy rather than independent competition among those affiliates. For non-Huaneng players, the practical competitive barrier comes less from any single dominant filer and more from the combined mass of the Huaneng ecosystem, plus established players such as Asahi Kasei, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, and Honda Motor.
Filings from 2025 onward are subject to standard patent publication lag and should be treated as incomplete; the apparent moderation in those years does not indicate a trend reversal. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Explosive annual growth since 2020 with C25B electrolytic production dominating the technology mix
Two structural features define this field: a steep multi-year filing acceleration and a technology composition anchored overwhelmingly in core electrolytic chemistry, with adjacent branches representing genuine diversification opportunities.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings grew from 83 in 2017 to a recorded high of 1,556 in 2024, a gain consistent with the 239% recent-window growth figure in the evidence. The 2021–2022 inflection is especially sharp, reflecting the global policy push behind green hydrogen. The 2025 and 2026 figures are understated due to publication lag and should not be read as a reversal.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
C25B (electrolytic production of compounds) is the dominant branch by a wide margin. Secondary branches — C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds), H01M (batteries, cells and fuel cells), B01J (chemical and physical processes and catalysis), H02J (power supply and grid systems), and C02F (water and wastewater treatment) — each carry single-digit share, reflecting the field’s primary focus on core electrolyzer chemistry with ancillary coverage in grid integration and water purification.
↗ 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.
Green hydrogen production artificial intelligence …
A green hydrogen production system using an AI operator assistant. Electrolysis sensors collect operating conditions of an automated electrolysis system. An artificial intelligence (AI) electrolysis prediction engine uses the operating conditions to model electrolysis. The AI electrolysis prediction engine models electrolysis using a both first principles… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hydrogen and oxygen gas generating system | 191 |
| 2 | Solar power system requiring no active control dev… | 183 |
| 3 | Catalytic materials, photoanodes, and photoelectro… | 141 |
| 4 | Electrochemical methods to generate hydrogen and s… | 126 |
| 5 | Electrolytic production of hydrogen | 115 |
| 6 | Wave-powered electrolysis of water | 104 |
| 7 | Catalytic materials, photoanodes, and photoelectro… | 102 |
| 8 | 一种多面体形磷化钴电解水制氢催化剂的制备方法 | 87 |
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 field’s structure means for R&D investment decisions
Four structural dimensions — lifecycle stage, concentration, collaboration patterns, and geographic spread — together define the strategic context for new entrants and established players alike.
Growth phase: annual filings still rising
The lifecycle evidence classifies this field as Growth, with annual filings continuing to rise and the most recent years understated by publication lag. The 239% growth across the recent window confirms the field has not plateaued. For R&D planners, this means IP positions are still being established and early filings in under-served branches carry high strategic value.
Lifecycle: GrowthModerate concentration with a dense Huaneng cluster
The top five filers hold 15% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total — moderate, not dominant. However, multiple Huaneng-affiliated entities each hold 86 or more patent families, creating a de facto group position that is larger than any single rank suggests. Non-Huaneng challengers such as De Nora Permelec and Sungrow Hydrogen are competitive at the individual-entity level but do not have equivalent group backing.
Concentration: ModerateCo-filing is heavily intra-group within the Huaneng ecosystem
The most active co-filing pairs are all internal to the Huaneng group: Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute co-filed with Huaneng Group Technology Innovation Center on 100 families, with Sichuan Huaneng Hydrogen Tech on 93, and with multiple Sichuan hydropower subsidiaries on 76–77 families each. This intra-group collaboration pattern concentrates collaborative IP within a single corporate family, leaving inter-institutional collaboration between independent entities as a relatively under-exploited structural feature of the landscape.
Collaboration: Intra-groupChina dominates filings; Western jurisdictions are secondary but strategically critical
China accounts for the largest share of patent records, with the United States, Europe (EPO), and WIPO (PCT) forming the next tier of jurisdiction coverage. Japan, South Korea, India, and Australia follow. The geographic gap between China and Western jurisdictions is large, meaning that non-Chinese applicants who file only domestically may face freedom-to-operate risks as Chinese filers seek international validation, and vice versa.
Geography: China-ledGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd. | Huaneng Group Technology Innovation Center Co., Ltd. | 100 |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd. | Sichuan Huaneng Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd. | 93 |
| Huaneng Group Technology Innovation Center Co., Ltd. | Sichuan Huaneng Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd. | 93 |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd. | Sichuan Huaneng Fujiang Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 77 |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd. | Sichuan Huaneng Taipingyi Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 77 |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd. | Sichuan Huaneng Kangding Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 76 |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd. | Sichuan Huaneng Baoxinghe Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 76 |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd. | Sichuan Huaneng Jialingjiang Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 76 |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd. | Sichuan Huaneng Dongxiguan Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 76 |
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd. | Huaneng Mingtai Electric Power Co., Ltd. | 76 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Huaneng Clean Energy leads on volume; Sungrow Hydrogen is the fastest-rising challenger
The leader and primary challenger differ sharply in trajectory: the established leader shows recent filing deceleration, while the leading challenger entered the top tier as a new entrant with strong recent momentum.
Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute
The top-ranked applicant with 141 patent families, focused entirely on C25B electrolytic production sub-classes (C25B1, C25B9, C25B15). Its applicant momentum trend shows a –41% decline in recent filings versus the prior period, suggesting the institution may be consolidating its portfolio rather than aggressively expanding. It operates as the IP hub of the broader Huaneng group, co-filing extensively with affiliated entities.
families: 141Sungrow Hydrogen Science & Technology Co., Ltd.
Ranked third with 103 patent families, Sungrow Hydrogen is classified as a new entrant by momentum metrics, with 85 recent patent families — the highest recent-period count among tracked applicants. Its technology focus mirrors the field’s core (C25B1, C25B15, C25B9), indicating a deliberate push into the same primary electrolyzer chemistry that incumbents occupy. This trajectory makes it the most disruptive near-term challenger in the ranking.
families: 103| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd. | 46 | ▼ -41% |
| De Nora Permelec Ltd. | 3 | ▼ -92% |
| Huaneng Group Technology Innovation Center Co., Ltd. | 31 | ▼ -56% |
| Sichuan Huaneng Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd. | 29 | ▼ -55% |
| Sungrow Hydrogen Science & Technology Co., Ltd. | 85 | ▲ new entrant |
| Asahi Kasei Corporation | 13 | ▼ -58% |
| Sichuan Huaneng Fujiang Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 29 | ▼ -38% |
| Sichuan Huaneng Taipingyi Hydropower Co., Ltd. | 29 | ▼ -38% |
Under-served adjacent branches worth monitoring
Several IPC classes adjacent to the dominant C25B core carry relatively sparse coverage despite clear technical relevance to green hydrogen system integration. These observations reflect relative sparsity — they are not validated commercial opportunities without further technical and market assessment.
H02J · Power supply and grid systems integration
H02J holds only 3% share of patent records among the top branches, yet grid-coupled electrolysis — managing variable renewable power inputs to PEM stacks — is a core engineering challenge for real-world green hydrogen plants. The sparse coverage relative to the C25B core suggests that power electronics and grid-interface IP has not kept pace with electrolyzer-chemistry filings. Entrants with expertise in power conversion, grid balancing, or demand-response control could find room to establish differentiated positions here.
Search this in Eureka →C02F · Water and wastewater treatment for electrolysis feed
C02F (water and wastewater treatment) accounts for 3% share of patent records, yet water purity is a critical operational parameter for PEM electrolyzer membrane longevity and efficiency. IP covering ultrapure water production, inline purification, and water recycling within electrolyzer balance-of-plant systems is sparse relative to the electrochemical core. Organizations with expertise in water treatment engineering or membrane filtration could find adjacent entry paths in this branch.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across technology sub-routes
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | C25B 1 · Electrolytic production of compounds | C25B 9 · Electrolytic production of compounds | C25B 15 · Electrolytic production of compounds | C25B 11 · Electrolytic production of compounds | C25B 13 · Electrolytic production of compounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd. | Strong · 137 | Strong · 92 | Strong · 72 | Absent | Emerging · 9 |
| Sungrow Hydrogen Science & Technology Co., Ltd. | Strong · 90 | Strong · 68 | Strong · 69 | Absent | Absent |
| Huaneng Group Technology Innovation Center Co., Ltd. | Strong · 97 | Strong · 65 | Strong · 50 | Absent | Absent |
| Sichuan Huaneng Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd. | Strong · 89 | Strong · 59 | Strong · 47 | Absent | Absent |
| Asahi Kasei Corporation | Strong · 73 | Strong · 62 | Absent | Strong · 41 | Moderate · 17 |
| De Nora Permelec Ltd. | Strong · 79 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 77 | Emerging · 13 |
| Sichuan Huaneng Taipingyi Hydropower Co., Ltd. | Strong · 73 | Strong · 47 | Strong · 39 | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 6,907 patent families in scope globally. Annual filings grew from 83 in 2017 to a recorded 1,556 in 2024, reflecting a 239% increase over the recent measurement window.
Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute holds the top position with 141 patent families, followed by De Nora Permelec (104 patent families), Sungrow Hydrogen Science & Technology (103 patent families), Huaneng Group Technology Innovation Center (101 patent families), and Sichuan Huaneng Hydrogen Tech (95 patent families).
China is the lead filing office by a substantial margin. The United States, Europe (EPO), and WIPO (PCT) form the next tier. Japan, South Korea, India, and Australia follow as secondary jurisdictions.
C25B (electrolytic production of compounds) is the overwhelmingly dominant IPC class. Secondary branches — including C01B, H01M, B01J, H02J, and C02F — each represent only single-digit shares of patent records, indicating that the field’s IP activity is concentrated in core electrolyzer chemistry.
Sungrow Hydrogen Science & Technology is classified as a new entrant with 85 recent patent families — the highest recent-period count among momentum-tracked applicants — making it the fastest-rising challenger in the current ranking period.
Yes, but collaboration is heavily intra-group. The most active co-filing pair is Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute and Huaneng Group Technology Innovation Center (100 co-filed families), followed by multiple pairings between Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute and various Sichuan Huaneng hydropower subsidiaries. Cross-group collaboration between independent organizations is comparatively sparse in the top co-filing pairs.
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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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