Hydrogen Refueling Station Patent Landscape 2026
Hydrogen Refueling Station Patent Landscape in 2026
The hydrogen refueling station patent field is at a mature stage, with annual filings peaking in 2021 and plateauing since, while China dominates both filing volume and jurisdiction coverage. Energy Conversion Devices leads by patent records, but the top five filers collectively hold only 25% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, indicating a moderately fragmented competitive field.
Energy Conversion Devices leads a moderately fragmented applicant pool
China Petroleum & Chemical Corp with 19, Intelligent Energy Inc with 16, the Research Institute of Petroleum Processing (SINOPEC) with 15, and Vodik Labs with 11. The top five filers together account for 25% of the combined total across the hundred largest filers, reflecting a field where no single player commands an overwhelming share.
The gap between the leader (24 patent records) and the fifth-ranked applicant (11 patent records) is meaningful but not extreme, suggesting a two-tier structure: a small group of established players with double-digit portfolios and a longer tail of single-digit contributors. No applicant has achieved dominant lock-in.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy Conversion Devices Inc | 24 | |
| 2 | CHINA PETROLEUM & CHEMICAL CORP | 19 | |
| 3 | Intelligent Energy Inc | 16 | |
| 4 | SINOPEC Research Institute of Petroleum Processing | 15 | |
| 5 | Vodik Labs LLC | 11 | |
| 6 | Arizona Public Service Co | 8 | |
| 7 | Hyundai Motor Co Ltd | 7 | |
| 8 | Skyre Inc | 6 | |
| 9 | ETA Space LLC | 6 | |
| 10 | Texaco Development Corp | 6 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV | 5 | |
| 12 | Grimat Engineering Institute Co Ltd | 5 | |
| 13 | KOREA ADVANCED INST OF SCI & TECH | 5 | |
| 14 | Qusir Tech | 5 | |
| 15 | Saudi Arabian Oil Co (Saudi Aramco) | 5 | |
| 16 | Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | 5 | |
| 17 | Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) | 5 | |
| 18 | General Hydrogen Corp | 5 | |
| 19 | Volvo Truck Corp | 4 | |
| 20 | Mendoza Leonardo I Jr | 4 |
The leaders’ positions span both Western technology firms and Chinese state-backed energy enterprises, signaling that this is a genuinely international competition rather than a regionally concentrated one. Energy Conversion Devices’ lead, grounded in non-metallic compounds, fuel cells, and pressure vessels, reflects broad horizontal coverage across the hydrogen value chain.
Filing counts for 2024–2026 are likely under-represented due to typical patent publication lags of 18–24 months; apparent softness in the most recent periods should not be read as a structural decline. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Filing activity peaked in 2021; hydrogen production and storage dominate the technology mix
The annual trend chart shows how filing activity evolved from 2017 through 2026, while the technology composition chart reveals which IPC classes concentrate the bulk of patent activity across this corpus.
Annual filing trend
Filings grew sharply from 6 in 2017 to a peak of 55 in 2021, then eased to 51 in 2022 and continued declining to 41 in 2023 and 23 in 2024. The 2025 and 2026 figures (21 and 2 respectively) are substantially under-counted due to publication lag and should not be interpreted as real-world activity levels. The field is still positive on a multi-year basis, but annual volume has eased from the 2021 peak.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
Non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds (C01B) leads with 191 patent records, followed closely by batteries, cells, and fuel cells (H01M) at 167, and pressure vessels and gas storage (F17C) at 150. Electrolytic production of compounds (C25B) at 119 underscores heavy focus on electrolysis-based hydrogen generation. Electric vehicle propulsion (B60L) at 49 and chemical/physical processes (B01J) at 36 are present but notably smaller, indicating adjacent branches with lower current coverage.
↗ 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.
Hydrogen refueling station, hydrogen-powered vehic…
Hydrogen refueling station, hydrogen-powered vehicle, and hydrogen refueling system are provided. The hydrogen refueling system comprises a decomposition device, a transfer device, a storage device, and a recombination device; wherein the decomposition device is configured to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen; the transfer device is configured to… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | High temperature fuel cell power plant | 267 |
| 2 | High temperature fuel cell power plant | 203 |
| 3 | Hydrogen handling or dispensing system | 171 |
| 4 | 一种氨分解制氢系统及加氢站系统 | 94 |
| 5 | Simplified three-stage fuel processor | 82 |
| 6 | Hydrogen/electric energy distribution system | 78 |
| 7 | High temperature fuel cell power plant | 76 |
| 8 | Hydrogen generation and storage method for persona… | 65 |
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
Four structural observations — maturity stage, concentration level, collaboration patterns, and geographic spread — together define where risk and opportunity sit in this landscape.
Field is at a mature stage with annual volume easing from its 2021 peak
The lifecycle evidence places this field at a Maturity stage: annual filings plateaued near the 2021 peak of 55 and have eased since, though the multi-year window remains positive with 3% recent growth. For R&D teams, this signals that foundational claims in core areas (hydrogen production, storage, fuel cells) are largely staked, and incremental improvements face a crowded prior-art landscape. New entrants should prioritize differentiated sub-system innovations or adjacent IPC classes with lower coverage.
Lifecycle: MaturityModerate fragmentation leaves room for a challenger to close the gap
The top five filers hold 25% of the combined total across the hundred largest filers, and the leader holds only 24 patent records — a threshold that a focused two-to-three year filing program could challenge. The second tier (Intelligent Energy, SINOPEC Research Institute, Vodik Labs) sits within reach of the leader, making portfolio acquisitions or targeted organic filing campaigns viable strategic options. There is no single dominant blockade position.
Moderate fragmentationSINOPEC’s internal network and the Skyre–ETA Space pairing are the most active co-filing relationships
The strongest co-applicant relationship in evidence is between China Petroleum & Chemical Corp and its Research Institute of Petroleum Processing, with 15 co-filed patent records — reflecting an integrated corporate R&D model. Skyre and ETA Space filed jointly on 6 records, likely around cryogenic and electrolysis systems. Energy Conversion Devices and Shell collaborated on 5 records, and Hyundai Motor and Kia jointly filed on 5. These pairings suggest that supply-chain partnerships (refiner + researcher, OEM + OEM) rather than cross-sector alliances are the dominant collaboration model in this field.
Supply-chain co-filingChina is the primary filing jurisdiction by a wide margin; US and EPO are secondary
China accounts for 177 patent records, more than double the US total of 88. EPO filings stand at 37 and PCT applications at 31, indicating that leading applicants are pursuing international protection but that the Chinese market is treated as the primary enforcement battleground. South Korea (6), Australia (13), and Canada (12) round out the secondary jurisdictions. Teams without a Chinese filing strategy face significant exposure in the world’s largest near-term hydrogen vehicle deployment market.
China-first geographyGo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (SINOPEC) | SINOPEC Research Institute of Petroleum Processing | 15 |
| Skyre Inc | ETA Space LLC | 6 |
| Energy Conversion Devices Inc | Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV | 5 |
| Hyundai Motor Co Ltd | Kia Corporation | 5 |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (SINOPEC) | SINOPEC Qingdao Safety Engineering Research Institute | 3 |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (SINOPEC) | SINOPEC Engineering Incorporation | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Energy Conversion Devices leads on breadth; SINOPEC leads on integrated corporate depth
Two players define the current landscape: Energy Conversion Devices with broad horizontal coverage across hydrogen production, fuel cells, and storage, and. China Petroleum & Chemical Corp anchored in hydrogen production and alloy materials with strong internal co-filing support.
Energy Conversion Devices Inc
Energy Conversion Devices holds 24 patent records, the highest in the corpus. Its technology emphasis spans non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds (C01B), fuel cells (H01M), and pressure vessel storage (F17C) — a horizontally integrated position covering hydrogen generation, conversion, and containment. No momentum trend data is available for this applicant, suggesting an established rather than recently accelerating portfolio.
patent records: 24China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (SINOPEC)
China Petroleum & Chemical Corp holds 19 patent records and operates as the anchor of the most active co-filing network in the field, filing jointly with its Research Institute of Petroleum Processing on 15 records, its Qingdao Safety Engineering Research Institute on 3, and SINOPEC Engineering on 1. Its technology focus centers on hydrogen production (C01B) and alloy materials (C22C), reflecting a refiner’s interest in on-site hydrogen generation and materials durability. No recent momentum shift is available in evidence for this applicant.
patent records: 19| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Sichuan Tianqi Technology Co Ltd | 6 | ▲ new entrant |
| Hyundai Motor Co Ltd | 4 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served adjacent branches worth monitoring
Several IPC classes appear at notably lower coverage relative to the dominant branches, representing areas where the existing prior-art density is thin enough that targeted filings could establish a meaningful position.
H02J · Power supply and grid systems
H02J carries only 33 patent records — roughly 17% of the leading C01B branch — despite the direct relevance of grid integration and smart charging infrastructure to hydrogen refueling station economics. As renewable-powered electrolysis becomes standard, grid interconnection, demand-response, and power conditioning IP will become critical. Teams with competencies in power electronics or microgrid control have a plausible entry path with relatively sparse prior art.
Search this in Eureka →B01J · Chemical/physical processes and catalysis
B01J accounts for 36 patent records, representing a thin layer of catalysis-focused protection in a field where reforming and ammonia-cracking pathways are gaining traction as hydrogen carrier options. The branch is adjacent to the dominant C01B hydrogen-production cluster, meaning technical linkage is strong, but filing density remains low. Entrants working on novel catalyst formulations or reactor designs for on-site hydrogen generation could find open claim space here.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ by technology route
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | C01B 3 · Non-metallic elements & inorganic compounds | H01M 8 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | C25B 1 · Electrolytic production of compounds | F17C 5 · Pressure vessels & gas storage | F17C 13 · Pressure vessels & gas storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Conversion Devices Inc | Strong · 35 | Strong · 35 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (SINOPEC) | Strong · 16 | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 4 | Emerging · 3 |
| Intelligent Energy Inc | Strong · 18 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| SINOPEC Research Institute of Petroleum Processing | Strong · 15 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Hyundai Motor Co Ltd | Absent | Strong · 7 | Absent | Strong · 4 | Absent |
| Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV | Strong · 5 | Strong · 5 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus covers 262 patent families. This is a focused dataset; individual applicant and jurisdiction counts are derived from patent records, which can exceed the family count because a single family may be filed across multiple offices.
Energy Conversion Devices Inc leads with 24 patent records, followed by China Petroleum & Chemical Corp with 19, Intelligent Energy Inc with 16, the Research Institute of Petroleum Processing (SINOPEC) with 15, and Vodik Labs LLC with 11.
China is the dominant jurisdiction with 177 patent records, more than double the United States total of 88. Europe (EPO) accounts for 37 and WIPO (PCT) for 31, indicating that leading applicants pursue international protection but treat China as the primary market.
The evidence places the field at a Maturity stage. Annual filings peaked at 55 in 2021 and have eased since, reaching 41 in 2023 and 23 in 2024. The multi-year window still shows positive growth of 3%, but the era of rapid annual volume expansion has passed.
Non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds (C01B) leads with 191 patent records, followed by batteries, cells, and fuel cells (H01M) at 167, pressure vessels and gas storage (F17C) at 150, and electrolytic production of compounds (C25B) at 119. These four branches collectively define the core of the technology landscape.
Yes. The most active co-filing relationship is between China Petroleum & Chemical Corp and its Research Institute of Petroleum Processing with 15 jointly filed patent records. Skyre and ETA Space co-filed on 6 records, Energy Conversion Devices and Shell on 5, and Hyundai Motor and Kia on 5, reflecting both integrated corporate structures and strategic OEM partnerships.
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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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