Liquid Hydrogen Storage Patent Landscape 2026
Liquid Hydrogen Storage Patent Landscape in 2026
The liquid hydrogen storage field is still expanding on a multi-year basis, with the top five filers holding a modest share of the leading hundred filers’ combined output — signalling a fragmented, multi-polar competitive structure. China leads in filing volume, while the dominant technology routes cluster around hydrogen chemistry, fuel cells, and pressure-vessel engineering.
A fragmented field with no single dominant incumbent
Energy Conversion Devices Inc leads the
The top five filers account for 19% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, a share low enough to classify this as a genuinely fragmented landscape where second- and third-tier entrants can still carve out meaningful positions.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy Conversion Devices Inc | 36 | |
| 2 | Wuhan Hynertech Co Ltd | 33 | |
| 3 | Alakai Technologies Corp | 32 | |
| 4 | CHINA PETROLEUM & CHEMICAL CORP | 25 | |
| 5 | Shaanxi Hydrogen Easy Energy Technology Co Ltd | 18 | |
| 6 | China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) | 18 | |
| 7 | Prometheus Energy Group LLC | 18 | |
| 8 | National University of Singapore | 18 | |
| 9 | Sinopec Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology | 17 | |
| 10 | Sinohydrogen Safety (Beijing) Technology Co Ltd | 14 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | AIR PROD & CHEM INC | 14 | |
| 12 | Tactical Fuel Cells | 14 | |
| 13 | Cummins Inc | 12 | |
| 14 | AeroVironment Inc | 12 | |
| 15 | Proionic GmbH | 12 | |
| 16 | GHD Pty Ltd | 11 | |
| 17 | Honda Motor Co Ltd | 10 | |
| 18 | Rolls-Royce plc | 10 | |
| 19 | Cedar Ridge Research LLC | 10 | |
| 20 | Ballard Power Systems Inc | 10 |
The near-parity between the top three applicants implies that leadership is contestable; a focused filing campaign in an adjacent branch could realistically shift rankings within a single technology cycle.
The most recent 18–24 months of data are subject to publication lag and will appear under-counted until pending applications are published; early-stage activity is likely higher than current totals suggest. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Multi-year growth with a broad technology base anchored in hydrogen chemistry and fuel cells
Filing activity grew sharply from 2017 to a 2023 peak, and the technology mix spans hydrogen chemistry, electrochemistry, pressure-vessel engineering, and emerging mobility applications. Both charts together reveal a maturing but still-active field with meaningful diversification across end-use sectors.
Annual filing trend
Filings grew from 20 families in 2017 to a peak of 123 in 2023, representing 126% growth over the recent three-year window versus the prior window. Volume eased to 111 in 2024 and 78 in 2025; 2025 and 2026 figures are understated due to publication lag and should not be read as a real decline.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds, covering hydrogen chemistry) is the dominant branch, followed by H01M (batteries and fuel cells) and F17C (pressure vessels and gas storage). Mobility branches — B60L (electric vehicle propulsion) and B64D (aircraft equipment) — appear at lower but growing shares, reflecting early-stage interest in transport applications.
↗ 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.
Liquid hydrogen storage material and method of sto…
Provided is a liquid hydrogen storage material including 1,1′-biphenyl and 1,1′-methylenedibenzene, the liquid hydrogen storage material including the corresponding 1,1′-biphenyl and 1,1′-methylenedibenzene at a weight ratio of 1:1 to 1:2.5. The corresponding liquid hydrogen storage material has excellent hydrogen storage capacity value by including… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | System for operating solid oxide fuel cell generat… | 253 |
| 2 | Hydrogen storage, distribution, and recovery system | 183 |
| 3 | Hydrogen storage, distribution, and recovery system | 172 |
| 4 | Hydrogen handling or dispensing system | 171 |
| 5 | Nanoparticles for hydrogen storage, transportation… | 126 |
| 6 | Power plant with energy recovery from fuel storage | 120 |
| 7 | Hydrogen supply system for fuel cell | 116 |
| 8 | Method of reversibly storing H2 and H2 storage sys… | 99 |
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, collaborative patterns, and geographic spread — shape how an entrant or incumbent should position a new filing programme.
Growth stage, past its 2023 annual peak
The lifecycle evidence places liquid hydrogen storage in the Growth stage: the recent three-year filing window sits 126% above the prior window on a multi-year basis, confirming the field is still expanding. Annual volume has eased from the 2023 peak, consistent with normal post-surge consolidation rather than contraction. Entering now means competing against an already-populated but not yet saturated patent landscape.
Growth · post-peakLow concentration — leadership is contestable
The top five filers account for only 19% of the hundred largest filers’ combined output. The three-way lead between Energy Conversion Devices Inc, Wuhan Hynertech Co Ltd, and Alakai Technologies Corp is separated by just four patent families. A focused applicant building 20–30 families in an under-served branch could plausibly enter the top five within two to three filing cycles.
FragmentedCo-filing concentrated within China Petroleum & Chemical Corp’s ecosystem
The most active co-filing pair is China Petroleum & Chemical Corp with its Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology (Sinopec), sharing 17 joint families — by far the largest collaboration link in the dataset. China Petroleum & Chemical Corp also co-files with its Petroleum Science Research Institute (6 joint families) and with Sinopec’s research institute (2 families). Outside this Sinopec cluster, Wuhan Hynertech co-files with Yunnan Power Grid Co Ltd’s Electric Power Research Institute, and Sinohydrogen Safety Beijing co-files with the State Grid Qinghai Electric Power Research Institute. Cross-border or cross-sector alliances are sparse in the current evidence.
China-centricChina leads filings; US and Europe are significant secondary markets
China accounts for the largest share of patent-record filings, followed by the United States, EPO, and WIPO (PCT). Japan, Canada, and Australia represent secondary markets with meaningful but smaller volumes. South Korea, Germany, and the United Kingdom trail further behind. This distribution suggests China is both the primary innovation hub and the primary protection target, while PCT and EPO filings indicate applicants seeking international coverage for strategically important assets.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) | Sinopec Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology | 17 |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) | Sinopec Research Institute of Petroleum Processing | 6 |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) | Sinopec Research Institute of Petroleum Processing Co Ltd | 2 |
| Wuhan Hynertech Co Ltd | Yunnan Power Grid Co Ltd Electric Power Research Institute | 1 |
| Sinohydrogen Safety (Beijing) Technology Co Ltd | State Grid Qinghai Electric Power Co Electric Power Research Institute | 1 |
| Sinohydrogen Safety (Beijing) Technology Co Ltd | State Grid Qinghai Electric Power Co | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Energy Conversion Devices leads on hydrogen chemistry; Alakai Technologies anchors aviation fuel-cell applications
The top three applicants each pursue distinct technology emphases, making direct head-to-head competition less intense than raw family counts suggest. Trajectory data from the recent filing window shows several entrants are newly active.
Energy Conversion Devices Inc
Leads with 36 patent families, concentrated in C01B (hydrogen chemistry), H01M 4 (electrode materials), and H01M 8 (fuel cells). This breadth across hydrogen generation, storage media, and electrochemical conversion suggests a platform-level IP position rather than a single-application focus. Momentum data is not separately available for this applicant in the recent-window dataset.
families: 36Alakai Technologies Corp
Holds 32 patent families with a distinctive emphasis on H01M 8 (fuel cells), B64D 27 (aircraft equipment), and B60L 58 (electric vehicle propulsion) — the only top-three applicant with a material aviation focus. Recent-window filings show a flat trajectory (0% change), suggesting a deliberate pause or portfolio consolidation rather than exit. Its aviation-hydrogen combination is underrepresented among other leading filers, making this a strategically differentiated position.
families: 32| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Alakai Technologies Corp | 16 | ▬ 0% |
| China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) | 6 | ▲ new entrant |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Wuhan Hynertech Co Ltd | 3 | ▲ new entrant |
| Prometheus Energy Group LLC | 17 | ▲ new entrant |
| Air Products & Chemicals Inc | 2 | ▲ new entrant |
| Sinohydrogen Safety (Beijing) Technology Co Ltd | 9 | ▲ new entrant |
Under-served branches adjacent to the core liquid hydrogen storage cluster
Several IPC branches sit at lower filing densities relative to the dominant C01B and H01M core, and carry plausible technical connections to liquid hydrogen storage. These are observations of relative sparsity, not validated commercial opportunities.
C22C · Alloys — structural and hydride materials
C22C (alloys) registers 65 patent-record filings, representing 2% of the technology composition — sparse relative to the hydrogen chemistry and fuel-cell core. Alloy engineering is directly relevant to metal-hydride storage media and cryogenic vessel materials for liquid hydrogen. An entrant with materials science capability could build a differentiated position here, particularly if targeting high-pressure or cryogenic containment applications where alloy selection is performance-critical. Entry path: focus on novel hydride-forming alloys or cryogenic-grade structural materials not yet well-covered by the existing 65 records.
Search this in Eureka →B64D · Aircraft equipment — hydrogen-powered aviation
B64D (aircraft equipment) accounts for 59 patent-record filings — 2% of the composition — and is the primary aviation-application branch in this dataset. Only Alakai Technologies Corp among the top applicants holds a material position here, suggesting the space is lightly contested at the patent level despite growing commercial interest in hydrogen-powered aviation. The technical connection to liquid hydrogen is direct: aviation demands high energy density by weight, which liquid hydrogen can supply. Entry path: filing in B64D combined with H01M 8 (fuel cells) or F17C (pressure vessels) would target the onboard storage and power-conversion system combination that aviation applications require.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across technology routes
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | C01B 3 · Non-metallic elements & inorganic compounds | H01M 8 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | F17C 11 · Pressure vessels & gas storage | C25B 1 · Electrolytic production of compounds | B01J 23 · Chemical/physical processes & catalysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Conversion Devices Inc | Strong · 42 | Strong · 35 | Moderate · 10 | Absent | Absent |
| China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) | Strong · 25 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Strong · 17 |
| China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) | Strong · 15 | Strong · 14 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 10 |
| Alakai Technologies Corp | Moderate · 10 | Strong · 20 | Absent | Moderate · 8 | Absent |
| Sinopec Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology | Strong · 17 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Strong · 12 |
| Prometheus Energy Group LLC | Absent | Strong · 18 | Moderate · 9 | Absent | Absent |
| Wuhan Hynertech Co Ltd | Strong · 19 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The PatSnap Eureka dataset identifies 654 patent families in scope for liquid hydrogen storage globally.
Energy Conversion Devices Inc leads with 36 patent families, followed by Wuhan Hynertech Co Ltd with 33 and Alakai Technologies Corp with 32. The gap between the top three is narrow, indicating a contested leadership position.
China accounts for the largest number of patent-record filings, followed by the United States and the EPO. WIPO (PCT) filings are also significant, reflecting applicants seeking multi-jurisdiction coverage.
Filings grew from 20 families in 2017 to a peak of 123 in 2023, representing 126% growth in the recent three-year window versus the prior window. Annual volume has eased since the 2023 peak; 2025 and 2026 figures are further understated by publication lag.
C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds, covering hydrogen chemistry) is the largest branch, followed by H01M (batteries and fuel cells) and F17C (pressure vessels and gas storage). Mobility branches such as B60L and B64D are present but at lower filing densities.
C22C (alloys, relevant to hydride and cryogenic materials) and B64D (aircraft equipment, relevant to hydrogen-powered aviation) are among the lower-density branches relative to the core. Only Alakai Technologies Corp holds a material position in the aviation branch among the top applicants, suggesting limited direct competition there.
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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.