SOFC Simulation Patent Landscape 2026
The SOFC simulation patent space is a concentrated, maturing field anchored by a small cluster of energy companies and national research institutes, with Saudi Arabian Oil Co holding a clear lead. The United States is the dominant filing jurisdiction, and activity has plateaued near its 2024 peak rather than climbing further.
Saudi Arabian Oil Co leads a tightly held field
Saudi Arabian Oil Co sits at the top of the applicant ranking with 29 patent records, nearly a third more than the next-ranked filer, Nissan Motor Co Ltd at 22. Battelle Memorial Institute (15), JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp (13), and. China University of Petroleum (East. China) (13) round out the top five.
The top five filers account for 37% of the combined total for the hundred largest filers, signaling meaningful concentration — a small group of incumbent energy and automotive research organizations define the landscape’s center of gravity.
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saudi Arabian Oil Co | 29 | |
| 2 | Nissan Motor Co Ltd | 22 | |
| 3 | Battelle Memorial Institute | 15 | |
| 4 | JX NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORP | 13 | |
| 5 | China University of Petroleum (East China) | 13 | |
| 6 | Bloom Energy Corp | 12 | |
| 7 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd | 9 | |
| 8 | Corning Inc | 9 | |
| 9 | KOREA INST OF SCI & TECH | 8 | |
| 10 | KOREA ADVANCED INST OF SCI & TECH | 6 |
| # | Applicant | Patent records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | SAINT GOBAIN CERAMICS & PLASTICS INC | 5 | |
| 12 | University of Liverpool | 5 | |
| 13 | Versa Power Systems Ltd | 5 | |
| 14 | Redox Power Systems LLC | 4 | |
| 15 | Ceres Intellectual Property Company Limited | 4 | |
| 16 | Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen) | 4 | |
| 17 | Elcogen | 4 | |
| 18 | Batawi Emad El | 3 | |
| 19 | HTceramix | 3 | |
| 20 | French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) | 3 |
The leaders’ positions reflect deep integration of SOFC simulation with fuel-cell stack design (H01M 8) and hydrogen production pathways (C01B 3), suggesting that simulation IP is being built as a defensive layer around proprietary cell and reforming technologies rather than as a standalone software offering.
Filings from 2024 onward are subject to publication lag and may be under-counted; the 2025 and 2026 data should be treated as provisional. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Activity has plateaued near its 2024 peak; fuel-cell fundamentals dominate the IPC mix
The annual filing trend and the technology branch breakdown together reveal a field that is technically mature and thematically narrow, with digital data processing beginning to carve out a secondary role.
Annual filing trend
Filings rose from a trough in 2019 (3 records) to a multi-year high in 2024 (19 records), but the field has plateaued near that peak rather than continuing to climb. The 2025 figure of 9 records and the zero showing for 2026 reflect publication lag and should not be read as a decline. The three-year recent window shows only 3% growth, consistent with a plateauing dynamic.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
H01M (batteries, cells and fuel cells) dominates at 186 records, far ahead of all other classes. C01B (non-metallic elements and inorganic compounds) and G06F (electric digital data processing) each register in the low thirties, indicating that materials chemistry and computational modeling are secondary but established themes. Smaller shares in B60L (electric vehicle propulsion) and C25B (electrolytic production) point to emerging application linkages beyond stationary power.
↗ 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.
Method for numerical simulation of solid oxide fue…
The present disclosure provides a method for numerical simulation of an SOFC under multiphysics coupling, including: establishing a single-cell multiphysics model of an SOFC; defining physical parameters required for simulating the SOFC and boundary conditions of the multiphysics model; coupling a plurality of physical fields involved in actual operation of… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
Open this patent in Eureka →| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elementary unit for reactor performing water elect… | 53 |
| 2 | Cerium-modified doped strontium titanate compositi… | 53 |
| 3 | 一种多物理场耦合作用下SOFC数值模拟方法 | 32 |
| 4 | High power density solid oxide fuel cell steam ref… | 31 |
| 5 | Method and a system for combined hydrogen and elec… | 28 |
| 6 | Doped lanthanum chromite material for bipolar inte… | 26 |
| 7 | High power density solid oxide fuel cell steam ref… | 25 |
| 8 | Method and system for combined hydrogen and electr… | 22 |
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 observations — maturity stage, filer concentration, collaboration patterns, and geography — shape the investment calculus for any organization considering SOFC simulation work.
Field is plateauing near its 2024 peak
The lifecycle evidence places SOFC simulation at Maturity, with annual filings having plateaued near their peak. Incremental positions in the dominant H01M 8 class are therefore likely to face prior-art density; differentiation is more accessible in adjacent branches such as G06F (computational modeling) or G16C (computational chemistry), where filing counts remain modest. New entrants should expect freedom-to-operate scrutiny from established holders.
Lifecycle: MaturityTop five filers hold 37% of the leading cohort’s activity
With five organizations accounting for 37% of activity among the hundred largest filers, the field is moderately concentrated but not monopolized — 15 additional named filers each hold between 4 and 13 patent records. This tier gap suggests that a focused program in an under-served technical branch could achieve visibility without displacing the leaders, particularly if it targets the G06F or G16C classes where the top incumbents are less active.
Concentration: ModerateSaudi Arabian Oil Co and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology are the most active co-filers
The collaboration evidence shows Saudi Arabian Oil Co co-filing with Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology on 6 joint patent records, making this the dominant co-applicant pairing. Saudi Arabian Oil Co also collaborates with Aramco Services Co (2 records), and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology pairs with Aramco Services Co on 1 record. The ecosystem is therefore Saudi Aramco-centric, with Korean academic research as its primary external R&D partner; organizations outside this cluster have limited collaborative linkage in the evidence.
Collaboration: Hub-and-spokeUnited States dominates; China and Europe are secondary filing destinations
The United States leads with 74 patent records, followed by Europe (EPO) at 42, China at 31, and WIPO (PCT) at 21. Canada and Australia are tertiary markets. Japan, despite Nissan Motor Co Ltd and JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp being major filers, shows only 3 records, suggesting those players may be filing primarily offshore. Organizations seeking broad protection should ensure EPO and China coverage, as those offices represent the largest gap between US-filing incumbents and defensive portfolio depth.
Geography: US-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 |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabian Oil Co | Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology | 6 |
| Saudi Arabian Oil Co | Aramco Services Co | 2 |
| Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology | Aramco Services Co | 1 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Saudi Arabian Oil Co leads on fuel-cell and reforming IP; China University of Petroleum leads on computational modeling
Two distinct technology postures define the leadership tier: incumbent energy majors anchoring their portfolios in H01M 8 fuel-cell hardware simulation, and emerging academic filers pivoting into G06F digital data processing as their primary claim space.
Saudi Arabian Oil Co
Saudi Arabian Oil Co holds 29 patent records — the largest portfolio in scope — focused on H01M 8 (fuel cells, 29 records), C01B 3 (hydrogen-related inorganic compounds, 23 records), and B60L 11 (EV propulsion, 13 records). The momentum evidence flags them as a new entrant in the most recent filing window, suggesting their large cumulative position was built rapidly and that their recent activity rate has moderated from the burst that created it. Their collaboration with Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (6 joint records) and Aramco Services Co (2 records) extends their reach into Korean academic research.
patent records: 29China University of Petroleum (East China)
China University of Petroleum (East China) holds 13 patent records and is distinguished from the other top-five filers by its exclusive focus on G06F 30, G06F 119, and G06F 111 — all electric digital data processing subclasses — rather than H01M hardware simulation. This makes it the only large filer with a purely computational-modeling orientation. Momentum evidence marks it as a new entrant in the recent window, with 7 records filed recently, indicating an accelerating program. For organizations interested in the G06F white space, this institution is the primary competitive reference.
patent records: 13| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabian Oil Co | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| China University of Petroleum (East China) | 7 | ▲ new entrant |
| Korea Institute of Science and Technology | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
Computational modeling and EV integration are the least-covered adjacent branches
Several IPC classes adjacent to the dominant H01M core carry meaningful technical relevance to SOFC simulation but are sparsely populated in the corpus, making them worth monitoring as potential entry points.
G06F · Electric digital data processing
G06F accounts for 31 records (8% share among the top-ranked classes) and is notably the primary focus of China University of Petroleum (East China) rather than the established energy-major incumbents. The subclasses active here — G06F 30, G06F 119, G06F 111 — cover multiphysics simulation and digital engineering, directly relevant to cell-level and stack-level SOFC performance modeling. An organization with existing computational fluid dynamics or finite-element modeling capability could enter this branch without competing head-on with the H01M-dominant incumbents; prior-art density is lower and the top filer is an academic institution rather than a vertically integrated industrial player.
Search this in Eureka →G16C · Computational chemistry
G16C (computational chemistry and cheminformatics) registers only 10 records in the corpus — the smallest share among the named adjacent classes — despite having direct applicability to SOFC electrolyte and electrode material screening and to degradation modeling. No single dominant filer is identifiable in this branch from the evidence, making it the sparsest technically plausible adjacency in the dataset. Entry here would require expertise at the intersection of quantum chemistry or molecular dynamics and SOFC materials science; the realistic path is through a materials-simulation or cheminformatics platform adapted for oxide-ion conductors and perovskite electrodes.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ by technology route
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | H01M 8 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | H01M 4 · Batteries, cells & fuel cells | C01B 3 · Non-metallic elements & inorganic compounds | G06F 30 · Electric digital data processing | G06F 119 · Electric digital data processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabian Oil Co | Strong · 29 | Emerging · 3 | Strong · 23 | Absent | Absent |
| China University of Petroleum (East China) | Absent | Absent | Absent | Strong · 13 | Strong · 11 |
| Nissan Motor Co Ltd | Strong · 22 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp | Strong · 14 | Absent | Strong · 8 | Absent | Absent |
| Battelle Memorial Institute | Strong · 14 | Strong · 8 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Korea Institute of Science and Technology | Strong · 8 | Strong · 5 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology | Strong · 6 | Moderate · 3 | Moderate · 3 | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The evidence covers 84 patent families in scope. The applicant ranking is drawn from the top 100 filers and measured at the patent-record level, so individual applicant counts can exceed the family total when a family is filed across multiple offices.
Saudi Arabian Oil Co leads with 29 patent records, focused on H01M 8 fuel-cell simulation, C01B 3 hydrogen-related compounds, and B60L 11 EV propulsion. Nissan Motor Co Ltd is second with 22 records, also concentrated in H01M 8.
The evidence places SOFC simulation at Maturity: annual filings have plateaued near their 2024 peak, and the recent three-year growth rate is only 3%. The 2025 and 2026 data are subject to publication lag and should not be read as a decline.
The United States leads with 74 patent records, followed by Europe (EPO) at 42, China at 31, and WIPO (PCT) at 21. Despite two major Japanese filers in the top five, Japan accounts for only 3 records, indicating those organizations file primarily offshore.
Yes. The most active co-filing pair is Saudi Arabian Oil Co and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, with 6 joint patent records. Saudi Arabian Oil Co also co-files with Aramco Services Co (2 records), and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology pairs with Aramco Services Co on 1 record. The collaboration network is therefore Saudi Aramco-centric.
The sparsest technically relevant adjacent branches are G16C (computational chemistry, 10 records) and G06F (digital data processing, 31 records). G16C in particular has no dominant incumbent identifiable from the evidence and covers material-screening and degradation-modeling methods directly applicable to SOFC electrolytes and electrodes.
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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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