Abstract
Technology trend studies on patent analyses of hydrogen technology are critical in understanding the status of present and future technology, as well as, its market opportunity. However, the studies were mostly limited to specific countries and lacked the details of green hydrogen production technology. In this study, a patent analysis forecasting future green hydrogen technology was carried out. To make the patent database for the analysis, first, a comprehensive survey on green hydrogen projects worldwide was conducted and hydrogen-related technologies were classified into two network categories of the stand-alone and the grid-connected type, as well as three options for renewable energy resources, Energy Storage System (ESS) and hydrogen utilization type. More than a thousand patents during the past twenty years on green hydrogen technology were directly collected from the Worldwide Intellectual Property Service (WIPS) website using quantitative and qualitative searches. The patents were classified into two technology types, water electrolysis and system operation, and seven technology areas within two types. The patents were further analyzed according to year, country, technology area, and major applicants. Overall, the technology type of system operation accounts for 53% compared to water electrolysis, which indicates that companies are more focused on system integration and control strategies rather than green hydrogen production. Furthermore, the four commercial water electrolysis types were analyzed to predict the near-term trend, showing that the Alkaline (ALK) and Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) approaches are at the stage of entering maturity, while Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) and Solid Oxidation (SO) approaches are still in the early development stages. In addition, AEM approach shows fewer patents and applicants, indicating a lower entry barrier to the market. Lastly, the three most impactful patents in the world were identified for each of the seven technology areas.
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