In a collaborative effort between the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), this patent insight report examines the global evolution of patent filings published between 2005 and 2020 in the domain of electrolysers used to produce hydrogen.

When policymakers and researchers agree on a vision for an innovative, low-carbon, affordable and safe hydrogen industry that would help the world to combat climate change and restrict global warming, resources and funding become available to accelerate the process of developing innovative solutions to produce, store and transport hydrogen. One of the key technical components in the production of hydrogen is the electrolyser. In an ideal world, electrolysers would be built out of raw materials that are cheap and abundantly available and would use only renewable electricity and water. Currently, technology is being developed to make electrolysers more efficient, cheaper and scalable up to market needs.

This report maps the various electrolyser technologies and trends revealed by an analysis of worldwide patent filings.