It’s reported from NIKKEI that the latest research shows China has surpassed Japan to become the most competitive country when it comes to hydrogen-related patents, bolstering its position as a leader in carbon-free energy combined with its edge in solar and wind.

The research conducted by Tokyo-based Astamuse which analyzed 180,000 patents related to green hydrogen field between 2013 and 2022, scoring them across five key areas: production, storage, shipment and supply, safety management, and usage based on feasibility, remaining duration of legal protection, and other factors.

The results show that Chinese firms ranked first in overall competitiveness and in the field of production, storage and safety. In comparison, a previous study from 2011 to 2020 ranked Japan first, followed by China.

It’s reported that China has dominated solar panel and wind power equipment market and based on this, Chinese companies are accelerating their entries into the hydrogen energy industry. Leveraging their strengths in the solar and wind sectors, companies like LONGi and Sungrow are pushing into the green hydrogen space with funding and customer network accumulated in the renewable energy sector.

The report also pointed out that Japan and Europe mainly focus on the application of hydrogen energy in final consumption fields like fuel cell vehicles, while Chinese companies focus on industrial processed such as chemicals and steel.

With the cost decline of the hydrogen production equipment, China's domestic demand continues to increase. According to the International Energy Agency, China's hydrogen consumption reached 28 million tons in 2023, accounting for nearly 30% of the total worldwide, ranking first in the global.

Based on the previous report by IThome, China's annual hydrogen production and consumption exceeded 36.5 million tons in 2024, ranking first in the world. As of the end of 2024, the cumulative annual capacity of renewable energy hydrogen production projects in the world exceeded 250,000 tons, of which China accounts for over 50%, and has gradually become a leading country in the development of renewable energy hydrogen production and related industries.

From ithome.com

May 3rd, 2025