Electrolysis of water, using renewable electricity, is the sustainable option to produce green hydrogen as an attractive low-carbon energy carrier. To respond to the growing demand for renewables-based hydrogen, an extraordinary expansion of the market for electrolysers is needed linked to a significant capacity increase in the manufacture and deployment of electrolysers. A rapid reduction in electrolyser system costs is essential and technology innovation is crucial to this end.

According to IRENA, investment costs for electrolyser plants can be reduced by 40% in the short term and 80% in the long term through key strategies such as improved electrolyser design and construction, economies of scale, replacing scarce materials with abundant metals, increasing efficiency and flexibility of operations, and learning rates with high technology deployment aligned with a 1.5˚C climate target. 

This patent insight report on innovation trends in electrolysers for hydrogen production, jointly prepared by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), uses patent statistics to reveal the trends and dynamism in the exciting field of green hydrogen that can be produced using renewable electricity via electrolysis. With its charts and commentary, the report is useful to policymakers, technologists, companies, and investors wanting to better understand these rapidly expanding technology domains.

Report by IRENA