Mapping the development of hydrogen-based technologies (HBTs) through patent analysis

IF 3.8 Q2 BUSINESS EuroMed Journal of Business Pub Date : 2024-02-26 DOI:10.1108/emjb-02-2023-0038
Nicola Martino, Lorenzo Ardito, Antonio Messeni Petruzzelli, Daniele Rotolo
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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to map the evolution of hydrogen-based technologies (HBTs) by examining the patenting activity associated to these technlogies from 1930 to 2020. In doing so, the study provides a novel perspective on the development of HBTs and offers implications for managers and policymakers.

Design/methodology/approach

We collected patent data at the level of patent families (PFs). Our sample includes 317,089 PFs related to hydrogen production and 62,496 PFs to hydrogen storage. We examined PF data to delineate the state of the art and major technical advancements of HBTs.

Findings

Our analysis provides evidence of an increasing patenting activity in the area of HBTs, hence suggesting relatively high levels of expectations on the economic potential of these technologies. US and Japan hold the largest proportion of PFs related to HBTs (about 60%), while European applicants hold the highest proportion of highly cited PFs (about 60%). While firms represent the applicant with the highest share of PFs, our analysis reveals that firms holding HBT PFs are primarily from the chemical sector.

Research limitations/implications

While our analysis is limited to examining patent data which capture some aspects of the innovation activity around HBTs (namelly, patented inventions), our study enriches existing literature by performinng a patent analysis on a much larger sample of data when compared to previous studies.

Practical implications

Two main implications emerge from our study. Firstly, there seems to be an urgent need to support the emergence of a dominant design so as to facilitate the consolidation and diffusion of the HBTs, hence the transition to a more sustainable energy production. Secondly, the majority of HBT PFs are held by a small number of countries. This, in turn, suggests opportunities to develop cross-country cooperation (e.g. international agreements, research and technology offices) to support the development and adoption of HBTs globally.

Social implications

Considering the results obtained in this study, from a social point of view, the attention that organizations have paid to hydrogen related technologies is evident. This suggests that the development HBTs can function as a social enabler for a sustianable energy transition.

Originality/value

Extant research has focused on the individual components of the hydrogen chain. As a result, we lack a comprehensive understanding of the progress made in the area of HBTs. To address this gap, this study examined HBTs by focusing on both production and storage technologies since their initial developments, hence adopting an observation period of about 70 years.

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通过专利分析绘制氢基技术(HBT)发展图谱
目的 本文旨在通过研究1930年至2020年与氢基技术(HBT)相关的专利活动,描绘氢基技术的发展历程。我们收集了专利族(PFs)层面的专利数据。我们的样本包括与制氢相关的 317,089 项专利族和与储氢相关的 62,496 项专利族。我们对专利族数据进行了研究,以了解 HBT 的技术发展状况和主要技术进步。研究结果我们的分析表明,HBT 领域的专利申请活动不断增加,这表明人们对这些技术的经济潜力抱有较高的期望。美国和日本持有的与 HBT 相关的专利申请所占比例最大(约 60%),而欧洲申请人持有的高引用率专利申请所占比例最高(约 60%)。我们的分析表明,持有 HBT PFs 的公司主要来自化学领域。研究局限/意义虽然我们的分析仅限于研究专利数据,而这些数据捕捉到了围绕 HBT 的创新活动的某些方面(即专利发明),但与以往的研究相比,我们的研究对更大的数据样本进行了专利分析,从而丰富了现有文献。首先,似乎急需支持主导设计的出现,以促进 HBT 的巩固和推广,从而向更可持续的能源生产过渡。其次,大多数 HBT PF 由少数国家持有。社会影响考虑到本研究的结果,从社会角度来看,各组织对氢相关技术的关注是显而易见的。原创性/价值目前的研究主要集中在氢产业链的各个环节。因此,我们对氢化热电联产领域所取得的进展缺乏全面的了解。为了弥补这一不足,本研究从氢化镱最初开发以来的生产和储存技术入手,对氢化镱进行了研究,因此采用了约 70 年的观察期。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
9.80
自引率
19.20%
发文量
61
期刊介绍: The EuroMed Journal of Business (EMJB) is the premier publication facilitating dialogue among researchers from Europe and the Mediterranean. It plays a vital role in generating and disseminating knowledge about various business environments and trends in this region. By offering an up-to-date overview of emerging business practices in specific countries, EMJB serves as a valuable resource for its readers. As the official journal of the EuroMed Academy of Business, EMJB is committed to reflecting the economic growth seen in the European-Mediterranean region. It aims to be a focused and targeted business journal, highlighting environmental opportunities, threats, and marketplace developments in the area. Through its efforts, EMJB promotes collaboration and open dialogue among diverse research cultures and practices. EMJB serves as a platform for debating and disseminating research findings, new research areas and techniques, conceptual developments, and practical applications across various business segments. It seeks to provide a forum for discussing new ideas in business, including theory, practice, and the issues that arise within the field.
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