Green transition: New study shows Sweden's position in hydrogen race
A new study from IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute shows a significant increase in hydrogen technology patents worldwide after 2020, parallel to the emergence of national hydrogen strategies and global investments. Although Sweden has a small share of the global patents, it shows a relative competitive advantage comparable to France in fuel cell technology. However, in hydrogen production, storage and distribution, Sweden is significantly weaker.
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Andreas Englund, business developer at IVL
"Sweden needs to maintain its leadership in fuel cell technology while it aims to strengthen its technological capabilities in electrolysis and hydrogen production from biomass. This is in line with the country's ambitious plans for investment in carbon-free steel production based on hydrogen", says Andreas Englund, business developer at IVL.
By analyzing patents, which provides an indicator of innovation capacity, the study evaluated developments and trends in hydrogen technology. The focus has been on innovation both globally and in Sweden, in order to assess Sweden's competitiveness and position in the field.
The United States, Japan, South Korea, Germany and France are leading countries in hydrogen technology. Patents related to fuel cells are particularly dominant.
Sweden has a patent distribution similar to that of Japan and South Korea, with a large share of patents in fuel cell technology. Relative to its economic size, Sweden is as competitive as France. However France is a much larger economy, with seven times more patents in fuel cell technology. In hydrogen production, storage and distribution, Sweden is considerably weaker, even relative to its economic size
"A country's long-term competitiveness is determined by its ability to innovate in the areas in which it invests. Therefore, the planned investments in hydrogen production for steel production must go hand in hand with measures to increase innovation capacity in the area. Only then can Sweden fully capitalize on the planned investments", says Andreas Englund.
Read more in the report: The position of Sweden in the hydrogen race
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Questions? Contact:
Andreas Englund, andreas.englund@ivl.se, tel. +46 (0)10-788 69 26
The study was conducted within the framework of the Green Transition Leap and is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The Green Transition Leap is a national initiative that aims to facilitate business-driven climate transition for small and medium-sized enterprises. The focus is on knowledge and business-oriented guidance, to create sustainable, competitive and future-proof companies.