Sweden needs to strengthen innovation in hydrogen gas
A new study from IVL has analyzed patents to assess innovation and development in hydrogen technology, both globally and in Sweden. Patent analyzes provide a clear picture of Sweden’s competitiveness in this rapidly growing field.
Leading countries in hydrogen technology
The study shows that the USA, Japan, South Korea, Germany and France lead the development in hydrogen technology. These countries have particularly many patents linked to fuel cells, which clearly shows their strong position.
Sweden’s place in hydrogen gas innovation
Sweden has a similar patent distribution as Japan and South Korea, with a large proportion of patents in fuel cell technology. This makes Sweden competitive in the field. In relation to its economic size, Sweden stands strong, as competitive as France.
Despite this, there are major challenges. Sweden is weaker in other parts of hydrogen technology, especially when it comes to production, storage and distribution of hydrogen. France, for example, has seven times more patents in these areas, which marks a clear gap in Sweden’s capacity to innovate widely in hydrogen.
Innovation and investment must work together
According to innovation researcher Andreas Englund, innovation is crucial for long-term competitiveness. He believes that Sweden’s investments in hydrogen for the steel industry must be combined with investments to increase innovation capacity in hydrogen production. Only then can Sweden take full advantage of its investments.
“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 benefit from the planned investments,” says Andreas Englund, business developer IVL.
Summary
Sweden has a strong position in fuel cell technology, but must invest more in other areas within hydrogen. By strengthening its innovation capacity, Sweden can become a leading actor in the transition towards a fossil-free future.
