CAPTION: German hydrogen industry falling behind competitors. (picture alliance/dpa/Marijan Murat)
German industry is losing ground to competitors from China when it comes to the future-orientated market for electrolysis equipment for the hydrogen economy, according to newly released figures from the Institute of the German Economy (IW). While the global market share of German manufacturers was almost 20 percent a decade ago, it has now fallen to less than 9 percent, the Cologne-based institute reported. Chinese producers, on the other hand, had increased their market share from less than 20 to more than 25 percent. "The development has accelerated further recently," the German news site “Der Spiegel” quoted IW researcher Thilo Schaefer as saying in a report on the issue.
An electrolyzer can use electricity from wind and solar plants to produce hydrogen and thus store energy. However, a study by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) had concluded in January that Japan and the European Union were leading the way in hydrogen technology. According to the study, Japan secured 24 percent of all hydrogen patents granted between 2011 and 2020, the United States 20 percent, and Germany 11 percent. The EU as a whole achieved 28 percent and China 4 percent, according to the EPO.
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