In the energy and oil & gas sectors, the pressure toward a green transition is no longer a future prospect but a daily reality. Companies must identify emerging technological trajectories, mitigate risks related to developing solutions already covered by intellectual property, and ensure freedom to operate in highly competitive markets. In this context, the technological patent landscape has become a strategic tool to guide R&D decisions, reduce uncertainty, and turn the complexity of patent data into actionable insights.
The case we present involves a leading international player in power generation, Ansaldo Energia Group, which has embarked on a path of diversification and innovation with the goal of positioning itself as a key player in the energy transition. The initial need arose upstream of the company’s strategic planning: to map potential “green” application areas where the group already possessed internal expertise and could reallocate know-how and human resources, creating a dedicated business unit — Ansaldo Green Tech.
From landscape to competitive positioning
To identify development areas, an extensive energy-themed patent landscaping and technology scouting activity was carried out to understand where innovation in energy storage and renewables was heading. The patent mapping in the energy transition highlighted two particularly promising development lines, one of which electrolyzers for hydrogen production was deemed strategic for its technological coherence with Ansaldo Energia’s core business and for its potential integration with existing group solutions.
This analytical phase provided a comprehensive picture of the competitive patent landscape, showing who was investing in which types of electrolyzers, which technologies were already protected, and where exploitable protection gaps existed. It was a true portfolio analysis, useful not only for mapping competitors but also for defining Ansaldo Green Tech’s competitive positioning.
From landscape to patent innovation
The first step was to classify technologies by electrolyzer type. Particular attention was paid to AEM (Anion Exchange Membrane) technologies, identified as the most promising both in terms of performance and compatibility with existing engineering expertise. The patent intelligence phase revealed particularly interesting elements, including the presence of patents representing significant prior art.
To ensure freedom to operate (FTO) and the possibility of bringing proprietary solutions to market, the team launched idea generation activities based on functional analysis — a structured cycle of technical brainstorming aimed at identifying alternative solutions not conflicting with existing IP. Through this methodology, nine possible technological differentiation paths were generated. From these, four new patent families have already been filed — a result that represents a clear IP competitive advantage for the group.
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From IP strategy to market
The inventions resulting from these activities involved various components of the electrolyzer, leading to the creation of an industrialized product, officially presented at Key Energy 2024, and currently undergoing testing for a second advanced version. This project demonstrated how an IP strategy focused on the energy transition can become a business driver: from early technology scouting and patent due diligence to the development of a structured plan that generated new intellectual property and a market-ready product.
Tangible results and measurable KPIs
The project’s KPIs are clear:
• 4 patent families filed in the last two years
• 1 product already commercialized
• A development roadmap for additional patent filings by 2026
This integrated approach strengthened the group’s competitive positioning through its patent portfolio, creating a sustainable advantage in a sector where licensing and cross-licensing can determine the success or failure of an entire business line.
Use Cases of Patent Landscape Analysis
The Ansaldo case demonstrates that patent landscaping is not an academic exercise but a decision-making tool for top management, allowing companies to:
• Reduce the risk of investing in saturated areas
• Identify and circumvent patent barriers to entry
• Accelerate time-to-market for proprietary solutions
• Optimize R&D investments by aligning them with global innovation trajectories
In the context of the energy transition, IP strategy becomes an integral part of corporate strategy — not merely for protection, but as a means to build a robust portfolio that supports business growth.
The message for companies in the sector is clear: investing in patent intelligence means equipping yourself with a strategic compass to navigate a rapidly changing market, reducing uncertainty and building competitive advantage through innovation.
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