Latin America stands at a strategic crossroads as it holds abundant renewable-energy resources but remains a price-taker in the emerging low-carbon hydrogen economy. Over 60% of global patents for hydrogen-storage technologies are held by just five foreign firms, creating licensing bottlenecks that raise costs and hinder local innovation. SIPLA’s project offers the first action-oriented roadmap to break this deadlock. It will map who owns which storage patents in the region, identify “white spaces” for local firms to operate safely, and expose competition risks—such as royalty stacking, monopoly leasing, and standard-essential-patent disputes—that threaten scale-up.

Robust competition rules are essential for a fair and innovative hydrogen-storage market. Open-standard requirements can limit dominant-firm abuses, merger controls can prevent concentration, and incentives like grants and incubators can support new entrants. A healthy competitive environment fosters better, cheaper, and greener storage technologies—accelerating the clean-energy transition. Yet current regional policies fall short in stimulating industrial demand for green hydrogen, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors like steel.

Mapping Latin America’s hydrogen patents will reveal innovation gaps, identify strategic actors, and guide policies that help the region leverage its resources, enhance R&D, and compete globally. As national hydrogen strategies are being developed, delays in regulatory and antitrust safeguards could entrench foreign dominance for decades. And without affordable storage, any expansion of renewables to meet decarbonization goals will remain out of reach.

This project aims to inform policymakers by clarifying patent landscapes, identifying competition risks, and proposing practical policy tools for an inclusive and resilient hydrogen economy