Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology Revolution and Intervention Using TRIZ S-curve Analysis for Automotive System Innovation

The global energy industrial sector is focused on and committed to supporting clean energy usage and reducing or eliminating the emission of greenhouse gases by 2050. The most preferred technological energy source is the hydrogen-based energy source of the future. This study investigates challenges in the context of technical and non-technical perspectives using one of the tools under the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ). The TRIZ tool called S-curve analysis helps assess the technological maturity of the hydrogen fuel cell at four stages: infant, growth, mature and decline, using specific indicators developed by the founder of TRIZ, Genrich Altshuller. The application of TRIZ expands the intervention strategies to successfully accelerate the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology towards the growth stage. Here, an S-curve analysis application will be applied on the hydrogen fuel cell technologies patented in the selected country as a case study in automotive system innovation. The data of patent mapping can support the recommendations presented by TRIZ S-curve analysis, and a proposal of intervention has been delivered to improve the growth of targeted country energy sectors through the strategic initiative of automotive technology evolution and revolution of the hydrogen fuel cell.