In 2026, China continues to lead the global long-duration energy storage industry, with the
all-vanadium flow battery (VFB) technology becoming a core mainstream solution for
grid-scale energy storage, new energy consumption and peak regulation services. Governed
by the Patent Law of the People’s Republic of China (2021 Revision) and uniformly
administered by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), China’s
patent system provides targeted green technology protection mechanisms, including priority
examination, layered patent authorization and dual administrative-judicial enforcement
remedies. Supported by industry standards from the China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA),
the system forms a complete intellectual property protection system suitable for new energy
storage core technologies, effectively safeguarding the independent innovation achievements
and commercial application rights of flow battery enterprises in the Chinese market.
Case Overview: Systematic Patent Layout and Infringement Enforcement of Vanadium
Flow Battery Core Technology
As a pioneering enterprise engaged in the research, development and industrialization of
long-duration energy storage equipment in China, a new energy technology company
independently developed a new generation of high-efficiency all-vanadium flow battery
system, covering key core technologies such as high-stability electrolyte formula, low-resistance
ion exchange membrane preparation process and integrated modular electric stack structure.
To consolidate its technical monopoly advantages and avoid market imitation risks in the
process of large-scale project promotion, the enterprise built a full-coverage layered patent
portfolio in accordance with CNIPA’s patent classification standards before the technology
was put into commercial demonstration operation.
The company completed multi-dimensional patent layout for its innovative technologies,
covering the entire chain of core methods, physical structures and industrial appearances. It
applied for invention patents for key technical innovations such as vanadium electrolyte
purification formula, membrane electrode assembly process and system energy efficiency
control method, which protected the core technical logic and innovative principles of the flow
battery. It filed utility model patents for practical structural designs including battery stack
assembly structure, internal fluid pipeline layout and integrated thermal safety management
module, solidifying the structural innovation advantages of equipment hardware. Meanwhile,
it registered design patents for containerized energy storage cabinet appearance and overall
station layout to realize differentiated brand and product protection in terminal project
applications.
After the technology was successfully applied in multiple provincial grid energy storage projects
and formed stable market reputation and industrial influence, several domestic energy storage
equipment manufacturers took advantage of the transparency of public technical information to
carry out imitative production in mid-2026. The infringing parties copied the core electrolyte
proportion formula, electric stack assembly structure and system control logic of the patented
technology without authorization, and launched low-cost imitation flow battery products for grid
project bidding and market sales. The highly similar infringing products not only squeezed the
patentee’s market share, but also caused technical quality confusion in the industry, resulting
in substantial economic losses and brand damage to the original enterprise.
To curb market infringement behaviors and safeguard the legitimate intellectual property rights
of innovative technologies, the patent owner adopted a standardized dual-track enforcement
strategy in line with China’s patent protection system. The enterprise submitted formal
administrative complaint materials to local intellectual property administrative departments,
attaching complete patent registration certificates, technical feature comparison reports and
project application certification materials, applying for administrative investigation and
punishment of infringing manufacturers, and requesting the removal and seizure of infringing
products in industry exhibitions, project bidding platforms and market sales channels. At the same
time, the company initiated civil infringement litigation in the professional intellectual property
court, claiming permanent injunction against all infringing production and sales behaviors,
destruction of infringing equipment and components, and full compensation for economic
losses caused by patent infringement.
After rigorous trial and technical comparison, the intellectual property court confirmed that the
accused infringing products completely fell within the protection scope of the plaintiff’s valid
invention patents and utility model patents, constituting substantive patent infringement. The
court issued a formal judgment ordering the infringing enterprises to immediately stop all
production, sales, promotion and project bidding behaviors involving infringing products, recall
all circulated infringing energy storage equipment, and bear the plaintiff’s economic losses and
reasonable rights protection expenses. Cooperating with the judicial judgment, the administrative
authority completed comprehensive market rectification, thoroughly stopping the large-scale
industrial imitation of vanadium flow battery core technology and effectively maintaining the
orderly competition pattern of China’s long-duration energy storage market.
Strategic Insights from the Enforcement Case
This typical patent enforcement case of new energy storage technology summarizes replicable
intellectual property management and risk prevention experience for global new energy innovation
enterprises:
●Layered patent portfolio builds solid technical barriers: The collaborative layout of invention
patents for core methods, utility model patents for hardware structures and design patents for
terminal appearances realizes full-chain protection of new energy technologies, avoiding single-
point patent protection loopholes.
●Pre-commercialization patent filing stabilizes industrial rights: Completing patent application
and right confirmation before technology demonstration and large-scale market promotion can
effectively prevent preemptive registration and imitative infringement by competing enterprises.
●Dual administrative and judicial enforcement improves protection efficiency: Administrative
investigation achieves rapid market cleanup, while civil litigation makes up for economic losses,
forming a high-efficiency closed-loop protection mechanism.
●Industry standard docking enhances patent stability: Layout in combination with CNESA
industry technical standards can improve the compatibility and enforceability of patents in actual
project bidding and industrial promotion scenarios.
Practical Guidance for Global New Energy Enterprises
For international energy storage technology research and development institutions and new
energy enterprises deploying the Chinese market, standardized patent layout and rights
protection suggestions are summarized as follows:
Complete novelty-preserving patent applications for core technologies before technical
disclosure, project demonstration and product listing to avoid the loss of patent eligibility caused
by prior public use.
Adopt the combined layout mode of invention patents + utility model patents + design
patents to form multi-dimensional and full-coverage intellectual property barriers for energy
storage technologies.
Make full use of CNIPA’s green and low-carbon technology priority examination policy to
shorten the patent authorization cycle and accelerate the industrialization and monetization of
innovative technologies.
Long-term monitor CNIPA’s patent public database and domestic energy storage project
bidding information to timely identify potential patent infringement and technical imitation risks.
Cooperate with professional local intellectual property teams familiar with new energy and
energy storage industries to standardize patent drafting, layout planning and rights enforcement
operations.
Conclusion
In 2026, China’s patent system provides systematic, standardized and high-efficiency intellectual
property protection for innovative technologies in the field of long-duration energy storage
represented by all-vanadium flow batteries. This industry typical case fully verifies that proactive
layered patent layout, standardized pre-market right confirmation and dual-channel coordinated
enforcement are core strategies for protecting new energy core technologies. For global new
energy and energy storage enterprises entering the Chinese market, abiding by CNIPA’s patent
examination rules and China’s patent law system, and docking with industry standard specifications,
are crucial foundations for maintaining technical competitiveness, avoiding industrial infringement
risks and achieving long-term stable industrial development in China’s new energy market.
Hyperlink List：
●IPcrossark:
https://www.ipcrossark.com/en/patent_detail/1.html
● China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA) – Industry Standard & Technology Resources:
