Geologists signal start of hydrogen energy 'gold rush'. Natural sources of the gas are more abundant than expected

Natural Hydrogen Energy’s exploratory well in Nebraska. Geologists believe hydrogen is generated in large quantities when iron-rich minerals react with water © Viacheslav Zgonnik

Geologists signal start of hydrogen energy ‘gold rush’.

Natural sources of the gas are more abundant than expected & could supply energy needs for centuries, study shows.

FT.com | Clive Cookson | Feb 18, 2024

Geologists are signalling the start of a new energy “gold rush” for a previously neglected carbon-free resource — hydrogen generated naturally within Earth.

As much as 5tn tonnes of hydrogen exists in underground reservoirs worldwide, according to an unpublished study by the US Geological Survey.

Previewing the results at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in Denver, project leader Geoffrey Ellis said: “Most hydrogen is likely inaccessible, but a few per cent recovery would still supply all projected demand — 500mn tonnes a year — for hundreds of years.”

The demand for hydrogen as a fuel and industrial raw material, particularly to make ammonia for fertiliser production, has been mainly met so far by chemically reforming gas that is made up largely of methane, known as “blue hydrogen” when the carbon emissions are captured or “grey hydrogen” when they are not...

...Mengli Zhang of the Colorado School of Mines said tapping natural hydrogen — also known as geologic or gold hydrogen — would be cleaner and cheaper than blue or green hydrogen. “A gold rush for gold hydrogen is coming,” she told the conference...more
https://www.ft.com/content/81819f64-1025-489b-959a-c3d9b14cc77a
ALT: https://archive.is/c6bWr