The white hydrogen discovery of large subsurface reserves is opening up a new frontier in energy.White hydrogen is different from hydrogen produced via energy-intensive procedures because it forms naturally when water beneath mixes with iron-rich rocks in a process called serpentinisation. Scientists now think that this gas, sparked by the white hydrogen discovery, might change the way we use renewable energy if it can be accessed in a cost-effective and large-scale way.
The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that if just 2% of the Earth’s natural hydrogen can be recovered, it could fulfil world demand for 200 years. Interest in the white hydrogen discovery has grown, with more than 60 businesses exploring the resource and at least $1 billion already spent. Exploratory drilling has already begun in the U.S. and Australia.
This race is like the oil boom of the 1800s, except the reward is hydrogen, which is three times more powerful than oil and only produces water when burnt. White hydrogen might be a cheap, naturally renewing resource, unlike green and blue hydrogen, which are costly and create a lot of carbon. But it does have certain problems. Methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, might last longer in the atmosphere if it leaks during extraction.
Bourakebougou in Mali is the only place known to use naturally occurring hydrogen right now. It produces energy for a community. French start-up Mantle8 and others are working on new technologies that will help speed up the process of discovery. Mantle8 has found 12 prospective locations in Europe using 4D imaging. By 2030, they intend to extract hydrogen from these sites for only $0.80 per kilogramme, which may be five times cheaper than green hydrogen.
Oil and gas firms are also interested in this chance. BP, Chevron, and Petrobras are putting money into research on white hydrogen or new companies like Snowfox Discovery. Some people are looking into ways to get hydrogen to form by injecting water into rocks that are rich in iron, although this hasn’t been demonstrated yet.
Experts say that even while things seem good, big changes won’t happen for another ten years. Some others are sceptical and say that it’s not obvious whether there are enough hydrogen reserves to be useful. Even in the best-case circumstances, natural hydrogen could only be able to replace a modest amount of fossil fuel consumption by 2050.
Still, for pioneers like Mantle8 and HyReveal, the need to act quickly on climate change is motivation enough to speed up the search for this possible renewable energy game-changer.