CREDIT: BBC
A new energy frontier is emerging, quietly taking shape beneath our feet. It’s not oil or gas sparking the excitement this time, but naturally occurring hydrogen—a potential clean energy source that some experts believe could revolutionize the global energy mix. This “white hydrogen,” generated deep within the Earth through natural geological processes, is gaining attention from investors, researchers, and clean energy advocates alike.
The parallels with the early oil era are striking. Much like the discovery that ignited the oil boom in 1859 in Titusville, Pennsylvania, today’s hydrogen prospectors are racing to uncover commercially viable reservoirs of white hydrogen. This time, however, the prize is a clean-burning, high-energy fuel that emits only water when used, offering potential solutions for hard-to-decarbonize sectors like aviation, shipping, and steel manufacturing.
What Is White Hydrogen?
White hydrogen—also known as natural or geologic hydrogen—is produced when subterranean water reacts with iron-rich rock in a process called serpentinization. While hydrogen is usually too light to remain trapped underground, in certain geologic formations it can accumulate beneath impermeable rock layers like shale or salt.
According to a 2024 assessment by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), global subsurface stores could hold between one billion and 10 trillion tonnes of hydrogen. Even if just 2% of this hydrogen were recoverable, it could power the world’s projected hydrogen needs for the next 200 years.
A Race to Discover
The prospect of clean, naturally formed hydrogen has triggered a new kind of energy rush. At least 60 companies around the globe are now exploring for white hydrogen, and early investment has surpassed $1 billion, according to Eric Gaucher, co-lead of the International Energy Agency’s white hydrogen expert group.
One notable start-up, France-based Mantle8 (backed by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy), is developing technology that uses geophysical data to create 4D models of the Earth’s mantle. These models help pinpoint underground hydrogen reserves, reducing the guesswork in exploration. Mantle8 aims to identify 10 million tonnes of hydrogen by 2030 and produce its first kilogram by the end of the decade—at a cost that could undercut even the cheapest green hydrogen.
The Science and Skepticism
While enthusiasm is building, the science remains uncertain. USGS geochemists warn that much of the estimated hydrogen may be locked away in places too deep, remote, or diffuse to extract economically. Moreover, not all hydrogen reservoirs are pure; some contain methane, a greenhouse gas that complicates the environmental benefits of white hydrogen.
There are also concerns about hydrogen leakage, which can indirectly worsen climate change by interfering with methane breakdown in the atmosphere. Furthermore, white hydrogen extraction could disturb underground microbial ecosystems that play key roles in Earth’s biochemical cycles.
Geologist Laurent Truche of Grenoble Alpes University cautions against overhyping white hydrogen’s short-term impact. Even with major discoveries, it would likely take more than a decade to build out a scalable industry. As of now, the only place where naturally sourced hydrogen powers an electrical grid is in Bourakebougou, Mali—a village that stumbled upon a subterranean hydrogen source by accident in the 1980s.
An Uncertain Yet Promising Future
Some energy experts believe white hydrogen could complement other forms of hydrogen, such as green (from renewable-powered electrolysis) and blue (from fossil fuels with carbon capture). While green and blue hydrogen make up just 1% of current production and face cost and scalability challenges, white hydrogen’s natural abundance could offer a competitive advantage—if commercial extraction proves viable.
Early field studies have identified promising geological hotspots, including mountain ranges like the Pyrenees and the Himalayas. Oil and gas companies including BP and Chevron are showing interest, and research is underway into methods like “stimulated” hydrogen production via artificial serpentinization.
Still, most scientists agree the field is nascent. Questions remain about reservoir longevity, replenishment rates, environmental impacts, and commercial feasibility.
As Emmanuel Masini, CEO of Mantle8, puts it: “We are convinced there could be really significant reserves. We need to go ahead and deliver them.”
Final Thoughts
White hydrogen may not be an overnight solution to the global energy crisis, but it represents a compelling avenue worth exploring. With the right balance of scientific rigor, environmental safeguards, and commercial ambition, it might just become the clean fuel equivalent of oil’s transformative role in the 20th century.
Credit: This article includes reporting from the BBC.
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