Unlocking Earth’s Hidden Treasure: How to Discover Abundant Hydrogen Reserves in the Crust

We use hydrogen gas a lot today. It plays a big role in our efforts to reach carbon-neutral goals. Recently, researchers from the UK and Canada developed a method to identify natural hydrogen in Earth’s crust. This discovery could help us access substantial reserves of hydrogen that could last for up to 170,000 years. No need to rely on hydrocarbons for hydrogen production, which is important since those create carbon emissions.

The team estimates that the natural hydrogen formation process takes about a billion years. Jon Gluyas, a geoscientist from Durham University, explains that they’ve created a strategy for exploration, similar to what they’ve done for helium.

Hydrogen forms when water interacts with iron-rich rocks or those containing radioactive elements. The researchers mapped areas on Earth where the right conditions—temperature, pressure, and timing—exist for hydrogen creation. For example, the Bourakebougou site in Mali shows promise for hydrogen reserves.

Finding these natural hydrogen sources requires specific ingredients. The researchers have created a kind of "treasure map" that points to regions where hydrogen could be present. Barbara Sherwood Lollar, an earth scientist at the University of Toronto, notes that underground microbes consume hydrogen, making it important to avoid areas where these microbes could interfere with preservation.

Other studies have also suggested that extensive hydrogen reserves might be hiding in the world’s mountain ranges, formed by tectonic activity. The demand for hydrogen is on the rise, especially for making fertilizers. Estimates show that worldwide hydrogen demand could skyrocket from 90 million metric tons in 2022 to 540 million by 2050.

While we do have artificial methods to produce hydrogen, they are often costly and not environmentally friendly. Natural hydrogen extraction remains a challenge, but research like this lays the groundwork for cleaner energy in the future. Chris Ballentine, a geochemist from the University of Oxford, believes that unlocking these natural hydrogen sources could greatly aid in the energy transition.

The findings have been published recently in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. As we navigate the path to a greener future, tapping into natural hydrogen could be a significant step forward.

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