White hydrogen! Has the solution to climate change been buried deep in Earth all along?

The pursuit of clean and reliable hydrogen sources intensifies as the world strives towards a future of greener energy. Hydrogen, with its abundance and potential for clean combustion, is a compelling alternative to fossil fuels across various applications.

White hydrogen stands out as a natural and potentially low-cost source among the different hydrogen variants, making it a compelling option for Nium's green ammonia production.

White hydrogen, also known as geologic, native, or natural hydrogen, is trapped within underground geological formations, such as basalt rock. It's formed through planetary geological processes, like the decomposition of organic matter or the reaction of water with rock. This sets it apart from other hydrogen types, such as grey hydrogen, produced from natural gas, and green hydrogen, derived from renewable energy.

The promise and potential of white hydrogen

White hydrogen holds immense promise. Its geological origin and lack of energy-intensive processes for extraction differentiate it from other hydrogen sources. It could unlock a significant, low-cost, clean hydrogen source, potentially revolutionising the energy landscape.

However, challenges remain. The scientific community needs to comprehensively map the distribution of white hydrogen to fully grasp its potential. The industry also faces the challenge of overcoming the scarcity of examples and demonstrating successful applications of white hydrogen to gain wider acceptance.

As we venture into the possibilities of white hydrogen, it emerges as a wildcard in the energy transition. This potential game-changer could reshape our approach to hydrogen and bridge the gap in renewable energy hydrogen production. While overcoming hurdles is inevitable, white hydrogen's promising characteristics make it a resource worth exploring on the path to a sustainable energy future.

A renewable resource with sustainability concerns

Unlike conventional hydrogen production methods, such as steam methane reforming (SMR) or gasification of coal, which rely on fossil fuels and emit carbon dioxide (CO2), white hydrogen is sourced directly from geological formations within Earth.

It's crucial to note that while white hydrogen is considered renewable, its extraction and purification methods must also be sustainable to ensure a positive environmental impact.

Careful consideration and responsible practices are essential to harmonise white hydrogen's potential with broader sustainability goals and the transition to cleaner energy sources.

Is white hydrogen the answer to the hydrogen economy?

White hydrogen can potentially play a significant role in the hydrogen economy. Its extraction directly from geological formations offers several advantages:

  • Environmentally friendly: white hydrogen extraction has a minimal carbon footprint, making it a cleaner alternative to fossil fuel-based hydrogen production.
  • Cost-effectiveness: the lack of energy-intensive processing contributes to the potential for lower production costs compared to other hydrogen types.
  • Abundance: white hydrogen reserves are estimated to be significantly larger than fossil fuels, offering a long-term and sustainable energy source.

A game-changer for the hydrogen economy

The discovery of sizeable white hydrogen deposits, such as the one in Lorraine, France, can potentially revolutionise the hydrogen economy. White hydrogen could be crucial in decarbonising various sectors, including transportation, industrial processes, and power generation.

Addressing challenges for sustainable adoption

Despite its promising characteristics, white hydrogen faces particular challenges that need to be addressed for its widespread adoption:

  • Limited availability: while white hydrogen reserves are abundant, their distribution is uneven, with some areas having more resources than others.
  • Extraction complexity: extracting white hydrogen from underground formations can be technically challenging and costly.
  • Environmental considerations: the extraction process must be carefully designed to minimise environmental impact, including potential groundwater contamination.

Harnessing white hydrogen's potential

To fully unlock the potential of white hydrogen, ongoing research and development are crucial. Technological advancements in extraction methods, transportation infrastructure, and storage solutions are essential for making white hydrogen a viable and sustainable energy source.

White hydrogen reserves are estimated to be significantly larger than fossil fuels. The Geological Society of America (GSA) has estimated that white hydrogen reserves could meet at least half of the global demand for sustainable and clean hydrogen by 2100. This is based on the assumption that current technologies for extracting white hydrogen can be scaled up to commercial levels.

The largest deposit of white hydrogen to date has been discovered in France, in the northeastern region of Lorraine. This deposit is estimated to contain up to 46 million tons of white hydrogen, which is more than half of the current global annual production of grey hydrogen.

Other potential sources of white hydrogen include Serbia, China, and Australia. However, the feasibility of extracting white hydrogen from these deposits is still under investigation.