The next big thing in hydrogen could be underground
Researchers and companies are increasingly exploring 'geologic hydrogen' as a clean energy source found naturally underground. Unlike traditional hydrogen production methods that rely on fossil fuels or expensive electrolysis, geologic hydrogen utilizes natural chemical reactions in iron-rich rock formations.
Why it matters
Finding naturally occurring hydrogen could provide a cheaper, carbon-free alternative to current hydrogen production methods, significantly impacting the global energy transition.
There’s a hunt for new sources of hydrogen, and the gas (or at least the right conditions to make it) could be hiding beneath our feet.
Hydrogen can be used as a fuel in everything from large trucks to planes to steelmaking. It’s often hailed as a climate solution because when burned, it produces water and oxygen—none of the carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.
In a new story for our latest print issue, freelance reporter James Dineen took a look at the 21st-century gold rush for naturally occurring hydrogen gas. This is an area of research I’ve been fascinated by lately, so let’s take a look at the potential and the questions that still linger.
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