Geologists focused on finding the regions of the Earth that harbor energy resources, but to turn the energy patterns of nature in their favor, new hydrogen forms also known as ‘white’ or ‘gold’ hydrogen have now surfaced. Experts believe that laying claim to potential reservoirs naturally found underground weighing in the trillions of tonnes is bound to create a ‘gold rush’ in this energy as clean energy comes under serious competition. And considering something shocking at the bottom, the actual potential of these mines, is far more expansive than what has been previously thought of
Regulatory priorities of natural hydrogen according to the recent USGS report
According to fresh insights from the US Geological Survey (USGS), the rocks that make up the Earth’s crust could contain as much as five trillion tons of natural hydrogen. Even if only a tiny percentage of it would be recoverable, which is highly likely, it would be able to satisfy the world’s hydrogen needs – which, according to expectations, will reach 375 million tons a year by 2050 – for centuries to come.
Geoffrey Ellis, one of the USGS researchers, presented the findings of the study to the audience at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Denver in these words: ‘Fifty years ago, demand has been predicted at 500 million tonnes a year and even with a recovery of a few per cent there would be enough supply for hundreds of years.’
The potential of these enormous supplies is that they could transform the energy paradigm with a cheap and renewable source of hydrogen. The funding from the US government of $20 million to develop technologies for natural hydrogen measurement and production does suggest that this could be a solution to the energy problem for the world in the not very distant future.
An expert from the Colorado school of mines foresees a ‘Gold Rush’ of natural hydrogen resources
In contrast to the methods of hydrogen generation such as steam methane reforming or electrolysis that are highly energy consuming and expensive, the possibilities of the extraction of natural hydrogen appear to be cleaner and cheaper.
According to Mengli Zhang who is with the Colorado School of Mines, natural hydrogen has peculiar characteristics that can mitigate its environmental impact. “A gold rush for gold hydrogen is coming,” she said, indicating that the focus of the industry has shifted, and such reserves are being explored now.
Rivalry for commercializing the natural occurring hydrogen has already begun among Australia’s Gold Hydrogen and Koloma a Bill Gates sponsored US venture. There are still some issues to be solved such as, why separating hydrogen from other compounds like methane, but thanks to progress in technology they could soon be non-issues and large-scale application would be feasible.
Albania and Mali have considerable potential for natural hydrogen, but the extraction process is not without difficulties
Noteworthy as it may appear, the marketability for the extraction of natural hydrogen remains highly contentious. The majority of producing basins discovered so far tend to be associated with other gases hence requiring some economically viable means of separating them.
However, certain new discoveries such as a spring in Albania that yields about 200 tons of purified hydrogen each year, illustrate how much more there is to the resource. The only active facility today devoted to natural hydrogen is in Mali, West Africa, where the gas is used for combined cycle gas turbine CGGT, generation of electricity for a village together with the other regions.
According to Alexis Templeton at the University of Colorado Boulder, geologists are beginning to unlearn this science, describing and targeting regions comprised of hydroxide- iron active substrates that produce hydrogen when in contact with water. It is reported that, the area’s operational activities are on the increase as companies are very eager to tap this resource.
With the progress of research, there are expectations that natural hydrogen will play a significant role in the global energy transition. Shortages of fossil fuels, expensive technologies and environmental damages concerns, this seems feasible for wide magazine paints future energy supplies. Global competition has emerged, though, with the selfish prospects of development as the fuel up to trillions of tonnes lying beneath the surface of the earth ready to sustain the globe for ages.
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Publish date : 2024-12-31 01:26:00
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