Hidden hydrogen reserves could power world for 200 years
Vast amounts of hydrogen lie beneath the Earth's surface, and scientists have discovered that only a fraction of it could power the world for the next 200 years. This groundbreaking discovery has the potential to revolutionize energy production and serve as an alternative to coal, oil, or natural gas.
12:56 PM EST, December 16, 2024
Until recently, scientists did not believe that hydrogen accumulates underground, but new discoveries suggest otherwise. "Trillions of tons of hydrogen gas are likely buried in rocks and reservoirs beneath the surface," researchers claim, although the exact locations are still unknown. Their latest findings have been published in the scientific journal "Science Advances."
Hydrogen as an energy source could replace coal, oil, and gas
Hydrogen is a source of clean energy that can power vehicles, drive industrial processes, and generate electricity. Until now, it was believed that hydrogen in the natural environment could not accumulate significantly because it evaporates easily due to its small molecular size. Recent discoveries, including in West Africa and a chrome mine in Albania, prove that hydrogen can indeed accumulate in substantial quantities.
New research indicates that the planet holds approximately 6.2 trillion tons of hydrogen (6.2 billion US tons) in rocks and underground reservoirs. That's about 26 times more than the amount of oil left in the ground (1.6 trillion barrels, each weighing about 0.15 tons). However, the locations of these hydrogen reserves remain undiscovered for now.
Petroleum geochemist: energy from hydrogen is twice as much
Geoffrey Ellis, a petroleum geochemist at the US Geological Survey (USGS), and the lead author of the new study, emphasizes that even just a fraction of this amount could meet our energy needs for the next 200 years and importantly replace fossil fuels (coal, oil, or natural gas). It is an emission-free and clean energy source. Only 2 percent of the hydrogen resources found in the study, which equates to 123 billion US tons of gas, "would provide all the hydrogen we need to achieve a net-zero [carbon] value for several hundred years," conveyed Geoffrey Ellis. He explains that the energy released by this amount of hydrogen is about twice as much as the energy stored in all known natural gas reserves on Earth.
According to scientists, most hydrogen is likely located too deep or too far offshore to be reached, and some reserves are probably too small to extract economically. However, the results suggest there is more than enough hydrogen to meet global needs, even with these limitations. Importantly, natural hydrogen reserves are stable in their locations, meaning they do not require additional storage costs or further generation processes.
Demand for new energy to increase several-fold by 2050
It is projected that hydrogen will account for up to 30 percent of future energy supplies in certain sectors, and global demand is expected to increase fivefold by 2050. How can it be used? Hydrogen gas is artificially produced through water electrolysis, a process in which water molecules are split by electric current. When renewable energy is used, the product is called "green hydrogen," and when fossil fuels are used, it is known as "blue hydrogen." According to scientists, a precise determination of hydrogen deposits in the US may become available in the coming months.
