The Future of Hydrogen as a Clean Energy Source

First identified as a distinct element in 1766, hydrogen (H) has long held a relatively niche position in the global energy market. However, its role is expected to grow considerably in the coming years. 

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Known for being an efficient and versatile energy carrier, hydrogen's early applications ranged from lighting homes to powering the fuel cells on the Apollo missions, including Apollo 11.

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Current Applications & Advantages

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Hydrogen is already used to heat homes, generate power, fuel vehicles, and plays a crucial role in the production of ammonia, among other chemical and manufacturing applications. 

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At the point of use, hydrogen produces zero emissions, significantly reducing greenhouse gases when compared to traditional fossil fuels. Additionally, hydrogen is renewable on a human timescale, unlike fossil fuels, which take millions of years to form.

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Challenges of Hydrogen as an Energy Source

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Despite its advantages, hydrogen presents challenges.

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It is highly volatile, difficult to store, and has historically been associated with significant costs compared to other forms of energy, particularly in terms of extraction, development, and transportation. 

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Although not as flammable as gasoline, hydrogen is easier to ignite, and because it is lighter, it disperses upwards rather than pooling closer to the ground. It’s more prone to leakage and can diffuse through many materials that other gases cannot. This means existing pipelines need modifications to safely transport hydrogen.

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Hydrogen’s Growing Role in the Push for Net-Zero Emissions

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As global efforts intensify to reduce emissions, hydrogen is increasingly seen as a key solution.

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Countries like the United States, the EU, and China are positioning hydrogen as a major player in the clean energy sector. 

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In March of 2024, the Biden-Harris Administration announced $750 million in support of clean hydrogen, funding 52 projects across 24 states. But why now? If the world has been utilizing hydrogen since the early 1800s, what is driving this sudden push?

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Methods of Hydrogen Production:
Understanding the Color Spectrum

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To understand hydrogen’s recent resurgence, it’s helpful to explore the different methods to capture hydrogen and the technology used in processing it.

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Hydrogen can be produced from fossil fuels, through solar and electrical energy, and is found in naturally occurring deposits. Many methods are used to produce and capture hydrogen, and the energy industry has established a color code to classify and categorize each method. 

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Here are the predominant classifications at the time of publication: 

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• Green Hydrogen: Produced via electrolysis, splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable energy sources like wind and solar. This process emits no greenhouse gases or carbon and is often produced from salt water or seawater.

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• Pink (or Red/Purple) Hydrogen: Produced via electrolysis powered by nuclear energy. This process does not emit carbon but generates nuclear waste as a byproduct.

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• Yellow Hydrogen: Produced via electrolysis powered by energy from the grid, which utilizes various energy sources. At times, it refers specifically to electrolysis powered exclusively by solar energy.

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• Black/Brown Hydrogen: Produced by burning black or brown coal (lignite). This method releases large amounts of CO₂ and carbon monoxide, and is considered the most detrimental to the environment.

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• Blue Hydrogen: Produced via steam methane reforming (SMR), where natural gas is split into hydrogen and CO₂. The CO₂ is captured using carbon capture and storage (CCUS). This method tends to release methane.

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• Gray Hydrogen: Also produced via SMR, but the CO₂ is released into the atmosphere without being captured.

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• Turquoise Hydrogen: Produced through pyrolysis, splitting natural gas into hydrogen and solid carbon, with the carbon byproduct used for industrial manufacturing purposes.

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• White Hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen found in underground deposits, extracted via traditional drilling or fracking.

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• Gold Hydrogen – Naturally occurring hydrogen captured specifically through fermenting microbes in depleted oil wells.

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The Growing Interest in Naturally Occurring Hydrogen

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The interest in hydrogen today is largely driven by the potential of naturally occurring deposits, such as white hydrogen and gold hydrogen. Although efficient production methods are still being developed, the potential of these natural hydrogen reserves has sparked increased exploration and efforts to secure drilling rights.

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Unlike traditional oil and gas reserves, hydrogen deposits are believed to be found in shallower formations and a variety of geological regions. Probes are currently capable of searching down to 1,500 meters, with efforts ongoing to develop technology for deeper exploration. 

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A water well located in Bourakébougou, Mali, which is Northwest of Bamako in Western Africa, was originally written off as a bust in 1987, but was reworked in 2014 becoming the largest and only developed natural hydrogen site in the world to date, producing about 5 tonnes annually. The success of the site has led to further interest in hydrogen exploration.

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The formation sits between 105 meters and approximately 1,800 meters, so most deposits are likely to fall within those formations traditionally associated with the mineral estate.

New Discoveries and Hydrogen’s Potential Abundance

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In April 2023, the US Geological Survey revised previous assumptions about hydrogen deposits, suggesting that the abundance of hydrogen has been underestimated.

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New projections show that naturally occurring hydrogen could potentially meet global energy needs for hundreds of years.

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With prospective reservoirs across the globe and many still undiscovered, the pursuit of hydrogen deposits is being referred to as a potential modern-day gold rush. Countries such as the United States, Australia, and several in Europe, Russia, and South America are actively exploring for these deposits.

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Why Haven’t We Found More Hydrogen?

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Given hydrogen’s potential, why have significant deposits not been discovered across the thousands of oil and gas wells drilled over the past two centuries? 

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The answer lies in historical drilling practices.

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Geological zones that would contain hydrogen were often overlooked or ruled out because they proved unlikely to contain natural gas, and operators were unprepared or unequipped to test for hydrogen. It is easy to see how significant deposits could be passed over. 

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We now believe that we have been drastically underestimating the abundance of these natural hydrogen deposits, but the exact location of the deposits remains unknown. 

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The United States and Australia are actively engaged in exploratory drilling to determine potential deposits, and considerable research is being conducted to identify deposits in Europe, Russia, and China, as well as several countries in South America and Southern Africa.

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These new developments have encouraged the funding of numerous government programs and triggered the formation of myriad startups determined to find their seat at the table. By the end of 2023, over 40 companies had been established with the purpose of exploring for naturally

occurring hydrogen, representing a 400% increase since 2020.

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Remaining Challenges and Future Prospects

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While it is easy to get enticed by the potential of hydrogen, several challenges remain. It is still difficult to store and transport, and retrofitting natural gas infrastructure to prevent leakage and ensure safety requires significant effort.

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Additionally, regulatory frameworks for extracting natural hydrogen still need to be developed, and strategies to produce these reservoirs still need to be proven.

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Despite these obstacles, the momentum behind hydrogen exploration continues to grow. Countries and companies alike remain optimistic that hydrogen will help make large strides toward global net-zero emissions and address the growing demand for clean energy.

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Sources

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_{Barnard, Michael. “No, White Hydrogen Isn’t a Limitless Source of Clean Fuel.” CleanTechnica, 7 Aug.2023, cleantechnica.com/2023/08/07/no-white-hydrogen-isnt-a-limitless-source-of-clean-fuel/.}

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_{Department of Energy. “Biden-Harris Administration Announces $750 Million to Support America’s Growing Hydrogen Industry as Part of Investing in America Agenda.” Energy.gov, 13 Mar. 2024, www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-announces-750-million-support-americas-growing-hydrogen#:~:text=WASHINGTON%2C%20D.C.%20%E2%80%94%20As%20part%20of.}

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_{Communications and Publishing. “The Potential for Geologic Hydrogen for Next-Generation Energy | U.S. Geological Survey.” Www.usgs.gov, 13 Apr. 2023, www.usgs.gov/news/featured-story/potential-geologic-hydrogen-next-generation-energy.}

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_{Hand, Eric. “Hidden Hydrogen: Earth May Hold Vast Stores of a Renewable, Carbon-FreeFuel.” Www.science.org, 16 Feb. 2023, www.science.org/content/article/hidden-hydrogen-earth-may-}

_{hold-vast-stores-renewable-carbon-free-fuel.}

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_{Kay, Adam. “Natural Hydrogen Has Been Underestimated.” American Gas Association, 6 Dec. 2023, www.aga.org/natural-hydrogen-has-been-underestimated/.}

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_{National Grid. “The Hydrogen Colour Spectrum | National Grid Group.” Www.nationalgrid.com, 2022, www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/hydrogen-colour-spectrum.}

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_{Paddison, Laura. “They Went Hunting for Fossil Fuels. What They Found Could Help Save the World.” CNN, 29 Oct. 2023, www.cnn.com/2023/10/29/climate/white-hydrogen-fossil-fuels-}

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_{Pearce, Fred. “Natural Hydrogen: A Potential Clean Energy Source beneath Our}

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_{change#:~:text=The%20first%20%E2%80%94%20and%20so%20far,reserve%20of%20almost%20pure%20hydrogen.}

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_{Ricardo Roa Barragán. “White Hydrogen Can Be a Game-Changer in Colombia’s Green Transition #WEF24.” World Economic Forum, 16 Jan. 2024, www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/01/white-hydrogen-and-its-role-within-the-energy-transition/#:~:text=Among%20the%20evident%20benefits%20of.}

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_{Snelling, Grace. “Green, Blue, Gold, and More: What the Different Colors of Hydrogen Mean.” Https://Www.fastcompany.com, 4 Dec. 2023, www.fastcompany.com/90979593/green-blue-gold-and-more-what-the-different-colors-of-hydrogen-mean.}

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_{Willige, Andrea. “The Colors of Hydrogen: Expanding Ways of Decarbonization.” Spectra, 28 July 2022, spectra.mhi.com/the-colors-of-hydrogen-expanding-ways-of-decarbonization.}

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_{Willige, Andrea. “The New Gold Rush: Hunting down Naturally Occurring Hydrogen.” Spectra, 24 June 2024, spectra.mhi.com/the-new-gold-rush-hunting-down-naturally-occurring-hydrogen.}

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