Unearthing the Hydrogen Gold Rush: A Modern-Day Wild West
Key Ideas
  • Hydrogen fever grips the scientific community as large natural hydrogen deposits are discovered, offering a cleaner energy source with low greenhouse gas intensity.
  • Recent findings in Albania and France spark excitement, with hopes of a new energy revolution akin to the gold rush.
  • Historical evidence from Mali, Turkey, and Australia, as well as modern discoveries, provide compelling data on the existence of underground natural hydrogen accumulations.
  • Scientists reflect on missed opportunities, attributing the oversight to lack of exploration incentives and drilling practices that overlooked shallow hydrogen reservoirs.
The article delves into the recent surge of excitement in the scientific community due to the discovery of large deposits of natural hydrogen. Laurent Truche's team in France struck a significant hydrogen seep in Albania, contributing to the growing evidence of naturally occurring hydrogen reserves. This natural hydrogen, devoid of carbon emissions in its generation process, is seen as an environmentally friendly energy source with significantly lower greenhouse gas intensity compared to black or blue hydrogen. The article discusses the historical context of natural hydrogen discoveries, from the Chimaera seep in Turkey to high hydrogen levels found in wells on Kangaroo Island in Australia. Scientists are amazed by these findings, with Geoffrey Ellis pointing out the long-standing belief that hydrogen accumulations were unattainable. The article also highlights the potential economic impact of these discoveries, with comparisons to the gold rush and new petrol. However, amidst the excitement, there are calls for caution, labeling the situation as a 'hydrogen fever' with several overstatements. The article explores the reasons behind the oversight of natural hydrogen deposits in the past, attributing it to a lack of exploration incentives and drilling practices that overlooked shallow hydrogen reservoirs. It emphasizes the need for further research and exploration to harness the potential of natural hydrogen as a clean energy source. Overall, the article paints a positive picture of the prospects of natural hydrogen and its role in shaping the future energy landscape.
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