Scientists have discussed using hydrogen as a possible green energy source for centuries. As climate change ravages the planet scientists are in desperate need of alternative, renewable sources of energy. According to the World Economic Forum, 0.1% of all the world’s hydrogen is currently considered “green”. With all the pressure to switch to renewal energies increasing, scientists are trying a simple tactic to meet demands: finding naturally existing hydrogen.
A recent study by researchers from the University of Oxford, Durham University, and the University of Toronto has unearthed an incredible discovery. According to their estimates, Earth’s continental crust holds enough naturally occurring hydrogen to power modern society for 170 000 years.
Published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, this discovery could change the future of clean energy. However, researchers still need to find readily available and usable hydrogen. Although some hydrogen may be lost or inaccessible, scientists estimate that thousands of years of potential energy remain within the Earth.
Locating and Preserving Clean Hydrogen
Scientists have developed a detailed “exploration recipe” to identify where natural, clean hydrogen can be found and economically extracted. Their approach uses geology, chemistry, and biology to identify the best possible underground hydrogen reserves for commercial extraction. The main ingredients are the presence of hydrogen and suitable reservoir rocks. A reliable geologic seal traps the gas and prevents it from escaping into the atmosphere.
Read More: Newly Discovered ‘Limitless’ Energy Source Could Fuel a Country for 60,000 Years
