Importance of the topic

Natural Hydrogen is a reality and it’s not rare.

The Earth is producing constantly natural hydrogen by several reactions linked to oxidation of Fe(II)-minerals, degassing of magma, or radiolysis of water. Seepages of hydrogen are known both on continents and off-shore (mid-oceanic ridges). One exhaustive review shows H2 occurrences in 465 geo-references (Zgonnik, 2020)

Some examples of this are the Bourakebougou site in Mali that has twelve positives boreholes with pure hydrogen (98%) for a surface of 50 km² (Prinzhofer et al, 2018) and geothermal power plants in Iceland that emit to the atmosphere a total of 1.2 kt H₂ per year (Combaudon et al, 2022).

Benefits of Natural Hydrogen include:

• It’s clean: There’s no carbon in the chain, no need for electricity, or water and has a low physical footprint at production sites. Its flow is steady and avoids intermittence of supply.
• It’s not an energy vector, but a resource in itself.
• New research targeting a range of countries across the world – plus discoveries in US and Mali – suggest there are multiple viable plays and a cost-effective exploitable resource.
• Provides diversity and flexibility and complements other renewable hydrogen feedstocks and aid security of energy supply.
• No need for purified water (as electrolytic hydrogen), CO₂ or nuclear-waste disposal (as some low-C hydrogen alternatives).
• Costs should be substantially lower than all other forms of proposed H₂ production and will deploy over a century of know-how, technology and skills from associated industries.
• An intrinsically very low carbon footprint minimises investment risk and ensures long-term EU Taxonomy compliance.

Main goals

1. Bibliographic synthesis / state of the art (Science / web / pro-journals). Deliverable: position paper of about 20 pages
2. Road map production=> Development of this new economic sector,
   • Needs of public support in research and pilots
3. Development of Reserves Economic Evaluation
4. Policy recommendation for Research & Development and Methods for adapting national mining codes.
5. Environmental impacts of Natural H₂
6. Organization of Events

More information

Gaucher, E.C. (2020) New perspectives in the industrial exploration for native hydrogen. Elements 16, 8-9. http://elementsmagazine.org/2020/02/01/new-perspectives-in-the-industrial-exploration-for-native-hydrogen/

Hand E. (2023) Science VOL 379 ISSUE 6633 https://www.science.org/content/article/hidden-hydrogen-earth-may-hold-vast-stores-renewable-carbon-free-fuel