When discussing hydrogen, the situation is very straightforward: these small molecules can even seep out of large steel tanks, and they are naturally found in the earth's crust but are released directly into the air. This process occurs uniformly across the globe, making direct use of it impractical.
New Findings on Natural Hydrogen
Recent discoveries of significant natural hydrogen deposits in Mali, Oman, and Germany have led to a reevaluation of the presence of these concentrated, almost pure H2 reserves. A new study published in Science Advances reveals that prior beliefs regarding the capacity for natural hydrogen production have underestimated the actual reality significantly.
Global Demand vs. Natural Supply
Currently, the world needs about 500 million tons of hydrogen each year to eliminate fossil fuels completely. Earlier studies estimated that only 20 to 50 million tons are produced and escape into the atmosphere annually. However, if hydrogen can accumulate in appropriate underground reservoirs—an idea that is now gaining traction—the total global supply could be around 5.6 trillion tons. This quantity would allow us to live without fossil fuels for thousands of years.
Researchers believe that a limited amount of this hydrogen is located in areas accessible with existing drilling technology. Given this, they estimate that the available hydrogen would last approximately 200 years.
Future of Renewable Energy
This provides ample time to develop renewable energy resources. Meanwhile, another type of fuel can be utilized that, while still being a fossil fuel, does not emit CO2 or other harmful byproducts during its use.
The study highlights that this approach could temporarily address the hydrogen storage issue. The adaptable fuel can be extracted as needed while leaving the remainder in suitable geological formations.
Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge one more consideration: there is a significant margin of error in these calculations. The estimated supply ranges from 1 billion to 9 trillion tons, with the most likely figure being around 5.6 trillion tons. Even a fraction of that could lead to groundbreaking changes in energy production.
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