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Science
Global Hunt for Underground Natural Hydrogen Gas Comes Up Short So Far
Dozens of startups worldwide, including the Bill Gates-backed Koloma, are searching for underground reservoirs of natural hydrogen gas that could serve as zero-carbon fuel — but no commercially viable reservoir has yet…
Step by step
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Ancient rocks produce hydrogen within Earth's crust
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Startups worldwide search for reservoirs
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No commercially viable reservoir confirmed yet
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Recovered hydrogen could fuel demand for centuries
A flurry of exploration efforts around the world is searching for underground stores of hydrogen gas, which could provide a valuable source of . The hunt has engaged dozens of startups, including the Bill Gates-backed company Koloma, which has been exploring the US Midwest to reach ancient oceanic rocks associated with hydrogen production.
The search so far has come up short: no company has yet reported finding a commercially viable reservoir of the gas, and public data on what has been found remains in short supply.
Researchers estimate that trillions of tons of hydrogen (H2) are produced within Earth's crust. If even a small fraction of that could be recovered, it could meet global hydrogen demand for centuries.
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The story so far
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- Ancient Earth's Volcanoes Were Already Fueled by Water 3 Billion Years Ago
- Chinese Scientists Quadruple Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power With New Proton Interface
- The Science Behind 'Dirty Thunderstorms': How Volcanoes Create Their Own Lightning
- Global Hunt for Underground Natural Hydrogen Gas Comes Up Short So Far
#hydrogen#clean energy#geology#exploration#startups
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