A new study has found that large reserves of white hydrogen may exist within mountain ranges, raising hopes that this clean-burning gas can be extracted and used to tackle the climate crisis. White hydrogen has long been eyed as a green fuel, but most commercial hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels.
To find answers, scientists used computer models to simulate the movement of tectonic plates and pinpoint regions where the right conditions exist for generating white hydrogen. They found mountain ranges such as the Pyrenees and European Alps are potential hotspots.
White hydrogen forms naturally through processes like radioactive decay in the crust or when water interacts with iron-rich rocks from the Earth’s mantle to produce hydrogen. The rocks are normally deep within the Earth where water isn’t readily available, but geological processes can push them toward the surface over millions of years.
The study suggests that certain mountain ranges offer good conditions for generating white hydrogen as large volumes of mantle rock are present at favorable temperatures and deep faults allow water to circulate. This could be a game-changer for humanity’s insatiable energy appetite.
While there are many steps to creating a viable white hydrogen industry, including developing reliable methods to extract it and infrastructure to store and transport it, the study can help guide geologists to regions with the greatest potential for large-scale white hydrogen resources. It may take decades to commercialize, but scientists are optimistic that it could follow a similar pathway as oil did after its discovery.
The formation of white hydrogen is already being explored in areas such as France, the Balkans, and the US, and early exploration is expected to have a direct and substantial impact on geologic hydrogen exploration.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/19/climate/hydrogen-reservoirs-under-mountains/index.html