Scientists Say Earth Has Made Enough Hydrogen to Power Humanity. Here’s How to Find It.
1 min read
Summary
Researchers from Oxford University, alongside energy and mining companies, have identified the key geological elements needed to find and exploit natural sources of hydrogen.
It is estimated that in the past billion years, the Earth has produced enough hydrogen to power human civilisation without interruption for 170,000 years.
The three essential elements for finding hydrogen deposits are a hydrogen source, geological formations that can act as a reservoir for the gas and a seal that prevents it from escaping.
The most promising formations are those that were once at the bottom of the ocean and volcanic lava formations.
Hydrogen is a key component of efforts to replace fossil fuels because it only produces water when burned.
However, it also highly flammable and requires pressurisation, which poses safety issues and means it isn’t compatible with existing fossil fuel infrastructure.
The scientists have formed a company called Snowfox Discovery to start the process of exploring for hydrogen.
