Natural hydrogen could join forces with green hydrogen to meet the net zero challenge

Scientists have recently discovered large deposits of natural hydrogen gas in Albania. In northeastern France’s Lorraine coal basin, a reservoir may contain 250 million tonnes of naturally occurring hydrogen. Smaller hydrogen reservoirs have been found in Spain and across Europe, as well as in Mali, Namibia, Brazil and the U.S. The tantalizing prospect of such underground hydrogen deposits has added a new twist to the clean hydrogen story. The sense of optimism is perhaps best captured by the alternative moniker of ‘gold’ hydrogen. As countries join this new gold rush, some wonder about the enduring need for green hydrogen investment. But a deeper look reveals that gold hydrogen is not so much a replacement for green hydrogen, as a partner to it. 

The new gold rush

Till recently, experts believed that hydrogen did not naturally occur in large enough quantities for viable energy exploration. New findings have challenged this view. In 2024, the US Geological Survey estimated that 5 trillion tons of geologic hydrogen lie in underground reservoirs globally, amounting to centuries worth of energy supply. It subsequently mapped potential hydrogen deposits in as many as 30 American states. Soon after, researchers at Germany’s GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences identified mountain ranges that could hold vast reserves of hydrogen. Exploration is now underway across the world. It has been estimated that these natural hydrogen initiatives could yield a price/kg below USD 1, far cheaper than fossil fuel-based hydrogen.

Gold hydrogen, silver bullet?

The excitement around gold hydrogen is understandable, but some perspective is required. Firstly, there is uncertainty about the reliability of natural hydrogen reserves. A 2023 review by the International Energy Agency (IEA) suggested that hydrogen deposits may be too scattered to capture in an economically viable way. Moreover, locating underground reserves precisely would require far more detailed geological surveys, with more sensitive instrumentation than exists today. There are also fears around the environmental impact of extraction. Scientists have cautioned about the potential release of methane during hydrogen drilling, as well as the warming properties of hydrogen itself, which may accelerate the build-up of greenhouse gases. None of these factors negate the benefits of gold hydrogen, but they call for a more balanced approach.

The green and gold path to net zero

The real game-changer for a sustainable hydrogen economy may be a collaborative approach, where green and gold hydrogen work in tandem. After all, green hydrogen offers a tested, sustainable and scalable solution for low-emission hydrogen production. It is also increasingly commercially viable, as advances in electrolyser technology and renewable energy capacity bring down costs. At the same time, there may simply not be enough viable gold hydrogen to power the burgeoning hydrogen economy on its own. Arguably, no single source of hydrogen may be enough to decarbonize industries like cement, steel and long-range transportation. 

The power of collaboration

A collaborative strategy may thus help the clean hydrogen sector combine the strengths of green and gold hydrogen, while minimizing the negatives of each. Gold hydrogen could serve as a transitional solution, until renewable energy generation ramps up to make green hydrogen more viable. It could also catalyze the creation of vital infrastructure for hydrogen transport and distribution, integrating hydrogen into the energy sector. The combination of green and gold hydrogen could also provide crucial stability amidst fluctuations in renewable energy production. 

Ultimately, a collaboration between green and gold hydrogen could help accelerate the transition to a clean hydrogen economy and help meet the net zero moment. The IEA estimates that annual hydrogen demand could rise to 430 million tons by 2050 in a net zero scenario. In other words, the world is going to need all the low-carbon hydrogen it can get – green and gold alike.