How hydrogen could be renewable energy’s white knight in shining armor

Researchers in France recently uncovered what they believe is one of the world’s largest deposits of white hydrogen, which represents a potential near-unlimited source of renewable energy.

Why hydrogen?... The No. 1 element on the periodic table is widely considered the cleanest source of natural fuel upon being burned, since, like most humans, it produces pure water as a by-product. In theory, hydrogen could replace fossil fuels in factories, trucks, ships, and planes, eliminating up to half of all global carbon emissions.

• There’s just one catch: most naturally occurring hydrogen exists in combination with other molecules and requires energy-intensive processes to extract, which is counterproductive to reducing emissions.
• But natural hydrogen – called white hydrogen because of its purity – is considered a potential game-changer because it doesn’t require any extra energy to refine before burning. It’s also relatively common across the globe in deposits buried beneath the ground.

💡 Bottom line: According to the US Geological Survey, the Earth contains enough white hydrogen to meet humanity’s energy needs for thousands of years – though only a small fraction is accessible for recovery. Still, the fraction that is available represents enough to meet global energy demand for the next few centuries.