In the global effort to decarbonize, hydrogen has emerged as a potential clean energy solution. However, harvesting naturally occurring “gold hydrogen” from underground reservoirs could have unintended effects. Scientists caution that more research is needed as industries race to extract this promising resource.
What is Gold Hydrogen?
Gold hydrogen, also known as geological hydrogen, forms naturally beneath the Earth’s surface. It’s created through chemical reactions between water and iron-rich rocks or by radiolysis. This process requires no additional energy input, making gold hydrogen an attractive prospect for clean fuel.
“If you burn it, it produces only water, with no impact on the environment,” explains Alberto Vitale Brovarone. Vitale Brovarone is a professor at the University of Bologna’s Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences in Italy. The potential to harvest a carbon-free fuel source has generated significant excitement among industries.
The Need for Caution and Further Research
Despite the hype surrounding gold hydrogen, scientists warn that rushing to extract it could lead to unforeseen consequences. They emphasize the importance of thorough research before mass mining begins to fully understand its behavior.
“From the industry’s point of view, it simply has to be extracted,” says Vitale Brovarone. “Instead, first it has to be understood how simply that can be done and with what consequences.”
Concerns arise from the fact that gold hydrogen’s reactions can produce methane or hydrogen sulfide. These examples highlight the need for caution and comprehensive studies to avoid creating new problems.
Race to Understand Gold Hydrogen
To address knowledge gaps, Vitale Brovarone and colleagues embarked on a special mission to Greenland. The team spent 10 days collecting H2-rich samples from the Arctic territory’s nearly 2-billion-year-old rocks. They aim to study gold hydrogen’s behavior as part of the five-year ERC CoG DeepSeep program.
Similar research efforts are underway worldwide as gold hydrogen reservoirs are discovered in unexpected locations. However, the scientific community faces challenges in keeping pace with industry’s rapid timeline for extraction and storage.
“We travel on different lines and at different pace,” Vitale Brovarone explains. “We need to understand how hydrogen behaves in nature, because many dynamics only emerge after years.”
The Global Landscape of Gold Hydrogen Research and Investment
While countries like France, Australia, and the United States are actively investing in gold hydrogen harvesting, Italy has focused primarily on hydrogen production. However, the University of Bologna’s expedition has positioned Italy as one of the few nations actively seeking to understand more about naturally occurring hydrogen before extraction begins.
As the global community works towards a cleaner energy future, striking a balance between scientific understanding and industrial application will be crucial. By prioritizing research into gold hydrogen’s behavior and potential consequences, we can harness its benefits while mitigating risks. This ensures a sustainable path forward in the quest to decarbonize our world.
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