Could White Hydrogen Succeed Where Green Hydrogen Stumbled?

The race to decarbonize industries has heated up once again as green hydrogen's slow progress has sparked interest in white hydrogen as a potential solution. Also known as geologic hydrogen, this form of hydrogen is naturally occurring in rocks and deposits beneath the Earth's surface. With enough hydrogen to produce billions of tons, Pierre Levin, CEO of Canadian startup Vema, believes this abundant resource could decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors like steelmaking and transportation.

Unlike green hydrogen, produced using renewable energy, white hydrogen does not rely on clean energy sources. Instead, its combustion produces only water vapor, making it an attractive alternative to fossil fuels. However, green hydrogen's high costs and inefficient use of clean energy have hindered its widespread adoption, accounting for less than 10% of planned projects in 2023.

White hydrogen, on the other hand, could potentially decarbonize industrial sectors without significantly increasing the carbon footprint. Researchers estimate the Earth's crust contains enough hydrogen to equal 170,000 years of global oil consumption, though the recoverable deposits remain uncertain. Extracting and purifying this hidden resource requires a delicate balance of geological factors, such as the presence of hydrogen, migration pathways, reservoir formation, and potential traps.

Despite the complexities, a growing number of startups are racing to perfect this process. From Europe to the Philippines, the world may soon see the first geologic hydrogen hotspot break through. As more companies tackle this challenge, it remains to be seen whether white hydrogen can successfully fill the gap left by green hydrogen.