Nature's Hydrogen Jackpot
As policy uncertainty threatens the future of America’s green hydrogen industry, scientists are uncovering promising natural alternatives that could reshape the global energy landscape.
The Republican-controlled US House is pushing legislation that would drastically reduce clean hydrogen tax incentives. Dubbed “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” it proposes bringing forward the 45V tax credit deadline from 2033 to 2026. This shift could jeopardise up to 79% of planned green hydrogen projects, slashing projected production by 2030 from 1.2 million to just 258,000 metric tonnes.
Such cuts would shrink the tax credit pool, forcing many projects to be abandoned, threatening the viability of manufactured green hydrogen.
Meanwhile, scientific breakthroughs are revealing Earth’s natural hydrogen potential. A study by researchers from Oxford, Durham, and Toronto universities suggest the continental crust has produced enough hydrogen over the past billion years to power modern society for around 170,000 years.
Though not all of it is accessible, lead author Professor Chris Ballentine notes, “even extracting a small fraction could dramatically reduce carbon emissions.” The team has developed an "exploration recipe" to pinpoint viable deposits, identifying potential in Kansas and confirming significant reserves in Albania.
In parallel, vast reserves of ‘white hydrogen’, a naturally occurring, emission-free gas, have been discovered beneath mountain ranges. The Swiss Alps show particular promise, with other finds in the Pyrenees and Himalayas. This hydrogen forms via serpentinisation, a process in which water reacts with iron-rich rocks exposed by tectonic activity.
These discoveries offer some hope amid political setbacks. From Snowfox Discovery’s work to mountain-based hydrogen reserves, Earth’s geology could provide an energy lifeline.
Supporting green hydrogen development while investing in natural hydrogen exploration, could firmly establish hydrogen as a cornerstone of future clean energy, potentially reducing fossil fuel dependence while producing only water as waste.
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