Geological Hydrogen: A pure source of energy can lurk under mountain ranges

Mountains can be a potential source of pure energy in the form of unused hydrogen. While previous research has suggested that this “geological” hydrogen could be found underground, scientists have only recently turned to mountains as a possible store.

“Certain minerals react with water and can generate hydrogen as a free green energy source,” says Frank Zwaan at the Helmholtz Center for Geosciences in Germany.

There are large Amer of such minerals on Earth, but they are found mainly deep below the surface in a layer known as the mantle, he says where they come into contact with water. But during the formation and lifting of mountain ranges, a mantelrock can be bush close to the surface where it can respond with water in a procedure called serpentinization.

To get an idea of ​​the potential for hydrogendening, Zwaan and his colleagues modeled the uplifting process and looked at how much mantle material reaches areas where there are optimal temperatures and enough circulating water for this to occur. Their results support the idea that large amounts of hydrogen could be generated under mountain ranges.

Also octer-serpentization at the Central Sea areas-some, also believed that it was running the origin of life-making hydrogen, which is formed, it is unlikely that it is trapped, says Zwaan. This is because the temperature is lower than 122 ° C (252 ° F) and any trapped hydrogen will be “eaten” by bacteria, but under mountains it is possible to drill down to where the temperature is high.

“Nothing wants to live there, so it’s perfect for the Brint to preserve,” Zwaan told a meeting at the European Geosciences Union in Vienna last week. “And there may even be another option to drill into what you can call the hydrogen kitchen – the area where the brint is generated.”

The model results are supported by early finds from studies of some mountain ranges. E.g. Has Gianreto Manatschal at the University of Strasbourg, France, confirmed that there is hydrogen production under Grisons is of the Alps in Switzerland. But how much is the time to see, he told the meeting. “Our research is right in the beginning,” he said.

There is also hydrogen that seeps up from under the northern Pyrenees, Alexandra Robert reported at the University of Toulouse, France. This research is also in an early internship.