A few of you could be sufficiently old to recollect chilly fusion, that wondrous scientific discovery touted by the press again within the final century. Properly, we don’t wish to go away the impression that we’ve got found one other chilly fusion, simply that the choice date for pure (white or gold or no matter coloration you want) hydrogen could also be coming nearer.

In case you missed the preliminary findings, geologists imagine there are substantial pockets of renewable hydrogen beneath sure geological formations. Renewable as a result of rainwater seeping via the bottom, react with specific rocks to kind hydrogen. One nicely has been drilled in Nebraska, with outcomes not but decided attributable to an gear failure, however the Australian investor within the nicely has acquired massive properties for drilling in close by Kansas with the monetary support of a giant Australian mining firm. That group begins drilling within the spring. In the meantime, one other Australian driller has acquired money to start its drilling program in South Australia. By the top of this 12 months, we should always have good indicators of whether or not it is a new power frontier or loads of hype.

However that’s all outdated information. Now a French authorities company has introduced a discover of pure hydrogen that the press stories say may very well be value $90 billion. Admittedly, discovering a useful resource shouldn’t be the identical as creating industrial worth, however the French announcement is significant a number of methods. First, it comes from a authorities scientific company, not a small wildcatter. That provides it extra credibility in some circles. Second it includes a giant quantity, that means one thing well worth the consideration of huge power corporations.

Okay, the Trump administration has dampened enthusiasm for hydrogen, however that’s hydrogen manufactured by costly processes. That is pure hydrogen. If it exists in quantity and is extractable, we’d not must resort to manufactured blue and inexperienced hydrogen (another colours of the hydrogen rainbow). Keep tuned. We’ll know quickly sufficient.

By Leonard Hyman and William Tilles for Oilprice.com

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