Podcast Summary
Geologic hydrogen: Geologic hydrogen, produced through serpentinization, could be a significant and sustainable energy source if large price-advantaged reserves can be found, potentially revolutionizing the energy industry and contributing to deep decarbonization efforts.
Geologic hydrogen, produced through the natural reaction of water and iron in the earth's crust, could potentially be a significant and sustainable energy source if large price-advantaged reserves can be found. This reaction, known as serpentinization, has been happening naturally for a long time and has been observed in various locations around the world, including hydrogen seeps in Iceland. However, the debate is ongoing as to whether this resource is viable on a global scale and what it would take to extract it efficiently. Companies like Coloma are leading the charge in exploring for these naturally occurring hydrogen reserves, and if successful, it could revolutionize the energy industry and contribute to deep decarbonization efforts. Kraken, a utility support platform, and ANSA, a data and software platform for solar project developers, are also playing important roles in the transition to a greener world.
Geologic hydrogen production: Geologic hydrogen production is complex due to the need for water-wet source rocks, migratory pathways, and tight reservoir seals, but oil and gas industry skills and technology can be applied for exploration
Producing geologic hydrogen involves finding a water-wet source rock, creating a migratory pathway for hydrogen formation, and locating a porous reservoir rock with tight seals for storage. Compared to oil and gas, hydrogen production is more complex due to its two-reactant system, the smaller size of the hydrogen molecule requiring tighter seals, and the high attraction of hydrogen as a food source for microbes, increasing preservation risks. However, the continuous water-rock interaction and potential for applying oil and gas industry skills and technology offer advantages. Despite these challenges, many oil and gas exploration and production technologies, such as aerial surveys, geological interpretation, and seismic analysis, can be applied to hydrogen exploration.
Natural hydrogen production: Natural hydrogen, if economically viable, could be a competitive low-carbon power source and fuel producer, significantly impacting hard-to-decarbonize industries.
The discovery and extraction of natural hydrogen from the earth could be a game-changer for energy transition. Natural hydrogen, if economically viable, could be produced at a similar cost to natural gas, making it a competitive option for producing low-carbon power, ammonia, and even sustainable aviation fuel. This could significantly impact hard-to-decarbonize industries like steel, aviation, and cargo shipping. The potential cost savings and efficiency gains make it an attractive alternative to traditional hydrogen production methods, and the discovery of a new primary energy source is a significant development in the energy industry. However, there are challenges to overcome, such as finding effective traps and seals to contain the hydrogen, and addressing concerns about the environmental impact and safety of extraction. Nonetheless, the potential benefits make it a worthwhile pursuit.
Hydrogen leakage impact on climate change: Hydrogen leakage, though not a direct greenhouse gas, can interfere with methane breakdown in the atmosphere, making it up to 25-30 times more impactful on emissions per ton than methane over certain timeframes, but modern hydrogen systems have relatively low leakage rates, and transitioning from methane to hydrogen could result in a 97% reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions.
Hydrogen leakage, though not a direct greenhouse gas, can still contribute to climate change by interfering with the breakdown of methane in the atmosphere. This interference can make hydrogen an indirect greenhouse gas, with estimates suggesting it could be up to 25 to 30 times more impactful on greenhouse gas emissions per ton than methane over certain timeframes. However, it's important to note that there's still much research ongoing to determine the exact CO2 equivalent impact of hydrogen leakage. Additionally, the hydrogen industry has a long history of managing and optimizing leakage, with modern hydrogen systems having relatively low leakage rates compared to natural gas. The best performers in the industrial gas world lose around 0.25% of their hydrogen from wellhead to customer delivery, which is similar to the average natural gas production's methane loss rate of about 2%. By transitioning from methane to hydrogen and maintaining similar leakage rates, there could be a potential 97% reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions. While emissions are important to consider, focusing solely on them as a reason not to pursue hydrogen could limit the potential benefits of this decarbonization solution.
Geologic hydrogen reserves: Discovery of large, cost-advantaged geologic hydrogen reserves could influence location of future clean energy infrastructure, particularly for industries relying on hydrogen as a raw material.
The discovery of large, cost-advantaged geologic hydrogen reserves could significantly influence the location of future clean energy infrastructure, particularly for industries that rely heavily on hydrogen as a raw material. The cost of hydrogen is a major driver in the production of hydrogen derivatives like ammonia and sustainable aviation fuel. If a producer can access hydrogen at a lower cost, it may be worth the investment to move the production facility closer to the hydrogen source, even if it means building new infrastructure. However, it's important to note that while the potential for large geologic hydrogen reserves is exciting, the publicly known resources are still limited, with very little proven reserves compared to the estimated massive potential. The discovery and development of these reserves will require significant investment and research.
Geologic hydrogen discovery: Discovering large, proven geologic hydrogen reservoirs is crucial for commercialization, requiring multiple wells producing hydrogen for extended periods and third-party validation
The discovery and development of geologic hydrogen as a commercial energy source is an active area of exploration with many companies involved, particularly in the US, Australia, and Canada. The key milestone towards the commercialization of geologic hydrogen is the discovery of a large, proven reservoir, which would require multiple wells producing hydrogen for extended periods and being validated by third-party auditors. This would allow for the production of significant volumes of hydrogen, justifying the investment in infrastructure for large-scale hydrogen projects. While there is ongoing exploration and activity, the industry is still in its early stages, and no definitive watershed moment has yet been reached.
Geologic hydrogen discovery: Geologic hydrogen discovery is a promising area of research for decarbonization, but extracting it commercially can take years and requires careful exploration and research to address challenges such as optimal temperature and surface area.
While there has been excitement around the potential discovery of geologic hydrogen, or hydrogen found in the Earth's crust, it's important to manage expectations as the process of finding commercially viable reservoirs and extracting the hydrogen can take years. The reaction between water and iron-rich rock to produce hydrogen is a promising area of research, but challenges such as optimal temperature and creating enough active surface area for the reaction to occur need to be addressed. The potential impact of geologic hydrogen on decarbonization is enormous, but it's important to remember that it's a long-term process that requires careful exploration and research. As the CEO of a geologic hydrogen startup, my role is more about managing expectations and helping people understand the potential of this technology rather than hyping it up. The hype around the impact of geologic hydrogen is real and deserved, but it's important to remember that it's a complex process that requires careful planning and execution.
Geologic hydrogen: Geologic hydrogen shows promise for energy storage, but expectations for its timeline and implementation should be managed carefully, and continued research and development of various energy solutions is encouraged.
Geologic hydrogen, a potential game-changer in energy storage, is a promising solution for the future, but it's essential to manage expectations around its timeline and the amount of work required before it becomes a reality. Pete Johnson, the CEO and co-founder of Coloma, discussed the potential impact of geologic hydrogen on the energy sector during an episode of Catalyst. He emphasized that while the data looks interesting, there is still a lot of work to be done. Johnson also warned against underestimating the challenges and overestimating the speed of its implementation. He encouraged continued research and development of various energy solutions, as no single technology is likely to meet the world's energy demands alone. The episode was produced by Latitude Media, supported by Prelude Ventures, and hosted by Shail Khan.