Beneath the mountain ranges lie vast reserves of revolutionary clean fuel. What could this be about?

White hydrogen has recently garnered the attention of scientists due to its potential to replace fossil fuels, which are relentlessly warming the planet. Just a couple of decades ago, researchers began discussing this powerful fuel, also known as "natural" or "green" hydrogen, which is believed to be present in large quantities within the Earth's crust, as reported by CNN.

Since then, geologists have been investigating how this gas is formed and where exactly it might be found. The main challenge lies in identifying locations deep within the Earth that could harbor sufficient volumes to satisfy humanity's insatiable energy appetite.

In a new study, scientists discovered that significant amounts of this revolutionary clean fuel could be hidden in the planet's mountain ranges. The authors of the research suggest that this clean-burning gas could potentially be extracted from the Earth's depths in the future, thereby bolstering efforts to combat the climate crisis.

The team employed computer models to simulate the movement of Earth's tectonic plates. This approach allowed them to identify regions with suitable conditions for generating white hydrogen. The study's findings indicate that mountain ranges such as the Pyrenees and the European Alps are potential hotspots for this resource.

It's important to note that hydrogen, which produces only water when burned, has long been considered an eco-friendly fuel, particularly for energy-intensive industries like aviation and steelmaking. However, the majority of commercial hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels, which undermines its ability to mitigate climate change. This makes white hydrogen an appealing and promising clean fuel for the future.

Scientists point out that the discovery of white hydrogen was accidental and occurred in Mali in 1987 when a water well exploded as a worker leaned over the edge with a cigarette. The well was quickly sealed, but by 2011 it was decommissioned and has since been producing hydrogen, helping to power the local village. Researchers note that deposits of white hydrogen have also been found in the USA, Australia, and France, but the challenge has been the volume of these deposits.

According to the study's author and geologist at the Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Germany, Frank Zwaan, it is already known that nature produces hydrogen, but it has never been seriously studied as an energy production product. Other energy sources have been more readily available, but the escalating climate crisis intensifies the race to find alternatives.

It is known that gas is formed naturally through many processes, including radioactive decay in the Earth's crust. However, in this new study, scientists focused on "serpentinization," a process where water interacts with iron-rich rocks from the Earth's mantle to produce hydrogen.

Typically, such rocks are found deep within the Earth, where water is not easily accessible. However, geological processes over millions of years can push them closer to the planet's surface. Scientists note that this process occurs beneath oceans when continents break apart, allowing mantle rocks to rise, as well as when continents collide, closing ocean basins and pushing mantle rocks upwards.

In the course of the research, scientists used tectonic plate modeling to determine where and when mantle rock was "exhumed" and in what quantities. The results point to specific ranges, including:

• Pyrenees;
• European Alps;
• part of the Himalayas.

All of these mountain ranges provide favorable conditions for generating white hydrogen, as large volumes of mantle rock are present at suitable temperatures, and deep fractures allow water to circulate.

Researchers emphasize that the main question today is finding where white hydrogen accumulates in large reservoirs that can be drilled. It may also be possible to artificially stimulate serpentinization by drilling areas where mantle rocks are close to the surface and injecting water. Preliminary studies are already underway in regions such as France, the Balkans, and the USA.