Let’s talk about white hydrogen. In nature, we find it mostly in gaseous form (H2) and it is colorless. That is why, when you hear about “white hydrogen”, we refer to the naturally occurring one that might be (rarely) found in underground deposits.

Although several initiatives have previously been put up to manufacture natural hydrogen in industrial amounts, natural hydrogen is still a little-known source of energy. It can produce carbon-neutral hydrogen at the lowest cost and on par with fossil fuels.

The natural form of hydrogen atoms found in the air and subsurface deposits liberated via hydraulic fracturing is called white hydrogen.  It is the lightest chemical element and the first on the periodical table of elements.

This kind of hydrogen is found in its natural state, as a free gas, in places such as the ocean’s deep interior, the layers of the continental crust, volcanic gasses, geysers, and hydrothermal systems. It is not produced by people. Many different types of rock formations and geological locations appear to contain hydrogen.

Although white hydrogen is the most prevalent element in the universe, it isn’t being collected to be utilized as an emission-free fuel since it is scarce in its pure state.

Rather, H2 is typically mixed with other atoms to form other molecules. For instance, H2O, or water, is a combination that is readily recognized.

White hydrogen found on the earth is produced by a range of different sources

Among the sources of natural H2 are:

• Serpentinization, a reaction between ultrabasic rocks and water
• Degassing H2 found deep within the Earth’s crust and mantle
• Weathering, in which water interacts with freshly exposed rock surfaces
• A contact between water and reducing agents located in the Earth’s mantle
• Organic matter decomposition
• Hydroxyl ion decomposition in the structure of minerals
• Natural water radiolysis
• Biological activity

Summary

It is colorless and usually found in gaseous form (H2) in nature. Because of this, when we talk about “white hydrogen,” we mean the kind of hydrogen that occurs naturally and is occasionally found in subterranean deposits. Since we now lack a workable plan for using these reserves, we employ various techniques to artificially create them. The colors serve as a means of indicating the energy source and/or method utilized in the production of hydrogen.

Our hydrogen-related work

Using hydrogen, Universal Kraft offers a large-scale, environmentally friendly substitute for fossil fuels while maintaining the same functionality. In addition to direct electrification, hydrogen allows the green industry to make an impact outside of the grid through the production of green hydrogen for energy storage, gas greening through hydrogen methanation, and feedstock for locally produced, high-temperature industrial processes that are challenging to electrify.

A comprehensive and sustained shift to renewable energy depends on these green power options. For a period of years, Universal Kraft has been developing novel and alternative energy storage technologies. We founded UH2 to maximize the decarbonization potential of renewable energy sources for the production of green hydrogen and ammonia.

Discover all our solutions here.