Industrialized nations enjoy privileges and conveniences such as big shopping complexes, imported goods, and high-quality manufacturing. However, it all comes at a cost, and that’s carbon emissions. Greenhouse gases have caused a climate crisis, and America is looking for ways to reduce emissions before the problem gets worse. A new source of “orange hydrogen” lurks beneath the Earth’s surface, and America is researching ways to extract it.
You’ve heard of black, blue, and green hydrogen, and now America wants to add a new color to the list
The renewable energy industry has been pushing for hydrogen to be used as fuel for a long time. Hydrogen can burn long and hot, and you don’t have to worry about carbon dioxide emissions because the only thing hydrogen creates is water. There are different ways to make hydrogen to use as fuel, and some are more environmentally friendly than others. These types of hydrogen are:
- Green hydrogen – made using only solar or wind
- White hydrogen – made using nuclear energy
- Blue hydrogen – made using fossil fuels and carbon capture technology
- Black hydrogen – made using fossil fuels that emit carbon dioxide
American researchers have found a new source of hydrogen inside rock in the Earth. They’re calling this “orange hydrogen” because of the orange oxides produced during the extraction process. To access this type of hydrogen, companies will have to drill wells into the Earth and inject water, much like what happens at geothermal power plants. The water will become enriched with hydrogen and pumped to the surface where machines will gather the hydrogen for later use.
Some underground geological formations naturally produce hydrogen, and America wants to mine it
It’s not a secret that some natural processes in the Earth produce hydrogen. As the natural minerals in rock are exposed to oxygen, they change and give off gases. Hydrogen is sometimes a byproduct of this natural occurrence. Scientists have had a difficult time exploiting these natural sources, but new drilling and injection techniques could potentially unlock hydrogen that sits deep underground in geological formations.
Not only does this new method generate a renewable fuel resource, but it also keeps carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the ground. Sequestering carbon this way can help reduce carbon emissions and slow global warming. This is an important part of any hydrogen production because the more greenhouse gases get released, the faster the earth heats up. Every nation on Earth is trying to stop the world from going into total meltdown, which is why there’s renewed interest in environmentally friendly hydrogen production.
Diversifying hydrogen production may help fill the world’s needs before it’s too late
Manufacturing and shipping produce millions of tons of greenhouse gases every year. These industries must switch over to renewable energy before it’s too late to stop the climate tipping point. Solar and wind don’t produce enough reliable energy for these industries, but hydrogen could be a good alternative. Using diverse methods to create hydrogen may help ease the transition to sustainability because it allows these industries to buy hydrogen at competitive prices.
Many companies in the private sector are trying to use carbon capture technology to attain blue hydrogen production. However, the goal should be to get to zero net emissions when producing this fuel. Orange hydrogen may succeed at keeping carbon gases in the ground, and that could prove helpful in the fight against climate change.
If America can lead the way with environmentally sustainable hydrogen production, it could be a turning point in the fight for a sustainable future. Industrialized nations aren’t likely to slow down manufacturing or reduce shipments any time soon, which means they need to have access to a renewable fuel source. Orange hydrogen may be the answer they’re looking for.
