Unleashing the Hidden Potential: Earthquakes as a Source of Hydrogen Energy
Key Ideas
- Laboratory measurements suggest earthquakes generate significant volumes of hydrogen underground by fracturing rocks.
- This overlooked source of energy could fuel life deep underground and provide an alternative clean-burning fuel for people.
- Interest in finding large hydrogen gas deposits underground has surged in recent years for energy use.
Recent laboratory measurements of crushed quartz indicate that earthquakes have the potential to generate substantial amounts of hydrogen underground. This phenomenon occurs through the fracturing of rocks, which then react with water molecules to produce hydrogen. The discovery of this hydrogen source has sparked interest in its potential as an energy source for sustaining life deep below the Earth's surface, as well as for extraction as a clean-burning fuel alternative for human use. Companies have shown increasing interest in locating significant hydrogen gas deposits underground for energy purposes, reflecting a growing trend towards exploring sustainable and innovative sources of fuel.