Natural hydrogen—also known as geologic hydrogen or “white hydrogen”—is gaining attention as a clean and cost-effective energy source.
This form of hydrogen is a clean, naturally occurring gas formed underground through geological processes like water-rock reactions and radiolysis. Unlike manufactured hydrogen, it requires no energy-intensive production and offers a low-carbon alternative.
InnoTech Alberta’s first systemic study, Exploring Natural Hydrogen Potential in Alberta’s Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, highlights how Alberta’s geography and infrastructure position the province as a leader in natural hydrogen research and exploration.
Researchers used publicly available geological and geospatial data to identify promising formations within the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) that contain favourable conditions for natural hydrogen generation, migration, accumulation and storage. For example, natural hydrogen could be produced through geochemical processes (hydrocarbon decomposition, water-rock reactions and organic pyrolysis) and stored between layers of earth, in a similar manner to oil and gas.
The study argues for Alberta’s position as a potential leader in natural hydrogen exploration, due to the province’s unique geological features and existing energy infrastructure. Natural hydrogen is an environmentally sustainable resource that can provide a cost-effective option for transitioning to alternative energy while supporting the energy economy. Recommended action includes nine steps to advance natural hydrogen research:
- Validate Historical Data
- Identify Hydrogen Sources
- Explore Hydrogeochemical Indicators
- Assess In-Situ Hydrogen Generation
- Map Diffusive Circles
- Model Storage Potential
- Apply Machine Learning
- Evaluate Economic Feasibility
- Study Renewability & Production Rates
Additionally, isotopic fingerprinting, a process involving tracking the ratios of hydrogen isotopes within a geological sample, has been recommended as a next step in identifying and tracing natural hydrogen sources.
Join us in congratulating the research team at InnoTech Alberta on their publication and the advancement of Alberta as a leader in alternative energy and natural hydrogen research.
Connect with the study’s authors on LinkedIn to discuss future directions for this work: Dayal Wijayarathne, Tiago Morais, Aprami Jaggi, John Gibson, Paul Eby, and Martin Huard.
View the full research paper here