I am skeptical of white hydrogen, the naturally occurring deposits of hydrogen. After 100’s of years of mining and drilling I would assume that if usable deposits existed then they would have already been discovered. I understand that may be a naïve view as this is a big planet. Many believe white hydrogen will be located around the world in quantities that can impact the cost and use of hydrogen as a feedstock, fuel and source of electricity.
Hydrogen deposits have been found in numerous countries and perhaps the next encounter will be substantial enough to provide low cost and reliable hydrogen that is commercially viable for decades. At this point the largest deposits are still not significant enough to make a material impact.
Venture Capital funds now have 245 million reasons to prove me wrong after backing a company looking for the elusive molecule around the globe. Koloma is a start-up backed heavyweights like Amazon’s climate fund, Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and Khosla Ventures among others. They will use AI, seismic mapping and satellite imaging to look for the signatures of hydrogen deposits.
Koloma is not the only company in the white hydrogen space. There are other start-ups in the space. One would assume that the oil and gas industry is has a head start on any newcomers. Once discovered, the challenge of storage and transportation still exist. If they are successful, it will be good for the entire industry, and presumably the climate.
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