The precious 'white gold' fuel buried in the Earth

White hydrogen, sometimes called 'white gold,' is a naturally occurring gas found deep beneath the Earth's surface. It is gaining attention because it could become a major clean energy source. Unlike oil and coal, which pollute the air when burned, white hydrogen only produces water as a byproduct. This makes it a promising option for industries that are hard to make clean, like airplanes, ships, and steel factories.

The search for white hydrogen is similar to the early days of oil exploration. In 1859, oil was discovered in Pennsylvania, and it changed the world. Now, scientists and companies are hoping to find large amounts of white hydrogen underground. They believe that if just a small part of the hydrogen trapped under the Earth's surface can be recovered, it could supply the world's needs for hundreds of years. Some studies suggest there could be trillions of tonnes of hydrogen underground, but most of it is too deep or in places that are hard to reach.

Finding and using white hydrogen is not simple. It forms naturally when certain rocks react with water deep underground. Sometimes, it gets trapped under layers of rock, making it possible to collect. However, there are challenges. Extracting hydrogen could disturb underground ecosystems or let other gases escape, which could harm the environment. Also, we do not know if the Earth makes hydrogen fast enough to replace what we take out. Right now, only one village in Mali uses white hydrogen for electricity. Companies are developing new technology to find and collect it more easily, and some oil companies are interested in switching to hydrogen. But experts say it will take many years before white hydrogen can be used on a large scale. We need to be careful and learn more before relying on it as a main energy source.