Massive new energy source could be hiding in Earth's mountains

Hydrogen gas is generated along fault lines in a process that takes millions of years

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Scientists may have found a new energy carrier that could help with our efforts to transition away from fossil fuels - and it could be lurking in the mountains. Using advanced simulations, a German research team think they've found vast reserves of clean hydrogen gas (H₂) produced by rocks that are millions of years old.

As an energy carrier, H₂ is more sustainable than fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases and cause climate change by trapping heat in the atmosphere. Yet currently, our predominant method of producing H₂ is through a synthetic process that, ironically, requires fossil fuels.