Harnessing Green Hydrogen: Fueling Industries from Steel Production to Agriculture

Posted on December 15, 2025 by

Green hydrogen offers numerous potential applications

Bernat Armangue/Associated Press/Alamy

Hydrogen, the most prevalent element in the universe, generates energy when it reacts with oxygen, producing only water as a by-product. This is why it is being hailed by politicians as a versatile solution to combat climate change, potentially powering the multitude of vehicles and industries that currently depend on fossil fuels.

However, 99% of the hydrogen in circulation today is “gray” hydrogen, derived from processes that decompose methane or coal gas, subsequently releasing carbon dioxide. To attain net-zero emissions, many nations are now pivoting towards “blue” hydrogen, which captures this CO2 before releasing it into the atmosphere, or “green” hydrogen, generated by using renewable energy to split water molecules.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has remarked that green hydrogen represents a significant opportunity for Western nations to contend with China in the clean technology sector This was articulated at a press briefing on December 3rd.

The challenge is that low-carbon hydrogen costs at least double that of gray hydrogen. To boost production and reduce prices, government incentives are essential. While the European Union and others are backing the sector, former President Donald Trump has begun to dismantle proposed low-carbon hydrogen initiatives. This effort is ongoing in the US via a $7 billion initiative.

As a result of these obstacles, the analytics company BloombergNEF has revised its prediction for low-carbon hydrogen production down to just 5.5 million tonnes by 2030, amounting to around 5% of current gray hydrogen usage. Experts suggest that, given the limited availability of supplies, governments and organizations ought to concentrate on utilizing clean hydrogen where it is most beneficial for both the environment and the economy.

“Hydrogen can do nearly everything, but that doesn’t mean it should,” states Russell McKenna from ETH Zurich, Switzerland.

Recent studies conducted by McKenna and his team evaluated the CO2 emissions associated with producing and transporting low-carbon hydrogen for projects globally in 2000, contrasting it with the CO2 emissions this hydrogen could displace. Their findings indicate that hydrogen could significantly impact the climate in the manufacturing of steel, biofuels, and ammonia.

Conversely, employing hydrogen for road transport, electricity generation, and home heating sees limited emissions reductions.

Steel

In a blast furnace, coke made from coal serves the dual purpose of generating heat to melt iron oxide ore and supplying the carbon needed for chemical reactions that remove oxygen from the ore. Therefore, merely heating the metal using renewable electricity is insufficient. The reaction requires a carbon alternative, and hydrogen can produce water instead of CO2.

“The current technology allows for the production of iron from iron ore at an industrial scale without CO2 emissions, and that technology is hydrogen,” asserts David Dye from Imperial College London. “Any alternative would require substantial advancements in technology.”

Green steel startup Stegra is in the process of establishing a facility in northern Sweden, which aims to be the first carbon-neutral steel factory by the end of 2026, utilizing electric furnaces and green hydrogen generated from local river water. Similar projects are also being developed in Europe, Asia, and North America.

Nevertheless, generating green hydrogen and powering arc furnaces demands affordable renewable electricity. This year, the multinational steel producer ArcelorMittal declined a €1.3 billion subsidy aimed at transitioning two German steel mills to hydrogen, citing elevated electricity costs.

Ammonia

Crops require nitrogen in the form of nitrates to thrive, yet the soil contains limited nitrates. In the early 20th century, chemists Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch created a process that combines nitrogen, abundantly available in the air, with hydrogen to synthesize ammonia, which can then be transformed into various fertilizers.

This innovation fueled the agricultural revolution and the expansion of the global population, and today, hydrogen is primarily utilized in oil refining and ammonia production. Approximately 70% of all ammonia is used as fertilizer, while the remainder is employed in producing plastics, explosives, and other chemicals.

“You can’t electrify this… because it’s a chemical reaction requiring that input,” explains McKenna. “Thus, we need hydrogen, but it has to be decarbonized.”

Countries like Saudi Arabia are beginning to construct facilities that will leverage solar and wind energy to produce hundreds of thousands of tons of green ammonia, primarily for export. Simultaneously, a startup is working on compact, modular plants to generate green hydrogen and ammonia directly at US agricultural sites. However, at present, all these methods depend on governmental funding and tax incentives.

Alternative Fuel

Ammonia can also be burned in engines. While passenger vehicles and many trucks can efficiently operate on electricity, long-range transport methods, such as large trucks, ships, and airplanes, face challenges with battery storage and charging. Hydrogen holds potential as a key element in generating low-carbon fuels for this segment.

Research led by McKenna and his team has identified that manufacturing hydrotreated vegetable oils is one of the most advantageous applications of hydrogen. This involves treating used cooking oil with hydrogen to break down fats into combustible hydrocarbons.

Both ammonia and hydrotreated vegetable oil are being explored as substitutes for marine heavy fuel oil, which contributes to 3% of global emissions. The aviation sector, with a comparable carbon footprint, may also transition to ammonia.

Since hydrogen is produced independently of oil and closely resembles kerosene, it could also be harnessed to create synthetic aviation fuel compatible with existing aircraft.

In the long term, research teams at institutions like Cranfield University in the UK are conceptualizing aircraft featuring powerful tanks designed to store compressed hydrogen. Hydrogen and ammonia, which generate nitrogen oxide pollution when combusted, could alternatively be combined with oxygen in fuel cells, resulting in electricity and water. Ultimately, a fuel cell-powered aircraft represents a significant objective. Phil Longhurst from Cranfield University remarks.

“Hydrogen is the cleanest, zero-carbon fuel accessible, so it’s essentially the holy grail,” he concludes.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Saturn’s Moon Titan Could Harbor an Unforeseen Blend of Hydrogen Cyanide and Hydrocarbons

Posted on October 21, 2025 by

Titan serves as an intriguing subject for in-depth investigations of organic chemistry under unusual conditions. This Saturnian moon is abundant in nonpolar hydrocarbons like ethane and methane, alongside hydrogen cyanide (HCN), a highly relevant small polar molecule in prebiotic chemistry. Recent studies show that these notably polar compounds can mix at low temperatures, creating structures that challenge traditional chemical theories.

Artistic rendering of Kraken Mare, Titan’s extensive ocean of liquid methane. Image credit: NASA’s John Glenn Research Center.

Hydrogen cyanide is commonly found in the astrochemical landscape and has been detected in numerous celestial bodies, including the interstellar medium, comets, planets, moons, and dwarf planets.

This molecule ranks as the second most prevalent product anticipated from Titan’s atmospheric chemistry.

Dr. Martin Rahm, a researcher from Chalmers University of Technology, stated: “These remarkable discoveries enhance our understanding of something vast—a moon comparable in size to Mercury.”

In laboratory experiments, Rahm and his team combined hydrogen cyanide with methane and ethane at temperatures as low as 90 K (around -180 degrees Celsius).

At this temperature, hydrogen cyanide forms crystals, while methane and ethane exist as liquids.

Using laser spectroscopy to analyze these mixtures at an atomic level, researchers found that while the molecules remained intact, changes were still occurring.

To uncover what was happening, they conducted extensive computer simulations to explore thousands of potential molecular arrangements in the solid phase.

Ultimately, they discovered that the hydrocarbons infiltrated the hydrogen cyanide crystal lattice, leading to the formation of a stable new structure termed a cocrystal.

“The identification of unexpected interactions between these substances may influence our understanding of Titan’s geology and unique features such as lakes, oceans, and sand dunes,” Dr. Rahm explained.

“Moreover, hydrogen cyanide could be crucial in the abiotic synthesis of some life-building blocks, like amino acids for proteins and nucleobases for genetic material.”

“Consequently, our research offers valuable insights into the pre-emergent chemistry of life and the potential for life to evolve in extreme environments.”

of result Published in July 2025. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Fernando Izquierdo Ruiz and others. 2025. Hydrogen cyanide and hydrocarbons mix on Titan. PNAS 122 (30): e2507522122; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2507522122

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient 185,000-Year-Old Bridge of Neutral Hydrogen Gas Links Two D-Star Galaxies

Posted on September 25, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

An international team of astronomers, as part of the Widefield Askap L-Band Legacy All-Sky Survey (Wallaby), observed DDO 137 (Wallaby J123424+062511). Their findings uncovered a vast bridge of neutral hydrogen, measuring 185,000 light-years, connecting the two galaxies, along with various arms and clouds that link to a longer gas tail (1.6 million light-years) previously identified by the Arecibo telescope.

Radio (left) and light (right) images of NGC 4532/DDO 137. Image credits: ICRAR/D. Lang, Perimeter Institute.

“This discovery marks a significant advance in our understanding of galaxy interactions,” stated Professor Lister Starley Smith from the University of Western Australia Node at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR).

“Our simulations indicate that the tidal forces between these galaxies play a crucial role in the observed gas dynamics in close vicinity to the massive Virgo clusters of galaxies.”

“As the galaxies approached the hot gas clouds surrounding the Virgo clusters—temperatures 200 times that of the sun—we experienced what is termed RAM pressure, resulting in gas being stripped away from the galaxy.”

“This phenomenon is analogous to atmospheric burn-up when a satellite reenters Earth’s upper atmosphere, albeit extended over a billion years.”

“The electron density and the velocity at which galaxies descend into these hot gas clouds sufficiently clarify why they were drawn from the galaxy toward the bridge and surrounding regions.”

This observation formed part of the Wallaby Survey, a comprehensive project aimed at mapping the sky and examining the hydrogen gas distribution across galaxies using CSIRO’s Askap Radio telescope.

“Neutral hydrogen is vital for star formation, making this discovery pivotal in understanding how galaxies interact and evolve, particularly in densely packed environments,” remarked Professor Kenji Bekki of ICRAR.

“This system exhibits striking similarities to our Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds, offering a unique opportunity for a detailed examination of such interactions,” noted Professor Stavely-Smith.

“Grasping the dynamics of these gas bridges is crucial for understanding galaxy evolution over time, the redistribution of galactic gases, and the various conditions impacting star formation within galaxies.”

“This enhances our overall understanding of the universe’s largest structures and their lifecycle.

result will be published in Monthly Notices from the Royal Astronomical Society.

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L. Stavely-Smith et al. 2025. WallabyPilot Survey: Extensive interaction between NGC 4532 and DDO 137 and Virgo clusters. mnras 543(1): 526-539; doi: 10.1093/mnras/staf1443

Source: www.sci.news

Rising Atmospheric Hydrogen: A Potential Climate Concern

Posted on September 19, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Hydrogen can indirectly warm the atmosphere

axa/esa

Hydrogen levels in the atmosphere have surged by 60% since the pre-industrial era, underscoring the significant influence of fossil fuel use on the Earth’s atmospheric makeup. While hydrogen itself isn’t a greenhouse gas, it contributes to warming indirectly through its interactions with other substances.

The research findings stem from the first comprehensive long-term observations of atmospheric hydrogen, which are derived from ice core data collected in Greenland in 2024. “Ice core records are incredible,” notes Alex Archibald from Cambridge University.

Being a small and lightweight molecule, hydrogen tends to escape into the atmosphere easily, often leaking from the ice core before it is analyzed in the lab.

To tackle this issue, John Patterson from the University of California, Irvine, and his team examined the ice core samples right after extraction. “We took our equipment out onto the ice. As soon as we extracted the samples, we cleaned and sealed them in a melted chamber for analysis,” he explains.

This approach enabled the researchers to establish a long-term record of atmospheric hydrogen stretching back 1,100 years, marking a significant improvement over previous records that reached only 100 years, largely based on observational data and snowfall analyses. “It’s quite an impressive feat logistically. We’re excited to share these findings,” remarks David Stevenson from the University of Edinburgh, UK.

The study discovered that hydrogen concentrations have risen from roughly 280 parts per billion in the early 19th century to around 530 parts per billion today. According to Patterson, this is not surprising given the rapid increase in fossil fuel usage since the pre-industrial period—when fossil fuels or biomass burn, hydrogen is released as a by-product.

Patterson and his team merged data from ice core records with modeling efforts to illustrate the fluctuations in hydrogen levels over the millennium. “Our data reveals changes in atmospheric composition, but the reasons behind these changes remain unclear,” says Patterson. “We aim to utilize biogeochemical models to investigate these variations.”

Ice cores can reveal historical hydrogen levels in the atmosphere

John Patterson

For instance, evidence from ice cores indicates that atmospheric hydrogen levels dipped by 16% during the so-called Little Ice Age, a cold period from the 16th to the 19th century. The decrease in wildfire emissions during this time does not completely account for the notable drop in hydrogen concentrations, according to Patterson. “This suggests that natural hydrogen biogeochemistry is adapting to climate change in ways we still don’t fully comprehend. This unexpected finding could be significant for future scenarios, indicating that atmospheric hydrogen levels might be more sensitive to climate fluctuations than previously believed,” Patterson cautions.

In the atmosphere, hydrogen competes with methane and engages with hydroxyl radicals, which play a crucial role in eliminating methane from the atmosphere, a potent greenhouse gas. “As hydrogen levels rise, the amount of hydroxyl available to react with methane decreases,” explains Patterson, potentially enhancing methane’s warming effect. “Currently, hydrogen constitutes about half of the total in the atmosphere, contributing approximately 2% to the overall anthropogenic warming effect according to our best estimates.”

Gaining a deeper understanding of the hydrogen cycle is essential to assess whether the widespread adoption of hydrogen fuels, as a transition away from fossil fuels, might lead to unanticipated consequences. For instance, a sudden spike in atmospheric hydrogen could magnify the warming impact of methane. Methane emissions have consistently risen since 2007, influenced by fossil fuel production, agriculture, and warming that releases stored methane from wetlands and permafrost.

“Methane is a significant factor causing us to hesitate in endorsing a hydrogen economy, as it inevitably leads to hydrogen leaks into the atmosphere,” emphasizes Archibald. “If hydrogen escapes into the atmosphere, it worsens the methane issue.”

It might spark discussion over the cautious use of hydrogen, especially if renewable energy cannot sufficiently replace fossil fuels, according to Archibald. Nonetheless, Patterson and other experts highlight that the warming effects from increased hydrogen use are expected to be minimal compared to the considerable warming impact of fossil fuels. “We don’t want to discourage people from pursuing hydrogen energy, as it’s a much cleaner option than its fossil fuel counterparts,” emphasizes Patterson.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Can Underground Natural Hydrogen Assist the UK in Achieving Net Zero?

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall has rocks capable of producing hydrogen gas

PIO3/SHUTTERSTOCK

Recent discoveries of small amounts of underground hydrogen gas have sparked a global search for a potential zero carbon fuel source, yet the UK has largely been overlooked by prospectors.

According to a Briefing from the Royal Society on natural hydrogen production, the lack of exploration is not due to geological factors. “There are rocks that could produce hydrogen, but no research has been conducted,” states Barbara Sherwood Lollar, who contributed to a report at the University of Toronto.

The UK also doesn’t lack interest in gas. The latest Hydrogen Strategy highlights its crucial role in achieving the ambition of becoming a clean energy superpower through low-carbon production methods for heavy industry and transportation, yet natural hydrogen is not mentioned as a potential source.

Novelty plays a role in this oversight, according to Philip Ball, who contributed to the report and invests in natural hydrogen firms at Keele University. “Essentially no one is paying attention. There’s no regulation for this emerging sector, and there’s a lack of understanding.”

However, the situation may be changing. Ball notes that several companies have obtained rights to explore hydrogen in parts of the UK, including Devon in the southwest, while multiple universities conduct related research. The UK Geological Survey is also delving into the country’s potential for natural hydrogen, drawing on a wealth of existing geological data.

There is reason to believe that natural hydrogen exists beneath the surface. A report by the Royal Society notes that certain types of rocks, particularly iron-rich super-solid rocks, can generate hydrogen when interacting with water. Such formations are found in locations like the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall and Scotland’s Shetland Islands. Geoplasms in areas like the North Pennines could also yield hydrogen through the breakdown of water molecules via natural radioactivity.

“It will definitely be found in the UK,” Ball asserts. “The question remains whether it will be economically viable.”

If hydrogen is discovered in the UK, expectations should be tempered; Sherwood Lollar emphasizes that one of the report’s goals was to correct some exaggerated claims about natural hydrogen, such as the concept of massive quantities of gas continually rising from the Earth’s mantle and core.

Nonetheless, it is critical to consider conservative estimates of the hydrogen production within the Earth’s crust. The report indicates that around 1 million tonnes of hydrogen permeates the crust annually. “Even capturing a fraction of this could significantly contribute to the hydrogen economy,” Sherwood Lollar states.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Prospectors Explore Hydrogen Resources along the US Continental Divide

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

New Scientist Explores Hydrogen Wells in Kansas

Hyterra/Adler Gray

Excavation rigs often stir curiosity in fields dotted with grazing cattle. Although we are in Kansas, these rigs proudly display both American and Australian flags, indicating the origins of their owner. Hyterra, an Australian company, has been exploring for natural hydrogen fuels lurking in deep fractures of North America.

“I believe behind us is the kitchen where hydrogen is produced,” said Avon McIntyre, the company’s executive director. The surge in activity has drawn numerous businesses to the Midwest, positioning eastern Kansas as a pivotal area in the global quest for “geological hydrogen.”

This tale began about 1.3 billion years ago when the continent that is now North America began to fragment into two parts. While the continent eventually stopped separating, the fracture left a 2,000-kilometer-long mark of iron-rich mantle rock. Presently, this cleft lies buried beneath farms and ranches in the Midwest.

In eastern Kansas, older oil and gas wells have recorded high concentrations of hydrogen as solid rocks surrounding these fractures are pushed near the surface. To explore potential harvesting, several companies have secured hydrogen drilling rights over more than 100,000 hectares in the region, according to McIntyre’s analysis of public court documents. Hyterra and its competitor Koloma are advancing their efforts by drilling deeper into the earth.

“It’s like a gold rush, with everyone eager to find it,” stated Kristen Delano from the Colorado-based company Coloma. While she refrained from disclosing their drilling locations in Kansas, she noted that public opinion has indicated their recent excavations. Additional companies, such as the Australian firm Top End Energy, are acquiring mineral rights based solely on where Koloma is active.

“There has been considerable discussion within the community,” remarked Shawn McIntyre, who has no relation to Hyterra’s executive director. As a rancher from Waterville, Kansas, he has leased thousands of acres for hydrogen drilling. “This could revitalize the industry in small towns that have suffered economically in this region.”

The global pursuit of underground hydrogen escalated following updated assessments of global reserves several years ago. Companies investigating gas deposits are hopeful that it could become an alternative to the fossil fuels currently dominating heavy industry, fertilizer production, and electricity generation. “Natural hydrogen fits seamlessly into that narrative,” stated Jay Calbus from the Kansas Geological Survey. “If we are sitting atop a substantial supply of hydrogen that can be harnessed… it could transform not only the state but also the wider region, and the nation.”

As Avon McIntyre and I traverse the muddy terrain to the drilling platform southwest of Manhattan, Kansas, he shouts above the din of the rig, “It’s crucial to understand what’s happening down there.”

The company hypothesizes that water from the underground aquifer interacts with iron-rich mantle rocks within the Middle Continent fractures, resulting in the production of hydrogen through a process known as meandering. This reaction generates hydrogen molecules in the water, which subsequently migrate to the surrounding rocks.

This year, plans include drilling five exploratory wells aimed at identifying hydrogen concentrations along subsurface rises in bedrock known as Nemahalridge. Earlier reports revealed that the first well, drilled at a prominent location on this ridge, recorded hydrogen concentrations of 96%.

Currently, the second well is deepening, surpassing 1600 meters and operating continuously. At the rig, workers sift through the mud, which contains granite scraps from the excavated hole, extracting gas from the liquid for analysis.

In the Mud Shack, a makeshift office at the site’s periphery, a team of contractors monitors and reports in real-time the gas composition from varying depths of the well. While gas levels remained low in solid rock, hydrogen concentrations began measuring over 800 parts per million.

“[The first well] had an impressive peak, but this one is continuously producing hydrogen,” noted Hyterra’s Josh Whitcom.

While these measurements alone carry limited meaning, more precise evaluations require gas samples sent from the site. Moreover, high hydrogen concentrations do not indicate how much gas can actually be extracted or the duration of flow.

Even if hydrogen ultimately flows from any of these wells, numerous questions remain, such as how it will be isolated from other gases, transported, stored, and who will be its consumers.

However, McIntyre is thrilled by the detection of hydrogen and encourages the crew to work through the night. “Our goal is to gather information,” he stated. “And now we have some.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Hydrogen Bomb Developer Richard L. Garwin Passes Away at 97

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Richard L. Gerwin, the American architect behind the hydrogen bomb who significantly influenced postwar defense policies, as well as advancements in space exploration and medicine, passed away on Tuesday at his residence in Scarsdale, New York.

His son Thomas confirmed the news of his passing.

At just 23, Dr. Gerwin became the mastermind behind the world’s first fusion bomb. He later served as a scientific advisor to several presidents, contributing to the development of Pentagon weaponry and satellite reconnaissance systems, while advocating for a balanced approach to Soviet-American nuclear policies during the Cold War, and promoting a verifiable agreement on nuclear arms control.

His mentor, Nobel laureate Enrico Fermi, referred to him as “the only true genius I’ve ever met,” yet Dr. Gerwin was not the sole creator of the hydrogen bomb. Hungarian physicist Edward Teller and Polish mathematician Stanislaw Ulam, who played pivotal roles in bomb theory, hold substantial claims to that title.

From 1951 to 1952, Dr. Gerwin served as an instructor at the University of Chicago and a consultant at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, where he designed a real bomb based on Teller-Ulam’s concept. The experimental device, named Ivy Mike, was tested at the Marshall Islands in the Western Pacific.

The device was designed not merely as an explosive but rather to demonstrate the fusion concept. Weighing in at 82 tons, it was aircraft-unfriendly and resembled a massive thermos. Soviet scientists, who did not conduct similar tests until 1955, referred to it intermittently as the installation of thermonuclear nuclei.

On November 1, 1952, at the Enewetak atoll, an extraordinary fusion of atoms unleashed a blinding flash of light and a fireball measuring two miles in diameter, generating a force 700 times that of the bomb that obliterated Hiroshima 100 miles away in 1945.

As the development of American thermonuclear weapons remained cloaked in secrecy, Dr. Gerwin’s involvement in the creation of the first hydrogen bomb remained largely unknown to the public for decades, aside from those within government defense circles and select intelligence agencies. He was commonly referred to as Dr. Terror, and it wasn’t until later that he received public acknowledgment.

“According to Gerwin’s design, this test was conducted almost precisely as intended,” Dr. Teller acknowledged in a 1981 statement, recognizing the crucial role played by the young prodigy. However, this late recognition barely permeated the public consciousness.

Compared to later nuclear weapons, Dr. Gerwin’s bomb was rudimentary. Still, its sheer power evoked the ancient Hindu texts of the Bhagavad Gita, harkening back to the first atomic bomb test in New Mexico in 1945 and the haunting response from its creator, J. Robert Oppenheimer.

To Dr. Gerwin, however, it meant little.

“I didn’t consider the construction of a hydrogen bomb to be the most pivotal achievement in the world, or even in my life at the time,” he reflected in a 1984 interview, addressing feelings of guilt. “I believe the world would be better off without hydrogen bombs.”

Transitioning to IBM

Although the first hydrogen bomb was crafted to his specifications, Dr. Gerwin was absent during its explosion at Enewetak. “I’ve never witnessed a nuclear detonation,” he mentioned in a 2018 interview. “I didn’t want to spend the time there.”

By 1952, following the success of the hydrogen bomb project, he found himself at a crossroads: he could return to the University of Chicago, where he had earned his PhD under Fermi and was now an assistant professor, or leverage a more flexible role at International Business Machines Corporation. This position provided faculty appointments at the Thomas J. Watson Institute at Columbia University, allowing greater freedom in his research interests while also permitting him to continue consulting for the government in Los Alamos and Washington.

He opted for IBM, where he remained for 40 years before retiring.

At IBM, Dr. Gerwin engaged in a continuous series of applied research projects leading to groundbreaking patents, scientific papers, and technological innovations in computing, communications, and medicine. His work was vital in the advancement of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), high-speed laser printers, and subsequent touchscreen technologies.

An innovative maverick, Dr. Gerwin dedicated decades to exploring gravitational waves, as predicted by Einstein. In 2015, the costly detector he supported succeeded in detecting ripples, opening new frontiers in astrophysics.

Throughout this time, Dr. Gerwin also provided government consulting on national defense issues. With expertise in weapons of mass destruction, he aided in identifying Soviet targets and conducted research on various military aspects including nuclear submarines, military and civilian aircraft, as well as satellite reconnaissance and communications systems. Much of his work remained classified, keeping him largely unknown to the public.

He was a trusted advisor to numerous U.S. presidents including Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton. Notably, he was linked to President Ronald Reagan’s proposal for a space-based missile defense system dubbed Star Wars, aimed at safeguarding the nation from nuclear threats. However, the system was never realized.

One of Dr. Gerwin’s most notable controversies did not revolve around national security. In 1970, while on Nixon’s Scientific Advisory Committee, he opposed the administration’s support for the development of supersonic transport (SST) aircraft. He argued that SST would be prohibitively expensive, excessively noisy, and detrimental to both the environment and commercial airline operations, leading Congress to withdraw funding. The UK and France, however, pursued their own SST, the Concorde, but Dr. Gerwin’s predictions ultimately proved largely accurate, resulting in dwindling interest.

Conflict with the Military

Despite his modest appearance, Dr. Gerwin, with his slightly disheveled hair and gentle demeanor, became a legendary figure within the defense sector, crafting speeches and articles as well as testifying before lawmakers regarding what he described as the Pentagon’s misleading options.

Many of his disagreements with military bodies were long-standing and intense. These included disputes over the B-1 bomber, Trident nuclear submarines, the MX missile system, and the MX missile system—a network of mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles, notorious as one of history’s most lethal weaponry—all of which eventually formed part of America’s extensive arsenal.

Frustrated yet determined, Dr. Gerwin maintained his stance that America should uphold a strategic equilibrium with the Soviet Union and other nuclear powers. He argued against weapons policies that could jeopardize that balance, believing that Moscow cared more for the survival of its citizens than the loss of American lives.

Dr. Gerwin endorsed nuclear disarmament, including the 1979 Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT II), which was negotiated by President Carter and Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev. Nonetheless, he argued that mutually assured destruction remained essential for preserving peace.

In 2021, he joined 700 scientists and engineers, including 21 Nobel laureates, in an appeal to President Joseph R. Biden Jr. to commit that the United States would not initiate a nuclear strike in conflict. Their correspondence also advocated for the termination of the presidential authority to unilaterally order nuclear strikes, arguing that such limitations would safeguard against potential reckless decisions made by future presidents.

This notion was politically charged, and Biden did not follow through with such a commitment.

In a 1981 interview with Quest Magazine, Dr. Gerwin stated, “Nuclear weapons are consequential, and their power lies in the deterrent of massive destruction, which prevents nuclear confrontations.”

A Childhood with Curiosity

Richard Lawrence Gerwin was born on April 19, 1928, in Cleveland, Ohio, the elder of two sons to Robert and Leona (Schwartz) Gerwin. His father worked as an electronics instructor at a technical high school by day and at a film theater by night, while his mother was an attorney general. From a young age, Richard, affectionately known as Dick, exhibited remarkable intelligence and technical skills, having repaired household appliances by the age of five.

He and his brother Edward attended public schools in Cleveland. Dick graduated from Cleveland Heights High School in 1944 at the age of 16, and he obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Physics in 1947 from what is now known as Case Western Reserve University.

In 1947, he married Lois Levy, who passed away in 2018. He is survived by two sons, Thomas and Jeffrey, a daughter, Laura, and five grandchildren, along with one great-grandson.

Under the mentorship of Fermi, Dr. Gerwin earned his master’s degree in 1948 and his doctorate in 1949, achieving the highest score in the university’s history on doctoral exams. He joined the faculty, but under Fermi’s influence, he also spent his summers at Los Alamos Lab, where he made his mark on the hydrogen bomb project.

After retiring in 1993, Dr. Gerwin chaired the State Department’s Arms Management and Non-Proliferation Advisory Committee until 2001. He served on the committee in 1998 to evaluate the ballistic missile threats to the United States.

Dr. Gerwin’s home in Scarsdale was in close proximity to the IBM Watson Lab, which relocated from Columbia University to Yorktown Heights, Westchester County, in 1970.

He held faculty appointments at prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Cornell, and Columbia. Over his career, he secured 47 patents, authored over 500 research papers, and wrote significant books including “Nuclear Weapons and World Politics” (1977, co-authored with David C. Gompert and Michael Mandelbaum) and “Megawatts and Megatons: The Turning Points of the Nuclear Age” (2001, co-authored with Georges Charpak).

His life was chronicled in the biography “The True Genius: The Life and Work of Richard Gerwin, the Most Influential Scientist You’ve Never Heard Of” (2017) by Joel N. Sherkin.

Throughout his career, Dr. Gerwin was honored with numerous accolades, including the 2002 National Medal of Science, the highest award for scientific and engineering achievements in the U.S., presented by President George W. Bush, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded by President Barack Obama in 2016.

Obama praised him during a light-hearted introduction at the White House, stating, “He tinkered with his father’s film projector and never shied away from problems in need of solutions. From reconnaissance satellites to MRI, GPS technologies, and touchscreens—his fingerprints are everywhere. He even patented a shell washing machine.”

William J. Broad and Ash Wu contributed to this report.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Underground Hydrogen: Potential Clean Energy Sources Hidden Beneath the Mountain Range

Posted on May 6, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Could there be hydrogen under Mount Grison in Switzerland?

Thomas Stoyber/Alamie

Mountain ranges may serve as a significant source of clean energy in the form of unexplored hydrogen. Previous investigations hinted at the presence of “geological” hydrogen underground, but researchers have now pointed to mountains as potential reservoirs.

“Some minerals can react with water to produce hydrogen, serving as a source of sustainable green energy,” explains Frank Zwarn from the Helmholtz Geoscience Centre in Germany.

While a plethora of minerals exists on Earth, most are located at great depths in the mantle. However, during the formation and elevation of mountain ranges, certain mantle materials can be brought nearer to the surface, where they might interact with water through a process called meandering.

To understand the potential for hydrogen generation, Zwaan and his team modeled the uplift process and assessed the mantle material reaching areas with optimal temperatures and adequate circulating water for this reaction to occur. Their findings support the notion that large quantities of hydrogen could form below these mountains.

Serpentine minerals also exist in the ridges of the Central Sea, which some speculate may have played a role in the origin of life. However, Zwaan notes that the hydrogen created there is unlikely to remain trapped due to temperatures below 122°C (252°F), as bacteria can consume the trapped hydrogen. In contrast, it can be drilled from deeper areas of higher temperature below the mountains.

“I wouldn’t want to inhabit that area, but it’s ideal for preserving hydrogen,” Zwaan stated at the European Geoscience Union conference in Vienna last week. “There may be an additional opportunity to drill into what is known as a hydrogen kitchen, the zone where hydrogen is generated.”

The model’s outcomes are corroborated by preliminary findings from studies on various mountain ranges. For instance, Gianreto Manatschal from the University of Strasbourg in France confirmed evidence of hydrogen production beneath the Grison region of the Swiss Alps. However, he emphasized that there remains much to learn. “Our research is merely the beginning,” he remarked.

Notably, some hydrogen has been reported to be seeping from beneath the Northern Pyrenees, according to Alexandra Robert at the University of Toulouse, France. This research is still in its formative stages.

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Energy and fuel/
Hydrogen production

Source: www.newscientist.com

Astronomers Discover Massive Molecular Hydrogen Clouds Close to the Solar System

Posted on April 29, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Recently identified by astronomers, this newly discovered molecular cloud is one of the largest structures in the sky and is among the closest to the Sun and Earth ever detected.

The EOS Cloud is situated at the boundary of your local bubble—a region populated by large gases within the solar system. Image credits: Thomas Müller, HDA & MPIA/Thavisha Dharmawardena, NYU.

Molecular clouds consist of gas and dust, primarily composed of hydrogen, the most prevalent molecule in the universe and essential for the formation of all known stars and planets.

Additionally, these structures harbor other molecules, including carbon monoxide.

Traditional detection methods for molecular clouds often involve wireless and infrared observations, which readily capture the chemical signatures of carbon monoxide.

However, Blakely Burkhart, an astrophysicist from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, and his team took a different approach.

“This is the first molecular cloud discovered by directly seeking out the distant ultraviolet radiation of molecular hydrogen,” Dr. Burkhart stated.

“Our data revealed glowing hydrogen molecules detected through fluorescence in distant ultraviolet light. This cloud truly shines in the dark.”

The new molecular cloud, named EOS, was located approximately 300 light-years from Earth and can be viewed here.

It resides at the periphery of a local bubble, a region filled with gases surrounding the solar system.

Astronomers estimate that these crescent clouds are immense, spanning about 40 months across the sky and having a mass approximately 3,400 times that of the Sun.

They are projected to dissipate within 6 million years.

According to the research team, the EOS cloud poses no threat to Earth or the solar system.

Its proximity offers a unique opportunity to explore the properties of structures within the interstellar medium.

The interstellar medium, composed of gas and dust, fills the space between stars in the galaxy and is a key source for new star formation.

“When you look through a telescope, you observe the solar system in its formative phase, but the exact process remains unclear,” Dr. Burkhart explained.

“The discovery of EOS is thrilling because it allows us to directly measure how molecular clouds form and dissolve, as well as how galaxies transform interstellar gas and dust into stars and planets.”

The EOS Cloud was identified using data from the FIMS-Spear Far-ultraviolet spectrograph aboard the Korean satellite STSAT-1.

“Utilizing distant UV fluorescence technology could redefine our understanding of the interstellar medium, uncover hidden clouds across the galaxy, and even push our exploration further back to the very edge of the universe’s inception.”

The findings are reported in a study published today in the journal Nature Astronomy.

____

B. Burke Hart et al. Dark molecular clouds near local bubbles revealed via H₂ fluorescence. Nature Astronomy. Published online on April 28, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41550-025-02541-7

Source: www.sci.news

Underground Hydrogen Fuel: An Often Overlooked Potential Source from Earthquakes

Posted on April 28, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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                     data-image-id="2478160" data-caption="A tectonic plate crack in Iceland" 
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                    <p class="ArticleImageCaption__Title">Crack in Iceland’s tectonic plates</p>
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    <p>Seismic activity can generate significant amounts of hydrogen deep within the Earth by breaking down rocks, leading to reactions with water. This hydrogen represents a frequently underestimated energy source, especially for those considering living underground and utilizing gas as a viable alternative fuel.</p>

    <p>Recently, interest has surged in locating substantial underground hydrogen reserves for use as clean energy. Primarily, companies are pursuing these deposits...</p>
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Source: www.newscientist.com

Webb discovers carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide found on Charon’s surface

Posted on October 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Using data from near infrared spectrometer (NIRSpec) Astronomers aboard the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have detected carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) The frozen surface of Pluto’s moon Charon. Their findings provide new insights into Charon’s chemical processes and surface composition, and could help understand the origin and evolution of icy objects in the outer solar system.

Protopapa others. Using Webb telescope observations (white), we detected spectral signatures of carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide on Charon. This extends the wavelength range of previous New Horizons flyby measurements (pink). Image credit: S. Protopapa / SwRI / NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / JHUAPL.

Beyond Neptune, there is a collection of fascinating small objects known as trans-solar objects (TNOs) that orbit around the Sun.

These objects act as time capsules, giving planetary scientists a glimpse of the early solar system.

“Charon is unique in that it is the only medium-sized TNO for which geological maps are available, 500 km to 1700 km in diameter, thanks to measurements returned by NASA’s New Horizons mission,” said Sylvia of the Southwest Research Institute. Dr. Protopapa said. And her colleagues.

“Unlike larger TNOs (such as Pluto, Eris, and Makemake), Charon’s surface is not covered by supervolatile ices such as methane, with possible exceptions toward the poles.”

“As a result, Charon serves as an excellent candidate to gain valuable insights into processes such as differentiation, radiation exposure, and cratering within the Kuiper belt.”

“Although Charon has been extensively studied since its discovery in 1978, previous spectral data were limited to wavelengths below 2.5 μm, leaving gaps in our understanding of its surface composition. “

“The presence of water ice, ammonia-containing species, and organic compounds had been previously noted, but the spectral range used was insufficient to detect other compounds.”

Protopapa and his co-authors used Webb’s near-infrared spectrometer to observe Charon at wavelengths between 1.0 and 5.2 μm.

They conducted four observations at different longitudes, and together with laboratory experiments and spectral modeling, they confirmed the presence of crystalline water ice and ammonia, and also identified carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide.

“Thanks to Webb’s advanced observational capabilities, our team is able to explore the light scattered from Charon’s surface at longer wavelengths than previously possible, allowing us to explore the complexities of this fascinating object. “We were able to further deepen our understanding of human health,” said Dr. Ian Wong, a scientist at the institute. Space Telescope Science Institute.

The presence of hydrogen peroxide suggests active processing of water ice by irradiation and light at Charon’s surface, while carbon dioxide is present since its formation and is due to subsurface carbon dioxide exposed to the surface by impact events. It is thought to originate from carbon reservoirs.

The detection of carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide on Charon represents a step forward in planetary science and provides insight into the moon’s surface chemistry.

This study could lay the foundation for future studies to investigate the dynamics of extrasolar objects, their surface compositions, and the effects of solar radiation.

“Our preferred interpretation is that the upper layer of carbon dioxide originated from within and was exposed to the surface through cratering events,” Dr Protopapa said.

“Carbon dioxide is known to exist in the region of the protoplanetary disk where the Pluto system formed.”

“New insights are made possible by the synergy of Webb observations, spectral modeling, and laboratory experiments, and may be applicable to similar medium-sized objects beyond Neptune.”

of result Posted in today’s diary nature communications.

_____

S. Protopapa others. 2024. Detection of carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide on Charon’s layered surface using JWST. Nat Commune 15, 8247; doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-51826-4

Source: www.sci.news

Venus Express discovers surprising rise in deuterium to hydrogen ratio in Venus’ mesosphere

Posted on August 26, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Venus is often called Earth's twin, but its current surface conditions are very different from Earth's and are not suitable for life to exist: not only cannot liquid water exist due to the extreme temperatures and pressures beneath the thick cloud layer, but more importantly, there is almost no water in Venus' atmosphere. Solar Occultation Observatory in Infrared (SOIR) On ESA's Venus Express spacecraftPlanetary researchers have discovered an unexpected increase in the abundance of two variants of the water molecule.₂O and HDO, and their ratio HDO/H₂O in Venus' mesosphere. This phenomenon calls into question our understanding of Venus' water history and its possible past habitability.

Venus in true colors, processed from Mariner 10 images. Image credit: Mattias Malmer / NASA.

Currently, the temperature on Venus is about 460 degrees Celsius and the pressure is almost 100 times that of Earth.

The atmosphere is extremely dry, covered with thick clouds of sulfuric acid and water droplets, and most of the water resides beneath and within these cloud layers.

However, it is possible that Venus once contained as much water as Earth does.

“Venus is often called Earth's twin planet because its size is similar to Earth's,” says Dr. Hiroki Kario of Tohoku University.

“Despite the similarities between the two planets, their evolutionary processes are different. Unlike Earth, the surface conditions on Venus are extreme.”

Survey of H abundance₂O and its deuterated isotope HDO (isotope) reveal insights into the history of water on Venus.

It is generally accepted that Venus and Earth originally had similar HDO/H₂O ratio.

However, the ratio observed in Venus' entire atmosphere (below altitude 70 km) was 120 times higher, indicating a significant increase in deuterium over time.

This enrichment occurs primarily when solar radiation breaks down isotopes of water in the upper atmosphere, producing hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D) atoms.

Hydrogen atoms have a small mass and are therefore prone to escaping into space, so HDO/H₂The O ratio gradually increases.

To understand how much hydrogen and deuterium has been released into space, it is important to measure the amount of isotopes in water at altitudes where hydrogen and deuterium are broken down by sunlight (above the clouds at altitudes of 70 km or more).

Dr. Caryu et al.₂O and HDO increase between 70 and 110 km altitude, and HDO/H₂In this range, the O ratio increases by an order of magnitude, reaching levels more than 1,500 times higher than in Earth's oceans.

“The proposed mechanism to explain these findings is the reaction of hydrated sulfuric acid (H₂So₄) aerosols,” the researchers said.

“These aerosols form just above the clouds, where temperatures drop below the dew point of sulfuric acid water, leading to the formation of deuterium-rich aerosols.”

“These particles rise to high altitudes and evaporate due to rising temperatures, releasing a much higher proportion of HDO compared to non-HDO.₂“oh.”

“The steam is then conveyed downwards and the cycle begins again.”

“This study highlights two important points,” they added.

“First, altitude changes play an important role in pinpointing the location of deuterium and hydrogen reservoirs.”

“Second, the increase in HDO/H₂The O ratio ultimately increases the release of deuterium, influencing the long-term change in the D/H ratio.”

“These findings encourage us to incorporate highly dependent processes into models to make accurate predictions about the evolution of D/H.”

“Understanding the evolution of Venus' habitability and water history can help us understand what makes a planet habitable and inform how to ensure Earth doesn't follow in its twin's footsteps.”

of result Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

_____

Arnaud Mahieu others2024. Unexpected increase in deuterium to hydrogen ratio in the Venus mesosphere. PNAS 121 (34): e2401638121; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2401638121

Source: www.sci.news

Webb’s revelation of hydrogen sulfide in the atmosphere of a hot Jupiter

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have detected trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide in the atmosphere of the Jupiter-sized exoplanet HD 189733b.

Artist's impression of hot Jupiter exoplanet HD 189733b. Image courtesy of Roberto Molar Candanosa / Johns Hopkins University.

HD 189733b is a hot gas giant with a hazy atmosphere composed mostly of hydrogen that lies about 63 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula.

The planet is discovered It was discovered in 2005 by astronomers using two telescopes at the Observatory of Haute-Provence.

HD 189733b is just 1.2 times the size of Jupiter, but it orbits its parent star, HD 189733, very closely, completing one revolution around the star every 2.2 days.

“Hydrogen sulfide is a major molecule that we didn't know existed. We predicted it would be there, and we know it's on Jupiter, but we'd never actually detected it outside the solar system,” said Dr Guangwei Hu, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University.

“Although we're not looking for life on this planet because it's too hot, the discovery of hydrogen sulfide is a stepping stone to finding this molecule on other planets and improving our understanding of how different types of planets form.”

“In addition to detecting hydrogen sulfide and measuring the total amount of sulfur in HD 189733b's atmosphere, we also precisely measured the main sources of oxygen and carbon on the planet: water, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide.”

“Sulfur is an essential element for building more complex molecules, and like carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and phosphate, scientists need to study it further to fully understand how planets are built and what they're made of.”

The Webb probe will give scientists new tools to track hydrogen sulfide and measure sulfur on gas giants outside our solar system, just as they have detected water, carbon dioxide, methane and other important molecules on other exoplanets.

“Let's say we study another 100 hot Jupiters and they're all enriched with sulphur. What does that say about how they came into being and how they formed differently compared to our Jupiter?” Dr Fu said.

The new data, delivered by the Webb Telescope at unprecedented precision and in infrared wavelengths, also rule out the presence of methane in HD 189733b's atmosphere, refuting previous claims that the molecule is abundant in the atmosphere.

“We thought the planet would be too hot for high concentrations of methane to exist, but it turns out that's not the case,” Dr Fu said.

Astronomers also measured Jupiter-like levels of heavy metals, a discovery that could help scientists answer questions about the correlation between a planet's metallicity and its mass.

“Low-mass ice giants like Neptune and Uranus contain more metals than gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn, the largest planets in the solar system,” Dr Fu said.

“High metallicity suggests that Neptune and Uranus accumulated more ice, rock and other heavy elements compared to gases such as hydrogen and helium early in their formation. Scientists are testing whether this correlation also holds true for exoplanets.”

“This Jupiter-mass planet is very close to Earth and has been very well studied. Now, our new measurements show that this planet's metal concentrations provide a very important anchor point for studies of how a planet's composition varies with its mass and radius.”

“This discovery supports our understanding of how planets form after the initial core is formed, creating more solid material that is then naturally enriched with heavy metals.”

Team result Published in the journal Nature.

_____

G. Hu othersA hydrogen sulfide and metal-rich atmosphere on a Jupiter-mass exoplanet. NaturePublished online July 8, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07760-y

Source: www.sci.news

Is Hydrogen Poised to Surpass Batteries in the Zero-Emission Vehicle Race?

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

HHydrogen is a fascinating substance, being the lightest element. When it reacts with oxygen, only water is produced and an abundance of energy is released. This invisible gas looks like the clean fuel of the future. Some of the world's top automakers hope it will usurp batteries as the technology of choice for zero-emissions driving.

In our EV myth-busting series, we've looked at a range of concerns, from car fires to battery mining, range anxiety to cost concerns and carbon emissions. Many critics of electric cars argue that gasoline and diesel engines should not be abandoned. This article asks whether hydrogen offers a third way and has the potential to overtake batteries.

Claim

Many of the strongest arguments for the role of hydrogen in the auto industry are coming from CEOs at the heart of the industry. Japan's Toyota is the most vocal promoter of hydrogen, with Chairman Akio Toyoda saying last month that he expects the share of battery cars to peak at 30%, with hydrogen and internal combustion engines making up the rest. Toyota's Mirai is one of the only widely available hydrogen-powered vehicles, along with Hyundai's Nexo SUV.

“Hydrogen is the missing piece of the jigsaw when it comes to emission-free mobility,” Oliver Zipse, president of German automaker BMW, said last year. BMW may be investing heavily in battery technology, but the company is testing the BMW iX5 hydrogen fuel cell vehicle despite using Toyota's fuel cells. “One technology alone is not enough to enable climate-neutral mobility around the world,” said Zipse.

science

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, but that doesn't mean it's easily available on Earth. Most of today's pure hydrogen is made by decomposing carbon from methane, which releases carbon. Zero-emission “green hydrogen” is produced through electrolysis. In other words, it uses clean electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Hydrogen graphics

To use hydrogen as a fuel, it can be burned or used in fuel cells. Hydrogen reacts with oxygen in the air in the presence of a catalyst (often made of expensive platinum). This strips the electrons flowing through the electrical circuit and charges the battery, which can power the electric motor.

According to Jean-Michel Billig, chief technology officer for hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development at Stellantis, hydrogen enables refueling in four minutes, higher payload and longer range. (The Mirai can travel 400 miles on a full tank.) Stellantis, which began producing hydrogen vans in France and Poland last month, is targeting companies that want to use their vehicles all the time but don't want the downtime required to charge them. .

“They need to be on the streets,” Billig said. “If there are no taxis running, you will be losing money.”

Stellantis believes it can lower sticker prices. Billig said that although the company manufactures both, he expects “by the end of this decade, hydrogen mobility and BEVs will be on par from a cost perspective.”

Many energy experts do not share hydrogen carmakers' enthusiasm. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has described this technology as “sold by idiots.” Why use green electricity to make hydrogen when you can use the same electricity to power your car?

All energy conversion involves wasted heat. This means that hydrogen fuel necessarily provides less energy to the vehicle. (These losses are even greater when hydrogen is directly combusted or used to make electronic fuels that replace gasoline and diesel in noisy, hot internal combustion engines.)

David Sebon, professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Cambridge, said: “With green hydrogen, it would take around three times more electricity to produce the hydrogen to power a car than just to charge the battery. “It will be.”

This may be a slight improvement, but not enough to cause problems with the battery. “It's hard to do anything much better than this,” Sebon said.

Hydrogen cars consume more energy overall than battery cars.

Michael Liebreich, chairman of Liebreich Associates and founder of analyst firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance, is an influential
“Hydrogen ladder” – A league table ranking the use of hydrogen in terms of whether there are cheaper, easier or more likely alternatives. He placed automotive hydrogen on the “doom row”, with little opportunity even in niche markets.

Can hydrogen overtake car batteries? “The answer is no,” Liebreich said without hesitation. He added that carmakers betting on a large share of hydrogen would be “completely wrong” and set for costly disappointments.

The main problem with hydrogen cars is not the fuel cells, but actually delivering clean hydrogen where it is needed. This gas is highly flammable, with all the attendant safety concerns, so it must be stored under pressure and easily leaks. It also contains less energy per unit volume than fossil fuels, so unless you use electrolyzers on site, you will need many times more tankers.

The United States and Europe are beginning to invest in hydrogen supplies with heavy government subsidies. But so far, it has been a chicken-and-egg problem. Buyers don't want hydrogen cars because they can't fill them up, and since there are no cars, there are no filling stations. According to the European Hydrogen Observatory, there are 178 hydrogen filling stations in Europe, half of them in Germany. In the UK, he compares nine hydrogen stations to 8,300 petrol stations or his 31,000 public charging locations (not including household plugs).

Are there any precautions?

So why does the International Energy Agency think hydrogen will account for 16% of road transport in 2050 on the path to net zero? The answer lies primarily in heavy vehicles such as buses and trucks .

Liebreich said he is so convinced that batteries will continue to dominate the energy supply for heavy-duty vehicles that he co-founded a truck charging company. “HGVs may contain hydrogen, but it will be in the minority,” he said.

Speaking to Autocar in October, even Toyota admitted that the use of hydrogen in cars has so far been “unsuccessful” primarily due to fuel supply shortages. said Hiroki Nakajima, technical director. Trucks and coaches have high hopes for the technology, and the company is also prototyping a hydrogen version of its Hilux pickup truck.

What kind of energy supply will govern heavy goods vehicles? Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

verdict

As government enthusiasm waxes and wanes, the economics of hydrogen will change as well. Other changes may occur. As technology improves (within limits), gas may become more attractive, and prospectors may be able to find cheap “white hydrogen” drilled out of the ground.

However, when it comes to cars, it seems like the deal has already been settled. Batteries are already the second choice after gasoline for almost all manufacturers. According to the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers and Trade Association, fewer than 300 hydrogen cars will be sold in the UK over 20 years, compared to 1 million electric cars.

The battery advantage is likely to grow even further as research and infrastructure dollars address issues of range and charging time. Compared to that flood of investment, hydrogen is a tiny fraction.

Proponents of hydrogen now face the question of whether they can build a profitable business in transporting long-distance, heavy goods by road. They need answers soon about where they will get enough green, cheap hydrogen and whether that gas is better used elsewhere.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Albanian mines reveal large reserves of natural hydrogen gas underground

Posted on February 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Albanian mine where hydrogen naturally seeps through rocks

FV.Donze

The largest flow of natural hydrogen gas ever recorded has been measured deep in an Albanian mine. The discovery could help locate underground reserves of this clean fuel.

“The lather is really intense,” he says. Laurent Truche Researchers at France’s Grenoble-Alpes University measured gas in a pool of water about a kilometer underground. “It’s like a jacuzzi.”

Companies are currently searching for natural hydrogen deposits around the world as a source of clean fuel, but there is scant evidence that this “golden hydrogen” has accumulated in large quantities. Most claims about vast subsurface hydrogen deposits rely on extrapolation rather than direct measurements.

In search of more substantive evidence, Truche and his colleagues descended on Albania’s Balkizekromite mine. There, hydrogen gas escaping from the rocks has caused several explosions. The mine is also located in an outcrop of iron-rich rocks known as ophiolites. In other places, such as Oman, water is known to react with such rocks to produce hydrogen.

The researchers found that more than 80% of the gas bubbling out of the pool was hydrogen, mixed with methane and small amounts of nitrogen. That gas was flowing at a rate of 11 tons per year, almost an order of magnitude more than any other gas. Flow of hydrogen gas measured from a single point source elsewhere on the Earth’s surface.

To determine the source of the gas, the researchers also modeled various geological scenarios that could produce such flows. They found that the most likely scenario is that the gas is coming from a deeper reservoir of hydrogen accumulated in faults beneath the mine. Based on the geometry of the fault, they estimate that the reservoir contains at least 5,000 to 50,000 tons of hydrogen.

“This is one of the largest amounts of natural hydrogen ever measured,” he says. Eric Gaucher an independent geochemist focused on natural hydrogen.

But he says it’s still not a huge amount. Jeffrey Ellis At the U.S. Geological Survey. But evidence of stable hydrogen accumulation supports the idea that there is more hydrogen stored underground, he says. “We need to look deeper.”

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Future Liquid Hydrogen Fuel Could Be Provided by a New Catalyst

Posted on December 25, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Researchers are developing a hydrogen-based vehicle fuel system that uses catalytically converted liquids and has zero greenhouse gas emissions. Although this method is still being researched, it faces challenges such as catalyst durability and the environmental friendliness of hydrogen production, highlighting the need for political support for renewable energy.

Researchers at Sweden’s Lund University have developed an innovative vehicle fuel system that minimizes greenhouse gas emissions and operates in a circular manner. The system utilizes a unique liquid that, when combined with a solid catalyst, turns into hydrogen fuel for cars. After use, the used fluid is removed from the vehicle’s tank and refilled with hydrogen, making it available for reuse. This process forms a closed-loop system that significantly reduces environmental impact.

In two research papers, Lund researchers have demonstrated that the method works, and although it is still basic research, it has the potential to become an efficient energy storage system in the future.

“Our catalyst is one of the most efficient, at least according to published studies,” says one of the authors, Ola Wendt, professor in the Department of Chemistry at Lund University.

Addressing climate impacts and exploring hydrogen gas

Reducing our climate impact requires finding alternative ways to produce, store, and convert energy to reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuels. One method involves the hot topic of hydrogen gas, which many see as the future solution for energy storage. Nature stores energy through chemical bonds, and hydrogen contains the highest energy density relative to its weight.

“But gas can be difficult to handle, so we are looking at hydrogen-filled liquid fuels that can be delivered at the pump, in much the same way as is done at gas stations today.” Ola Wendt he says.

This concept is known as LOHC (Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier) and is not new in itself. The challenge is to find the most efficient catalyst possible to extract hydrogen from the liquid.

The system is designed to operate using a liquid “filled” with hydrogen. The liquid is pumped through a solid catalyst to extract the hydrogen. This can be used in fuel cells that convert chemical fuels into electricity, and the “spent” liquid is taken to a separate tank. Only water is expelled.

Refueling and large-scale production

Used fluid can be emptied at a filling station before being refilled with new fill fluid. This would likely mean large-scale production of materials comparable to today’s oil refineries.

“We converted more than 99 percent of the hydrogen gas present in the liquid,” says Ola Wendt.

Researchers are also calculating whether the fuel could be used in larger vehicles such as buses, trucks and airplanes.

“With the larger tanks they have, they might be able to cover about the same distance as a diesel tank. They would also convert about 50% more energy than compressed hydrogen,” says Ola. Wendt says.

Components and challenges

The liquids used are isopropanol (a common ingredient in screen wash) and 4-methylpiperidine.

Does this seem a little too good to be true? Yes, many challenges remain, at least for now. One is that catalysts have a fairly limited lifetime. Another reason is that iridium, which is the basis of the catalyst, is a precious metal.

“However, we estimate that each car requires about 2 grams of iridium. ,” says Ola Wendt.

This is a technical solution based on basic research. Ola Wendt believes that if the decision is made to develop a finished product, the concept could be completed within 10 years if it is economically viable and there is interest from society. I am.

Another issue is how hydrogen is produced. Today, most manufacturing is not climate friendly. Next, hydrogen needs to be stored and transported in an effective way, which is not so easy today. Compressed hydrogen refueling also has risks. Lund researchers hope to solve this problem in their own way.

“Ninety-eight percent of all hydrogen today is fossil-based, produced from natural gas. The byproduct is carbon dioxide. From an environmental perspective, the concept of producing hydrogen for steel, batteries, and fuels is “It makes no sense if it’s done using natural gas,” says Ola Wendt, but explains that a lot of research is being done on how to “produce hydrogen in an environmentally friendly way.” To do. “Hydrogen” can be produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen with the help of renewable energy.

At the same time, Ola Wendt believes that political decisions are needed for renewable and climate-friendly alternatives to gain a proper foothold.

“It needs to be cheaper, and that will require a political decision. Renewable energy has the potential to compete with just digging it out of the ground, where transportation is almost the only cost, as is the case with fossil fuels. There is no gender,” he concludes.

Reference: “Acceptorless dehydrogenation of 4-methylpiperidine over supported pincer-bound iridium catalysts in continuous flow” Kaushik Chakrabarti, Alice Spangenberg, Vasudevan Subramaniyan, Andreas Hederstedt, Omar Y. Abdelaziz, Alexey V. Polukeev, Reine Wallenberg , by Christian P. Hulteberg and Ola F. Wendt, July 27, 2023. Catalyst science and technology.
DOI: 10.1039/D3CY00881A

“Iridium-catalyzed dehydrogenation in a continuous flow reactor for practical on-board hydrogen production from liquid organic hydrogen carriers”, Alexey V. Polukeev, Reine Wallenberg, Jens Uhlig, Christian P. Hulteberg, Ola F. Wendt, March 9, 2022 chemsus chem.
DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202200085

Source: scitechdaily.com

Innovative Solar-Powered Device Converts Contaminated Water into Clean Hydrogen Fuel and Purified Water

Posted on December 23, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Cambridge researchers have developed a solar power device that converts contaminated water into clean hydrogen fuel and potable water, providing a sustainable solution to the global energy and water crisis. Credit: Chanon Pornrungroj/Ariffin Mohamad Annuar

A research team from the University of Cambridge has developed an innovative floating device that uses solar energy to convert contaminated or seawater into clean hydrogen fuel and purified water.

The device can operate on any open water source and does not rely on external power sources, making it particularly beneficial for regions with limited resources or without access to the electrical grid.

Innovation inspired by nature

Inspired by photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight into food. But unlike previous versions of “artificial leaves” that could produce green hydrogen fuel from clean water sources, this new device can work from polluted or seawater sources and produce clean drinking water at the same time.

Tests of the device have shown that it can produce clean water from highly polluted water, seawater and even the River Cam in central Cambridge.of result reported in a magazine natural water.

Technical challenges and breakthroughs

“It’s difficult to combine solar fuel production and water purification into a single device,” said study co-lead author Dr Chanon Pornunglozi from the Yusuf Hameed Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. “Solar-powered water splitting, where water molecules are split into hydrogen and oxygen, requires starting with completely pure water, as contaminants can poison the catalyst or cause unwanted chemical side reactions. .”

“Water splitting is extremely difficult in remote and developing regions, where clean water is relatively scarce and the infrastructure needed to purify water is not readily available,” said co-lead author Arifin. Mohammad Annua said. “If we have a device that works with contaminated water, we could potentially solve two problems at once: we could split water to make clean fuel and we could make clean drinking water.”

Researchers have developed a solar-powered floating device that can turn contaminated or seawater into clean hydrogen fuel or purified water anywhere in the world. Credit: Chanon Pornrungroj/Ariffin Mohamad Annuar

Pornunglozi and Mohammad Annua, members of Professor Irwin Reisner’s research group, have devised a design that does just that. They deposited a photocatalyst on a nanostructured carbon mesh that easily absorbs both light and heat, producing water vapor that the photocatalyst uses to produce hydrogen. The porous carbon mesh treated to repel water facilitated the levitation of the photocatalyst and served to keep it away from the water below so that pollutants would not interfere with the photocatalyst’s function.

Additionally, new devices use more solar energy. “The process of using light to produce solar fuels uses only a small portion of the solar spectrum; much of the spectrum remains unused,” said Mohammad Anuar.

The research team used a white UV-absorbing layer on top of the floating device for hydrogen production through water splitting. The rest of the solar spectrum travels to the bottom of the device, where the water evaporates.

“This way, we are making better use of light. We get steam for hydrogen production, and the rest is water vapor,” Pornunglozi said. “This way we can now incorporate the process of transpiration, so we can really mimic real leaves.”

Potential global impact

A device that can create clean fuel and clean water all at once using only solar power could help address the energy and water crisis facing many parts of the world. For example, according to the World Health Organization, indoor air pollution caused by cooking with “dirty” fuels such as kerosene is responsible for more than 3 million deaths a year. Cooking with green hydrogen instead could potentially reduce that number significantly. And around the world, he said, 1.8 billion people still don’t have safe drinking water at home.

“The design is also very simple. In just a few steps, you can build a device that works well with water from a variety of sources,” said Mohammad Anuar.

“It is very resistant to contaminants, and the floating design allows the substrate to work in very murky or muddy water,” Pornungloj said. “It’s a very versatile system.”

“While our device is still a proof of principle, these solutions will be needed to develop a truly circular economy and sustainable future,” said Reisner, who led the research. Stated. “The climate crisis and issues around pollution and health are closely linked, and developing approaches that help address both could be a game-changer for many people.”

References: “Hybrid photothermal-photocatalytic sheets for solar-powered whole water splitting coupled with water purification” by Chanon Pornrungroj, Ariffin Bin Mohamad Annuar, Qian Wang, Motiar Rahaman, Subhajit Bhattacharjee, Virgil Andrei, Erwin Reisner; November 13, 2023 natural water.
DOI: 10.1038/s44221-023-00139-9

This research was partially supported by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme, the European Research Council, the Cambridge Trust, the Petronas Educational Sponsorship Program and the Winton Program for the Physics of Sustainability. Erwin Reisner is a fellow at St. John’s College. Chanon Pornrungroj is a member of the University of Darwin and Ariffin Mohamad Annuar is a member of Clare University.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Hydrogen Cyanide Detected in Enceladus’ Plume by Planetary Researchers

Posted on December 17, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Using data from NASA’s Cassini mission, planetary scientists have detected several compounds critical to the habitability of Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus, including hydrogen cyanide, acetylene, propylene, and ethane. . These compounds may support living microbial communities or drive complex organic syntheses leading to the origin of life.

Diagram of Enceladus’ plume activity.Image credit: Peter other., doi: 10.1038/s41550-023-02160-0.

“Our study provides further evidence that Enceladus hosts some of the most important molecules for both producing the building blocks of life and sustaining life through metabolic reactions,” said Harvard University Ph.D. said Jonah Peter, a student in the program.

“Not only does Enceladus appear to meet the basic requirements for habitability, but we are also wondering how complex biomolecules are formed there and what kinds of chemical pathways are involved. I got an idea about it.”

“The discovery of hydrogen cyanide was particularly exciting because it is the starting point for most theories about the origin of life.”

As we know, life requires building blocks such as amino acids, and hydrogen cyanide is one of the most important and versatile molecules required for the formation of amino acids.

Peter and his colleagues refer to hydrogen cyanide as the Swiss Army knife of amino acid precursors because its molecules stack up in different ways.

“The more we tested alternative models and tried to poke holes in the results, the stronger the evidence became,” Peter said.

“Ultimately, it became clear that there was no way to match the plume composition without including hydrogen cyanide.”

Saturn’s moon Enceladus with plumes. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SSI / Kevin M. Gill.

In 2017, planetary scientists discovered evidence of chemistry on Enceladus that could help sustain life in the ocean, if it exists.

The combination of carbon dioxide, methane, and hydrogen in the plume suggested methanogenesis, a metabolic process that produces methane.

This process is widespread on Earth and may have been important for the origin of life on Earth.

Peter and his co-authors found evidence for additional energetic chemical sources that are far more powerful and diverse than methane production.

They discovered a series of oxidized organic compounds, showing scientists that Enceladus’ underground ocean potentially has many chemical pathways to support life. That’s because oxidation promotes the release of chemical energy.

“If methane production is like a small clock battery in terms of energy, then our findings suggest that Enceladus’ ocean could provide large amounts of energy for any life that might exist. This suggests that we may be able to provide something similar to car batteries,” said Dr. Kevin Hand, a researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Unlike previous studies that used laboratory experiments and geochemical modeling to recreate the conditions Cassini found on Enceladus, the authors relied on detailed statistical analysis.

They examined data collected by Cassini’s ion and neutral mass spectrometers, which study the gas, ions, and ice grains around Saturn.

By quantifying the amount of information contained in the data, the authors were able to uncover subtle differences in how well different compounds explain the Cassini signal.

“There are a lot of potential puzzle pieces that can be put together when trying to reconcile observed data,” Peter said.

“We used mathematics and statistical modeling to identify the combination of puzzle pieces that best matched the plume’s composition and made the most of the data without over-interpreting the limited data set.”

of findings It was published in the magazine natural astronomy.

_____

JS Peter other. Detection of HCN and diverse redox chemistries in Enceladus plumes. Nat Astron, published online on December 14, 2023. doi: 10.1038/s41550-023-02160-0

Source: www.sci.news

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