Geologic hydrogen under 1 dollar: myth or reality? — NRG-IA

Exploiting natural hydrogen reservoirs — the promise of a sub-1 dollar per kilogram fuel Geologic hydrogen extracted directly from the Earth's crust could cost under $1 per kilogram, according to recent industry estimates, offering a radically cheaper alternative to green hydrogen produced via electrolysis. This price threshold could directly undermine the competitiveness of traditional fossil fuels and accelerate the decarbonization of hard-to-abate industrial sectors. However, the transition from theory to large-scale commercial exploitation clashes with the limits of transport infrastructure and current real-world costs. While investors analyze the potential of underground reservoirs, early adopters in Europe are already facing an operating cost shock. Unlike green hydrogen, which requires massive amounts of renewable electricity and expensive equipment, geologic hydrogen (also known as "gold" hydrogen) is generated naturally underground through chemical processes such as…