Recently CNN News on-line reported the following:
化石燃料の採掘中に発見された温暖化対策のカギ (2/2)
2023.10.30 Mon posted at 17:03 JST
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大挙するベンチャー企業
ホワイト水素の生成過程は数多くあるが、大規模で天然の貯蔵地が形成された経緯についてはいまだ分かっていない部分もある。
地質学者の間では、鉄を豊富に含んだ石と水が科学反応を起こして水素を生成する「蛇紋石化作用」と、水分子を放射線が分解する「放射線分解」に絞られている。
ホワイト水素の埋蔵地は、米国、東欧、ロシア、オーストラリア、オマーン、フランスやマリなど、世界各地で発見されている。
偶然発見されたケースもあれば、「フェアリーサークル（妖精の踊りの環）」とも呼ばれる地形を手掛かりに探すケースもある。浅い楕円（だえん）形のくぼみは、水素が漏れ出ている可能性を示す指針だ。
エリス氏の推計では、世界には数百億トンのホワイト水素が眠っているとみられる。現在１年間で生成される水素量の１億トンをはるかに超える数字だ。２０５０年までに年間５億トンを生成することも予想されるとエリス氏は言う。
「ほぼ間違いなく、ホワイト水素の大半は蓄積量が極めて少ないか、遠洋に位置しているか、あまりにも深すぎて現実的に生成が経済的でないかだ」とエリス氏。だがそのうちわずか１％でも見つけて発掘できれば、２００年間で５億トンの水素が生成できるだろうとも付け加えた。
多くのベンチャー企業にとって、のどから手が出るような見通しだ。
オーストラリアを拠点とする企業「ゴールドハイドロゲン」は現在、南オーストラリア州のヨーク半島で採掘を行っている。この場所に狙いを絞ったのは、同州の記録保管所を掘り起こしたところ、１９２０年代に複数の掘削した穴から超高濃度の水素が発見されたとの記述を発見したのがきっかけだった。当時の採掘者は化石燃料にしか関心がなかったため、水素には目もくれなかった。
責任者のニール・マクドナルド氏は「目の前の展開にとても興奮している」と言う。さらに調査と採掘が必要だが、２０２４年遅くには初期生産を開始できるだろうと同氏はＣＮＮに語った。
破格の投資額を提示されたベンチャー企業もある。デンバーに拠点を置くホワイト水素企業「コロマ」は、マイクロソフト創業者のビル・ゲイツ氏が設立した投資会社「ブレークスルー・エナジー・ベンチャーズ（ＢＥＶ）」などの投資家から９１００万ドル（約１３６億円）の投資を集めた。もっとも、米国内の採掘場所や商用化の目標時期については硬く口を閉ざしている。
同じくデンバーを拠点とし、ビチェスラフ・ズゴニク氏が創業した「ナチュラルハイドロゲンエナジー」は１９年にネブラスカ州で水素の地質調査を完了し、さらに追加で採掘を計画している。「初の商用プロジェクトに非常に近づいている」とズゴニク氏はＣＮＮに語った。
ズゴニク氏は、気候変動対策の「スピードアップを可能にする解決策、それが天然水素だ」と述べた。
ブームを現実に
こうした企業や科学者にとっての難題は、理論上の期待をいかに商用化するかだろう。
「数十年もの間、試行錯誤や見切り発車が繰り返される可能性もある」とエリス氏は言う。だがスピード感は不可欠だ。「資源開発に２００年もかかるのであれば、たいして役には立たなくなってしまう」
だが多くのベンチャー企業は強気だ。中には数十年ではなく、数年のうちに商用化できると予測する声もある。「多少の微調整は必要だが、必要な技術はすべてそろっている」とズゴニク氏は言う。
それでも課題は残る。一部の国では規制が障壁になっている。費用の面でも努力が必要だ。マリの井戸をベースにした概算によると、ホワイト水素の生成にかかる費用は１キログラムあたり約１ドル（約１５０円）。これに対し、グリーン水素の場合は１キログラム当たり約６ドルだ。だが大量の埋蔵地を確保するためにさらに深く採掘しなければならない場合、ホワイト水素の費用は一気に上がりかねない。
ロレーヌ鉱山盆地では、ピロノン氏とデ・ドナート氏が次の段階として、ホワイト水素の埋蔵量を正確に知るために、地下３０００メートルまで採掘しようとしている。
まだまだ道のりは長い。しかし、かつて西欧の主要な石炭生産地だったこの地域が新たなホワイト水素業界の中心地になる日が来たなら、なんとも皮肉な話だ。
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Large number of venture companies
There were many ways white hydrogen could be produced, but in
some areas, we still did not understand how large-scale natural reservoirs were
formed.
Geologists had narrowed it down to ``serpentinization'' in
which iron-rich stones and water undergo a chemical reaction that produced
hydrogen, and ``radiolysis,'' in which water molecules were broken down by
radiation.
Reserves of white hydrogen had been discovered in many parts
of the world, including the United States, Eastern Europe, Russia, Australia,
Oman, France, and Mali.
In some cases they were discovered by chance, while in
others they had been searched for based on geographical features, also known as
``fairy circles.'' Shallow oval-shaped depressions were indicators that
hydrogen might be escaping.
Ellis estimated that there were tens of billions of tons of
white hydrogen lying around the world. This figure far exceeded the 100 million
tons of hydrogen currently produced per year. Ellis said it was also expected that
500 million tonnes would be generated each year up to 2050.
Ellis said, "Arguably, most of the white hydrogen is either has a very low amount of accumulation located in oceans, or too deep to be realistically economically produced". But if even 1% of that could be found and excavated, he added, 500 million tons of hydrogen could be produced in 200 years.
For many venture companies, they wanted this outlook so badly that their hands might reach out from their throats to grab it.
Director Neil MacDonald said: ``We're very excited about what is ahead.'' Further exploration and mining were required, but he told CNN that initial production could begin in late 2024.
Some venture companies had been offered with unprecedented investment amounts. Koloma, a Denver-based white hydrogen company, had received $91 million (approx. 13.6 billion yen) from investors including Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) that was an investment company founded by Microsoft founder Bill Gates. However, the company remained tight-lipped about the mining location in the United States and the target date for commercialization.
Natural Hydrogen Energy, also based in Denver and founded by Vyacheslav Zgonik, completed geological exploration for hydrogen in Nebraska in 2019 and additional mining was planned. Zgonik told CNN that "We're very close to our first commercial project."
In the fight against climate change Zgonik said that “a solution can speed up it: that is natural hydrogen. "
To make a boom into reality
The challenge for these companies and scientists would be
how to commercialize theoretical promise.
Ellis said, “There could be decades of repeated trial and error and premature decisions making". But a sense of speed is essential. "If it takes 200 years to develop resources, on comparison it won't be of much use."
Still, challenges remained. Regulation was a barrier in some
countries. Efforts also had to be made in terms of cost. According to estimates
based on wells in Mali, the cost to produce white hydrogen was about $1 (about
150 yen) per kilogram. Green hydrogen, by contrast, costs about $6 per
kilogram. But the cost of white hydrogen could rise non-stop if it had to be
mined deeper to secure large reserves.
In the Lorraine mining basin, Pironon and de Donato's next
step was to mine 3,000 meters underground to determine exactly how much white
hydrogen could be there.
There was still a long way to go. But it would be ironic if
this region, once a major coal-producing region in Western Europe, were one day
to become the center of the new white hydrogen industry.
So, two
scientists have made a discovery that could accelerate our effort to combat
climate change. Our interest in white hydrogen has rapidly increased over the
past few years as an untapped source of clean energy that has no environmental
impact when burned. Many venture companies are confident. Some predict it could
be commercially available within years rather than decades. This is good news
in the context of fighting climate change.
Note:
1. Serpentinization is the process of hydrothermal
alteration that transforms Fe-Mg-silicates such as olivine, pyroxene, or
amphiboles contained in ultramafic rocks into serpentine minerals. Much of the
uppermost mantle in oceanic setting is so altered. (https://link.springer.com/)
Serpentinite is a rock composed predominantly of one or more
serpentine group minerals, the name originating from the similarity of the
texture of the rock to that of the skin of a snake. Serpentinite has been
called serpentine or serpentine rock, particularly in older geological texts
and in wider cultural settings. (wikepedia)
2. Breakthrough Energy (BEV) is the umbrella name of
several organizations, founded by Bill Gates in 2015, that aim to accelerate
innovation in sustainable energy and in other technologies to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions. (Wikipedia)
3. Koloma is a geologic hydrogen company that
leverages its technology, proprietary data, and human capital advantages to
identify and commercialize these resources on a global scale. In its web-site
the company claims that its production methods produce hydrogen in a clean,
continuous, and cost-effective manner. (https://koloma.com/about-us/)
4. Natural Hydrogen Energy is a Denver-based company founded
by geochemist Vyacheslav Zgonik. It completed an
exploratory hydrogen well in Nebraska in 2019 and has plans for more wells. (https://serbia.postsen.com/world/243381/Revolutionary-discovery-They-explored-coal-mines-found-the-fuel-of-the-future--Insider-TV.htm)
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