France has discovered a huge deposit of natural hydrogen, known as "white hydrogen", in the Lorraine mining basin, at the Folschviller pit in Moselle. This deposit, estimated at 46 million tonnes, could transform the global energy landscape, accounting for more than half of the gray hydrogen produced worldwide every year.
The find, made by the GeoRessources laboratory of the Université de Lorraine and CNRS, emerged during a search for methane at a depth of 1,250 meters, revealing a rich concentration of white hydrogen. This primary energy source, which requires no transformation, marks a potential turning point for the energy transition. This places France at the heart of a potential energy revolution, with major ecological and economic benefits.
Hydrogen deposits in France
Location and capacity of deposits
France's natural hydrogen deposits are spread across a number of regions, offering a wealth of geographical and geological resources. The most remarkable deposit is located in the Lorraine coalfield, more precisely at Folschviller in Moselle. It is estimated to contain around 46 million tonnes of white hydrogen, a significant quantity compared with the world's production of grey hydrogen.
In addition to Lorraine, other regions such as the Rhine Graben, the outer Jura, the Paris Basin, as well as parts of the Cotentin and Pyrenees, revealed lower concentrations of natural hydrogen. Sources of white hydrogen have also been identified in water at Buis-les-Baronnies and Molières-Glandaz, in the Drôme region, underlining France's considerable potential for natural hydrogen resources.
Extraction and mining technologies
To extract and exploit natural hydrogen, France relies on innovative technologies distinct from those used for fossil fuels. The discovery of the Lorraine deposit was facilitated by the SysMoG probe, capable of analyzing gases dissolved in geological formations at depths of up to 1,200 meters via a 6-centimeter-diameter well. This approach requires the development of new methods to efficiently exploit dissolved hydrogen.
Hydrogen production mechanisms, based on mineral oxidation and water reduction involving iron carbonates, need to be fully understood and optimized. The REGALOR II project, scheduled for April 2024, will play a key role in the precise assessment of deposits and the definition of suitable extraction techniques. This project is the fruit of a collaboration between the GeoRessources laboratory at the University of Lorraine and La Française de l'Energie, aimed at developing the tools and methods needed to exploit this clean energy source.
Hydrogen as the linchpin of the energy transition
Hydrogen's environmental benefits
Hydrogen offers a host of environmental advantages, making it a key component of the energy transition. Its carbon-free production, notably via water electrolysis fuelled by renewable energies (solar, wind), releases no greenhouse gases. This approach, known as "green hydrogen", represents an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional methods of hydrogen production, which emit CO₂.
The use of hydrogen in various sectors produces no pollutants or greenhouse gases. For example, hydrogen-powered vehicles emit only water vapor and heat, offering a clean solution for mobility. In industry, it can substitute fossil fuels in the production of heat and synthesis gas, reducing CO₂ and other pollutants. Technological advances, such as those developed by startup Sakowin, which transforms methane into hydrogen and solid carbon without the use of water and with increased energy efficiency, amplify hydrogen's environmental benefits.
Integration into the French energy mix
The France 2030 plan underlines the strategic importance of hydrogen in the French energy mix, aiming to make it a central element of the energy transition, both in production and storage. The aim is to position France as a leader in green hydrogen, notably through the creation of gigafactories of electrolyzers for massive production of decarbonated hydrogen, fueled by renewable energies.
This hydrogen will be used in various fields: heating, vehicle fuel, electricity generation, and even in chemistry for refining and fertilizer manufacture. Projects supported by the European Union, such as the PIIEC, will play a key role in establishing a robust low-carbon hydrogen industry in France. Collaboration between manufacturers, innovative startups and research institutions is essential to develop the necessary technologies. Companies like Sakowin, which offer sustainable hydrogen production solutions, and engineering firms like Synops, which specialize in supporting hydrogen projects, are at the forefront of this transformation.
Challenges and prospects for the future
Economic and regulatory challenges
The future of hydrogen in France is marked by significant economic and regulatory challenges. The cost of technologies linked to the production and use of carbon-free hydrogen represents a major challenge, being 3 to 4 times higher than that of traditional solutions.
The price of a kilogram of decarbonated hydrogen and the acquisition of hydrogen-powered vehicles remain substantially higher. A key issue is also the source of electricity for water electrolysis, essential for massive hydrogen production. France must guarantee decarbonized, economical electricity production, highlighting the importance of developing renewable energies and nuclear power in the energy mix.
It is essential to regulate and incentivize investment in the hydrogen sector, requiring appropriate financing and regulatory mechanisms to encourage the industrial use of hydrogen. This includes remuneration supplements and long-term contracts with electricity suppliers.
Training and skills development in the hydrogen field are also major challenges, requiring significant investment to meet the needs of an expanding industry.
France's strategic role in the European hydrogen market
With its ambition to become a world leader in carbon-free hydrogen, France plays a strategic role in the European market. Its substantial investments and national strategy, launched in 2020, position France as one of the first industrialized countries to adopt an ambitious hydrogen plan.
With a planned investment of nine billion euros as part of France 2030, the aim is to develop a competitive low-carbon, renewable hydrogen industry. France stands out for its advantageous position in terms of patents, research and development (R&D), and equipment manufacturers in the hydrogen sector.
Hydrogen hubs, which encourage the pooling of production and the development of low-carbon industrial activities, will play a key role in this strategy. To maintain its leading position in the fast-growing global market, France must also maintain its technological and industrial expertise in hydrogen-related equipment.
Cooperation with other European countries and participation in European initiatives are essential to reduce the costs of hydrogen vehicles and infrastructure, enabling the creation of economies of scale and encouraging the adoption of decarbonized hydrogen in the industrial and transport sectors.
Conclusion
With its ambition to become a world leader in carbon-free hydrogen, France plays a strategic role in the European market. Its substantial investments and national strategy, launched in 2020, position France as one of the first industrialized countries to adopt an ambitious hydrogen plan.
With a planned investment of nine billion euros as part of France 2030, the aim is to develop a competitive low-carbon, renewable hydrogen industry. France stands out for its advantageous position in terms of patents, research and development (R&D), and equipment manufacturers in the hydrogen sector.
Hydrogen hubs, which encourage the pooling of production and the development of low-carbon industrial activities, will play a key role in this strategy. To maintain its leading position in the fast-growing global market, France must also maintain its technological and industrial expertise in hydrogen-related equipment.
Cooperation with other European countries and participation in European initiatives are essential to reduce the costs of hydrogen vehicles and infrastructure, enabling the creation of economies of scale and encouraging the adoption of decarbonized hydrogen in the industrial and transport sectors.
