Colombia could lead Latin America’s clean energy push with hydrogen find
Colombia has announced the discovery of large amounts of naturally occurring hydrogen underground.
This makes it the first country in Latin America to confirm the presence of this clean energy source.
The discovery was made in wells across the Cordillera Oriental and Sinú-San Jacinto basins during a study by the National Hydrocarbons Agency and the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
One of the wells, called Macanal-1X, showed the highest hydrogen levels, with a concentration of over 36,000 parts per million just 183 metres below ground.
The government says this natural hydrogen, sometimes called “white hydrogen,” could help reduce Colombia’s reliance on fossil fuels and support its clean energy goals.
The Energy Ministry has already started preparing new rules for exploring and using the resource, including guidelines on land use and community involvement.
Officials believe Colombia could follow in the footsteps of Mali, which is currently the only country with a commercially viable natural hydrogen site.
Experts say that, unlike other types of hydrogen that require production methods and produce emissions, white hydrogen occurs naturally and could offer a cheaper, cleaner energy source if it can be used effectively.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
