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Hydrogen could help us clean up our act - The Times

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Hydrogen could help us clean up our act

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These circles in Namibia are believed to be Hydrogen seeps

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There are mysterious circles dotting the landscape in many parts of the world. These are shallow slumps in the ground, tens or hundreds of metres wide, and no one is sure of the cause. But in recent years hydrogen gas has been leaking from some of the circles, a discovery offering a tantalising new source of clean energy.

Hydrogen is packed with energy and can be used in vehicles, trains or ships, as well as heating and cooking, power generation and industrial processes. Most hydrogen is produced by converting fossil fuels such as natural gas, a process that gives off carbon dioxide as waste, and though hydrogen can be made cleanly by passing electricity from renewable sources through water, it needs vast amounts of power.

Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: hydrogen

State of Play

Hydrogen, long seen as a theoretical if not practical alternative to petroleum-based transportation fuels, is once again having a day in the sun as industries promote “green hydrogen,” produced using renewable resources.

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