The Australian coastline on the southern seaboard is undulating, with few intrusions but for occasional rivers. There is however a marked exception in South Australia, where Yorke Peninsula separates Spencer Gulf from Gulf St Vincent. Tales of a Yorke Peninsula hydrogen reserve have lingered for a century, since oil speculators tapped into 90% pure hydrogen back then.
What’s the Connection Between Yorke Peninsula Hydrogen and Batteries?
Good point, and one that deserves an answer. Batteries are a store of energy we can tap into when we need it. However, we can’t possibly energize our entire world this way. And so we use batteries to support other resources, including wind and solar, while making them as renewable as possible.
Hydrogen gas makes a powerful case for being at the core of our renewable energy drive. It is the most prevalent chemical substance we know of in the universe. Non-toxic, highly combustible hydrogen gas also exists in caverns beneath Earth’s surface. But we can also extract it from abundant water supplies using the power of electricity.
Hydrogen has long been seen as a potential energy carrier, with potential to help decarbonize our atmosphere. Possible applications include heavy industry, and long-distance transport. However, until now there have been insufficient naturally-occurring reserves according to Wikipedia. Could the Yorke Peninsula hydrogen gas reserve help change that perception?
What We Know About the Upcoming Exploration
The successful applicant is Gold Hydrogen, which has been reviewing data from the 1920’s and 1930’s for a while. This information stems from earlier oil exploration by South Australia state geologists. Gold Hydrogen believes modern technology will help it explore this reserve further, potentially “unlocking a revolutionary low-cost fuel source”.
Website Financial Review predicts drilling could commence by mid-October 2023. The result, if successful, could support South Australia’s goal to fully decarbonize its energy consumption. The first well location will be right beside the original one South Australian state geologists drilled a century ago. Is this a case of critical time wasted?
More Information
Large Scale Hydrogen Storage For UK Grid
New Hydrogen Battery with Mystery Material
Google Earth Image: Yorke Peninsula Near Adelaide
