France hits hydrogen jackpot: World's largest reserve valued $92 billion found [View all]

France hits hydrogen jackpot: World’s largest reserve valued $92 billion found

This discovery positions France to lead the charge in hydrogen production, boosting local economies.

InterestingEngineering.com | Mar 22, 2025

Scientists in France have made a groundbreaking discovery that could transform clean energy production. Beneath the soil of Folschviller, in the Moselle region, researchers have uncovered an astonishing 46 million tons of natural hydrogen.

This unexpected find has the potential to reshape global energy strategies by providing a new source of carbon-free fuel.

The discovery was made by scientists from the GeoRessources laboratory and the CNRS while they were searching for methane. Instead, at a depth of 4,101 feet (1,250 meters), they found an enormous deposit of white hydrogen.

This form of hydrogen is naturally occurring and does not require industrial production, unlike green hydrogen, which is made using renewable energy, or gray hydrogen, which is derived from fossil fuels.

To put this discovery into perspective, the newly found deposit represents more than half of the world’s annual gray hydrogen production—but without the environmental costs. If extracted efficiently, this resource could provide a clean, low-cost energy solution that eliminates CO₂ emissions entirely. Media reports estimate the discovery’s value to be approximately $92 billion...more
https://interestingengineering.com/energy/france-worlds-largest-hydrogen-deposit