Italy Maps Natural Hydrogen Potential, Identifies Key Exploration Areas
Italy has completed its first national assessment of natural hydrogen prospectivity, identifying key regions with high potential for this naturally occurring energy source. The study, published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy by researchers from Sapienza University of Rome, Italy’s National Research Council (CNR), and the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), ranks areas based on their H2 Prospectivity Index. Tuscany, particularly around Larderello and Mount Amiata, shows the highest prospectivity due to hydrothermal alteration of iron-rich granites. Other high-potential areas include the Ligurian-Emilian-Tuscan Apennines, the Po Basin, and the Voltri Massif. This assessment focuses on identifying where further exploration is justified, rather than quantifying proven reserves, as no accumulation has been definitively identified yet. Natural hydrogen, also known as white or geologic hydrogen, forms underground through geological processes, distinguishing it from manufactur...
