Belgium goes searching for white hydrogen beneath its own soil

Following the discovery of a major natural hydrogen deposit in France's Moselle region, Belgium is now launching its own exploration programme. The federal government has approved a budget of €1.5 million to investigate its subsoil for natural hydrogen. The Belgian Geological Survey will carry out the mapping, with a first assessment expected within two years. Depending on results, an additional €2.7 million could follow. Funding comes from the European Emissions Trading System (ETS).

The trigger was a borehole drilled at Pontpierre in Moselle, France, at a depth of more than 3,600 metres. It confirmed a significant presence of natural hydrogen deep underground. Estimates point to a deposit of at least 34 million tonnes — equivalent to roughly 14 years of Belgium's electricity consumption. Because Belgian Lorraine sits in the same geological formation, the deposit may well extend across the border. Luxembourg and Germany could also be involved.

"Ten months ago, people spoke to me about white hydrogen as if it were a pipedream. Today, it is a strategic opportunity that we must explore with caution, but also with method and ambition." — Jean-Luc Crucke, Federal Minister for Mobility and Climate

Natural hydrogen — also called white or native hydrogen — does not need to be manufactured. It occurs naturally in the subsoil, which could dramatically reduce production costs compared to green or blue hydrogen. Minister Crucke explicitly calls it a potential game changer for industry and European energy autonomy.

Crucke is set to travel to France to meet with Française de l'Energie (FDE), the company behind the drilling, and with French authorities. Cross-border cooperation between Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Germany is being considered.

Caution remains warranted. Whether extractable quantities of hydrogen actually lie beneath Belgian soil is still uncertain. But for the first time, the question is being taken seriously.