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6 min ago 2 min read
Natural hydrogen explorer Mantle8 has expanded its European exploration campaign after securing two Spanish permits, as companies race to identify potentially low-cost underground hydrogen resources.
The permits cover around 960km2 across Navarra and the Basque Country, allowing the firm to conduct non-invasive studies for natural hydrogen and helium.
Lying on the southern flank of the Pyrenees, they add to a recent permit from the French government for a 739 km² area in the mountain range, where “active hydrogen-generating” sources were previously detected.
In Spain, the start-up will use non-invasive natural hydrogen detection, imaging, and quantification tools to validate further sources.
“Navarra and the Basque Country offer a rare combination of favourable geology supported by established infrastructure, in a region with strong offtake potential,” said Mantle8 CEO Emmanuel Masini.
Mantle8 estimates it could extract natural hydrogen for as little as €0.80 ($0.91) per kilogramme.
Natural hydrogen is gaining increased attention for its potential to offer low-cost sources of clean hydrogen. Since 2020, the number of exploration companies has grown to over 40 from just a handful. This year alone, Mantle8 ($35m) in Series A financing.
It is generated and accumulates underground through processes like serpentinization, where water flows through iron-rich rocks.
Mantle8’s Masini claimed the hydrogen source could be a “strategic, sovereign, and clean” resource for Europe, but called for more regulatory support.
“The Spanish regulators have done well to adapt existing hydrocarbon regulations to include hydrogen, but there’s still work to do,” he said. “We welcome clearer regulatory frameworks across Europe and will prioritise those where we see the best opportunity to unlock this incredible resource.”
Despite its potential as a huge source, natural hydrogen remains nascent, with extraction technologies still undetermined. While proponents suggest existing oil and gas technologies and processes could be used, .
