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In this episode of Greenberg Traurig's E2 Energy Law Podcast Energy Horizon series, host Nikki Wise is joined by colleague Bill Garner, co-chair of the firm's global Energy Practice, for a focused look at natural hydrogen exploration and production in Europe.
Building on a prior episode examining U.S. developments, this conversation turns to a continent that has historically lacked significant onshore hydrocarbon reserves and explores whether natural hydrogen could change that equation.
Bill explains how natural hydrogen, sometimes called white hydrogen, forms through geological processes deep within the earth's crust and why advances in subsurface imaging technology are only now making meaningful exploration possible.
The discussion covers notable developments across France, Germany, Spain, Norway, and Finland, including France's emerging lead in the space with active exploration licenses and the first dedicated natural hydrogen well being drilled in the Lorraine basin.
Bill also highlights the work of Mantle8, a Grenoble-based geoscience company attracting significant investment with proprietary subsurface imaging technology.
The episode addresses the practical and regulatory challenges ahead, including the physical properties of hydrogen that complicate extraction and transport, the absence of clear EU regulatory frameworks, and the economics of natural hydrogen compared to green and gray alternatives.
Bill offers insight on timelines for commercial viability, potential integration into Europe's planned hydrogen pipeline infrastructure, and why most policymakers view natural hydrogen as a complement to renewables rather than a competitor.
The episode concludes with an assessment of why 2026 marks a meaningful inflection point in Europe's natural hydrogen story.
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