Researchers have found that ancient rocks beneath Ontario are naturally producing hydrogen gas in measurable quantities. The discovery could offer a new domestic source of clean energy for Canada.
Scientists from the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa measured hydrogen flowing from boreholes in an active mine near Timmins. The gas escapes at an average rate of 0.008 tonnes per year from each borehole and can continue for at least a decade. When scaled to the site's nearly 15,000 boreholes, the total reaches more than 140 tonnes annually, enough to power over 400 homes each year with 4.7 million kilowatts of energy.