The BRGM supports the company VEMA Hydrogen through a CICO-type R&D contract to help structure the modeling of stimulated geological hydrogen, called "orange hydrogen".

Founded in 2024, VEMA Hydrogen aims to offer an innovative, competitive solution with reduced production costs, industrializable and low carbon footprint, capable of contributing to the decarbonization of industry and the development of a new energy sector.

In detail, the hydrogen production technology developed by VEMA Hydrogen is based on the controlled stimulation of natural and spontaneous geochemical reactions in shallow mafic or ultramafic formations of the subsoil.

The principle is to inject a pressurized brine in order to accelerate the oxidation-reduction reactions of iron (serpentinization) in the minerals of peridotites. These reactions produce hydrogen from the injection of a solution of salt water and catalysts, under controlled conditions.

Deploying innovative technology for decarbonization

The collaboration between the BRGM and VEMA Hydrogen illustrates the complementarity between public research and industrial innovation and demonstrates the institution's ability to support innovative industrial players in the energy transition on technologies with high decarbonization potential.

Source:  Fuel Cells Works