ESA Earth Explorers’ Post

Québec just took another significant step toward building a geologic natural hydrogen industry. The Government of Québec's newly released Plan de gestion intégrée des ressources énergétiques 2026-2050 formally identifies geologic hydrogen as one of the innovation sectors essential to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Specifically, the plan commits to: → A minimum of 5 research projects in geologic hydrogen by 2035 → A target of 2 exploitation projects in production by 2050 Geologic (or "natural") hydrogen remains an emerging field globally. Very few jurisdictions have moved to build real regulatory infrastructure around it. Québec choosing to do so — rather than leaving the sector in ambiguity — gives companies like ours, and the broader industry, the clarity we need to invest with confidence. As CEO of QIMC, I'm proud that our team has played an active role in getting to this point. We were invited to testify before Québec's National Assembly on PL 17, and we've consistently advocated for the kind of clear, forward-looking framework the government has now committed to. We've also put in the work on the ground. QIMC currently operates 8 measuring and monitoring wells across Québec, and has completed extensive soil sampling and geophysics work in the Témiscamingue graben — carried out in partnership with our First Nation partner, TFN. That partnership reflects how we believe this industry needs to be built: responsibly, collaboratively, and with community at the table from day one. The next milestone for this sector is pilot projects. Regulatory clarity is the necessary foundation, but pilot projects are what will actually prove out extraction, monitoring, and production at real scale — the bridge between research and the exploitation targets Québec has now set for 2050. Congratulations to the Government of Québec on this plan. We look forward to continuing to help build this clean energy industry. #GeologicHydrogen #NaturalHydrogen #CleanHydrogen #EnergyTransition #Québec #CleanEnergy #Hydrogen #Carboneutralité2050

New Research Topic Alert – Now Open for Submissions! I am pleased to share that our Frontiers Research Topic, "Hydrogen in Georeservoirs: Underground Storage, In Situ Production, and Coupled CO₂ Storage & Mineralization," is now accepting submissions. As hydrogen emerges as a cornerstone of the global clean energy transition and carbon management technologies continue to scale, understanding the role of subsurface georeservoirs has never been more important. This Research Topic seeks to advance the science and engineering of integrated hydrogen and CO₂ operations, including underground hydrogen storage, geologic hydrogen generation, CO₂ storage, mineralization, monitoring technologies, and risk-informed reservoir management. We welcome multidisciplinary contributions spanning: 1. Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS) 2. Geologic and In Situ Hydrogen Production 3. CO₂ Storage and Mineralization 4. Reservoir and Caprock Integrity 5. Reactive Transport and Geochemical Processes 6. Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) 7. Machine Learning, Digital Twins, and Uncertainty Quantification 8. Field Pilots, Demonstration Projects, and Regulatory Frameworks ❌ Manuscript Submission Deadline: 4 December 2026 🔗 Submit your manuscript or learn more here: https://lnkd.in/dzjm_gnf I am honored to serve as a Topic Editor alongside Dr. Bennet Nii Tackie-Otoo and MOHAMMED ISAH, Ph.D. We look forward to receiving innovative contributions that help shape the future of hydrogen and CO₂ georeservoir technologies for a sustainable energy future. #HydrogenStorage #GeologicHydrogen #UndergroundHydrogenStorage #EnergyTransition #CarbonCapture #CCUS #CO2Storage #CO2Mineralization #Georeservoirs #SubsurfaceEnergy #CleanEnergy #HydrogenEconomy #ReservoirEngineering #GeoEnergy #MachineLearning #DigitalTwins #MRV #Sustainability #ResearchOpportunity #Frontiers

New Research Topic Alert – Now Open for Submissions! I am pleased to share that our Frontiers Research Topic, "Hydrogen in Georeservoirs: Underground Storage, In Situ Production, and Coupled CO₂ Storage & Mineralization," is now accepting submissions. As hydrogen emerges as a cornerstone of the global clean energy transition and carbon management technologies continue to scale, understanding the role of subsurface georeservoirs has never been more important. This Research Topic seeks to advance the science and engineering of integrated hydrogen and CO₂ operations, including underground hydrogen storage, geologic hydrogen generation, CO₂ storage, mineralization, monitoring technologies, and risk-informed reservoir management. We welcome multidisciplinary contributions spanning: 1. Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS) 2. Geologic and In Situ Hydrogen Production 3. CO₂ Storage and Mineralization 4. Reservoir and Caprock Integrity 5. Reactive Transport and Geochemical Processes 6. Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) 7. Machine Learning, Digital Twins, and Uncertainty Quantification 8. Field Pilots, Demonstration Projects, and Regulatory Frameworks ❌ Manuscript Submission Deadline: 4 December 2026 🔗 Submit your manuscript or learn more here: https://lnkd.in/dzjm_gnf I am honored to serve as a Topic Editor alongside Dr. Daniel Asante Otchere, MOHAMMED ISAH, and Mohamed Rezk, Ph.D. We look forward to receiving innovative contributions that help shape the future of hydrogen and CO₂ georeservoir technologies for a sustainable energy future. #HydrogenStorage #GeologicHydrogen #UndergroundHydrogenStorage #EnergyTransition #CarbonCapture #CCUS #CO2Storage #CO2Mineralization #Georeservoirs #SubsurfaceEnergy #CleanEnergy #HydrogenEconomy #ReservoirEngineering #GeoEnergy #MachineLearning #DigitalTwins #MRV #Sustainability #ResearchOpportunity #Frontiers

Very happy to share that our paper "Measuring the Dunkelflaute: how (not) to analyze variable renewable energy shortage" was just named by Environmental Research: Energy (#EREN, featured by IOP Publishing Environment and Energy) as one of their top-cited papers. The paper gives an overview for how to analyze periods with low availability of wind and solar energy, also called #Dunkelflaute events. Many thanks also to my co-author Wolf-Peter Schill. Our extensive methodological discussions started many years ago and led to this attempt to bring some order to the rather messy field of #Dunkelflaute analyses. ❔ What's the issue? Existing studies originate in different bodies of the academic and gray literature. Everyone measures #Dunkelflaute events differently, which makes results hard to interpret and compare across studies. Some highlights of our paper: ➡️ We propose a shared terminology and sort existing studies in this taxonomy: #VariableRenewableEnergyDroughts for periods of low renewable availability, #PositiveResidualLoadEvents for periods where renewable supply from wind and solar power falls short of demand, #VariableRenewableEnergyAnomaly for periods where renewable supply deviate from its climatological mean profile, and #ElectricitySystemStressEvents denoting situations with extreme prices on electricity wholesale markets. ➡️ We compare and evaluate drought definitions and identification algorithms and show that they can disagree substantially on the same data. We also introduce an algorithm that fixes key shortcomings. ➡️ We show why cross-region and cross-technology comparisons need thresholds that are scaled to the multi-annual mean availability factor rather than fixed ones, and recommend using a wide spectrum of these relative thresholds to capture the entire range of #Dunkelflaute events, from severe but infrequent to rather moderate and brief but frequent events. Seeing the paper being used as a reference point for how the community could measure #Dunkelflaute events is exactly what we hoped for when writing the paper. 🙏Thanks to everyone who's read, cited, or built on it since. 🔗 Link to the open-access paper: https://lnkd.in/e32Aeajz 🔗 In-depth summary: https://lnkd.in/eM2AD8fP

What is driving the energy transition conversation in research communities right now? ⚡ Highly cited research papers from Environmental Research: Energy #EREN show the academic community shifting from feasibility questions toward deep optimisation, modeling accuracy, and regional justice. Check out four of our top-cited papers that are driving this conversation: ☁️Standardizing the "Dunkelflaute": "Measuring the Dunkelflaute: how (not) to analyze variable renewable energy shortage" tackles the complex task of quantifying prolonged wind and solar drops, offering a harmonized framework for multi-regional grid reliability. 🔼A New Benchmark for Capacity Expansion: "Measuring exploration: evaluation of modelling to generate alternatives methods in capacity expansion models" introduces a new "Combination vector selection" approach, proving why modeling over capacity variables preserves cost-optimal dispatch where generation variables fail. 🔋Fixing Multi-Day Storage (MDS) Blind Spots "Establishing best practices for modeling multi-day energy storage in deeply decarbonized energy systems" identifies the exact resolution continent-scale models need. The takeaway being chronology is everything - temporal resolution matters far more than spatial resolution. 🗺️The Friction of "Temporal Justice" "Temporality and justice in mining impacted regions" uses 6 case studies across Australasia, Canada, and Africa to reveal a disconnect: the swift timelines demanded by distant capitals vs. the time local extraction communities actually need to adapt. 📖 Read the full papers via the links in the comments. All articles are fully Open Access and available to read, download, and cite. Thank you to the authors for publishing this impactful research in #EREN! ☺️ Martin Kittel Wolf-Peter Schill Mike Lau Neha Patankar, Ph.D. Jesse Jenkins Gabe Mantegna Wilson Ricks Aneesha Manocha Dharik Mallapragada Sean Connelly Greg Halseth Joshua Matanzima Sean Markey Thomas Measham Jess Reeves Will Rifkin Laura Ryser Clement Sefa-Nyarko, PhD #EnergyTransition #JustTransition #EnergySystems #EnergyModelling #Decarbonization #EnergyJustice #RenewableEnergy #EnvironmentalResearch #OpenAccess #EnergyResearch #GridDecarbonization #EnergyTransition #MacroEnergy

EU commissions study to map natural #hydrogen hotspots in Europe Trinomics will lead the consortium to assess potential geological H₂ resource across the continent #naturalH2 #EU #Europe #geologicalhydrogen #EUcommission https://lnkd.in/ekAxG7wM

Thanks to Cody Simms and the MCJ team for having me on Inevitable. We dug into the geology of natural hydrogen, @Koloma's ~20M-acre exploration program, and why this could be the first commercially viable new primary energy source in decades. The core thesis is simple: hydrogen already exists beneath our feet; if we can find and produce it at scale, it will change the conversation around clean primary energy.

Proud to share that Neptune scientists Mickey Rush, PhD and Daniel Birdsell, PhD were recently interviewed by the Chaffee County Times regarding their new peer-reviewed study in the journal Groundwater! Neptune’s research evaluates the complex interplay between geothermal energy development and surficial water resources. Using computer modeling applied to a hot spring system, Mickey and Danny found that the underground structures feeding Chaffee County's hot springs can also be pathways for interference from geothermal pumping, making well placement a critical factor in minimizing potential conflicts. Rather than advocating for specific policy actions, the team built a quantitative framework that communities, regulators, and developers can use to identify risks and design smarter projects. Importantly, the tool provides key information for broader social conversations, such that communities can determine how best to promote reliable clean energy while protecting critical water resources. This article reflects Neptune's broader commitment to structured decision making. Giving stakeholders clear, science-based tools to weigh trade-offs and make choices that reflect their own values, rather than prescribing a single "right" answer. Read more below! https://lnkd.in/eYjBJZin #Geothermal #CleanEnergy #Groundwater #Science #Neptune

[#BIOFOULING #IMPACTS] 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀❓ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀❓ These are the key questions addressed by the #BIODHYL JIP (2022–2026). 🎯 The project pursued 2 main 𝗢𝗕𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗦. ✅ Improving understanding of the early stages of biocolonisation on offshore structures by identifying the organisms involved and analysing how communities evolve over time and across locations. ✅ Identifying the most reliable techniques and protocols for the remote and automated characterisation of biofouling. 💡 𝗞𝗘𝗬 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 🔹 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 Representative materials should be deployed for a minimum of two years to accurately characterise local biofouling communities and their dynamics. This knowledge is essential to take into account when determining the design parameters and defining the initial state. 🔹 𝗔 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 The integrative taxonomic approach provides a better understanding of the diversity of biofouling and mobile species, whilst also detecting non-native species. 🔹 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 Assessing biofouling potential across several sites supports more accurate system design, delivering estimates that are closer to field realities than some industry standards derived primarily from North Sea experience. 📚 Explore the #BIODHYL 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 ▶️ Watch the 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿: https://lnkd.in/eYKHsz3m 📄 Download the project 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘁: https://lnkd.in/evaZYCk8 🌐 Learn more about the project: https://lnkd.in/e4BM3k9r 👏 Well done to the project team for their excellent work, and many thanks to #BIODHYL partners for their commitment EDF power solutions, Ifremer, OW Ocean Winds, Réseau de Transport d'Électricité, RWE, Shell, TotalEnergies, and Université de Toulon! #Biofouling #Biocolonisation #Moorings #DynamicCables #OffshoreWind #MarineRenewableEnergy #OffshoreEngineering #MarineEcology #Innovation #Research 📸 Sensea

🔬 𝗙𝗿𝗛𝘆𝗚𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 Scientific research is a key driver for accelerating Europe's clean energy transition. On June 23rd, the Mines Paris Research Day 2026 brought together more than 450 researchers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, students and institutional partners for the annual event dedicated to showcasing the latest scientific achievements from the laboratories and research institutes of Mines Paris - PSL. Among the 50+ research projects presented throughout the day, FrHyGe was selected to showcase its work on Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS), highlighting the project's contribution to advancing safe, reliable and large-scale hydrogen storage solutions for Europe. Throughout the event, participants explored innovative research addressing some of today's most pressing industrial and societal challenges, including: ⚡ Energy transition 🌍 Decarbonisation 🧠 Data & Artificial Intelligence ⛏️ Resource sovereignty The event provided a valuable opportunity to engage with researchers, industry representatives and innovation stakeholders, fostering scientific dialogue and strengthening collaborations around the future of the hydrogen economy. As Europe moves towards a climate-neutral energy system, Underground Hydrogen Storage will play a pivotal role in balancing renewable energy, strengthening energy security and enabling the large-scale deployment of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen. 👏 A big thank you to Mines Paris – PSL for hosting this inspiring event and to everyone who visited the FrHyGe stand and exchanged ideas with our project partners present there Olivier Lhote (STORENGY) & Faouzi Hadj Hassen (Mines Paris - PSL) . Together, we are helping build the scientific foundations for Europe's future hydrogen infrastructure. #FrHyGe #Hydrogen #UndergroundHydrogenStorage #Research #Innovation #EnergyTransition #CleanHydrogen #Decarbonisation 🌐 Learn more about FrHyGe: www.frhyge-project.eu -- 🤝 Partners: STORENGY Storengy Deutschland Géométhane Geostock Artelys Capenergies Mines Paris - PSL- Université PSL ARMINES Axens IFP Energies nouvelles ECO-MED by EODD ESK GmbH Enagás Ineris - Institut national de l'environnement industriel et des risques NaTran -- European Commission Clean Hydrogen Partnership