Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants Michigan to be a hub for ‘geologic hydrogen.’ What’s that?

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants Michigan to become a leader in exploration for underground hydrogen deposits
Some see hydrogen as a climate solution because it produces no greenhouse gases when used as a fuel
Michigan might have a lot of the gas underground; but Whitmer’s directive comes amid headwinds for the hydrogen industry

During a speech Thursday at the Detroit Auto Show, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer unveiled ambitions to make Michigan a national leader in geologic hydrogen.

Cue a giant “huh?” from those without a background in energy development.

Whitmer was referring to naturally occurring underground hydrogen, which some energy experts see as a potentially game-changing resource because of its ability to power cars, planes and factories without emitting greenhouse gases.

If discovered in mineable quantities, Whitmer said as she announced a new executive directive on geologic hydrogen, the gas could bring “a massive economic boom” to Michigan.

Good news is, the state is seen as one of the best places in the US to look for it.

But Whitmer’s directive comes amid headwinds for the broader hydrogen industry, which is struggling against high costs and dwindling federal incentives as President Donald Trump rethinks Biden-era clean energy policies.

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Here’s what to know:

What is geologic hydrogen?

In short, it’s naturally occurring hydrogen gas that’s trapped underground, similar to other fuels like oil and natural gas.

But unlike oil and natural gas, it emits water instead of harmful greenhouse gases when used as fuel.

Amid increasingly dire warnings about the risks of society’s continued reliance on planet-warming fossil fuels, some see hydrogen as an appealing replacement.

But the vast majority of hydrogen produced today is extracted from natural gas — an expensive and energy-intensive process that emits nearly as much carbon as burning gasoline.

Geologic hydrogen has the potential to be far cheaper and cleaner, said Todd Allen, associate dean for research in the University of Michigan College of Engineering.

Once thought rare, scientists now believe trillions of tons of the stuff may be hidden underground.

“But until people start drilling some wells, we don’t know if it’s really there,” Allen said.

It’s one of several prospective solutions hydrogen optimists are pursuing — with help from massive public incentives — in hopes of developing hydrogen as a clean energy. Others include using renewable or nuclear energy to produce hydrogen by splitting water molecules, or heating plants or wasteto produce a mix of hydrogen and other gases.

Why is Michigan a target?

Scientists say the odds of finding geologic hydrogen are better here than almost anywhere else.

A map of the US showing where hydrogen may be underground — A US Geological Survey map shows Michigan as perhaps the country’s most promising place to look for underground hydrogen. (Courtesy of US Geological Survey)

Last year, the US Geological Survey released a map of prospective hydrogen locations that shows Michigan in bright blue, indicating the best conditions for the gas to form underground.

Among those conditions: Iron-rich ore that could react with water to produce hydrogen, porous underground rocks that could store the gas, and seals to keep it from seeping to the surface.

Thank the midcontinent rift, a massive geologic scar where the continent ripped apart 1.1 billion years ago and magma filled the crevices. The rift also makes Michigan popular with nickel and copper prospectors.

Geoffrey Ellis, a USGS researcher who led the study identifying Michigan as a potential hydrogen hotbed, cautioned that it offers only a “very blurry national picture.”

As for the likelihood of finding the gas, he said, “that is impossible to answer at this time. “

Whitmer told reporters Thursday she sees huge potential.

“We’re all looking for clean, affordable energy, and we may be right on the cusp of really changing the landscape here,” she said.

What does Whitmer’s executive directive do?

It calls for a wide-ranging government strategy to prepare the state for hydrogen exploration and development.

More specifically, it creates an initiative within Whitmer’s office to coordinate efforts, while ordering several state agencies to study the industry’s potential in Michigan.

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Infrastructure Office and Michigan Public Service Commission have been directed to produce reports detailing everything from permitting pathways for hydrogen exploration to the potential for leasing state-owned subsurface rights to workforce training and energy infrastructure needs.

What else is happening to advance clean hydrogen in Michigan?

Lots. But the efforts rely heavily on federal funding, making them vulnerable as the Trump administration looks to deprioritize clean energy and reprioritize fossil fuels.

Only a handful of US projects are likely to move forward after the Trump administration curtailed Biden-era hydrogen tax credits that had been expected to remain in place for several years, BloombergNEF hydrogen analyst Martin Tengler told Bridge Michigan.

Beyond that, Tengler said, “a fundamental problem is low demand.”

Michigan is part of a multi-state partnership called the Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2), which won $1 billion from the US Department of Energy back in 2023.

But the Trump administration has canceled similar grants in California and the Pacific Northwest. Documents leaked to national media outlets indicate the Midwest funding may be next.

Meanwhile, General Motors recently scrapped plans for a hydrogen fuel-cell battery factory in Detroit after the Trump administration floated canceling $52 million in hydrogen-related grants to the company, while plans to bring a $400 million hydrogen electrolyzer factory to Michigan have stalled.

Norwegian company Nel Hydrogen won more than $200 million in state and federal subsidies for the electrolyzer factory, but paused the project last year, citing uncertainty about federal incentives and market demand.

Nel officials did not immediately respond to questions from Bridge Michigan on Thursday. An October quarterly report noted that upcoming Nel projects may be “smaller than what was anticipated a few years ago.”

Allen, the University of Michigan dean, said underground hydrogen may face fewer obstacles to development because it would be cheaper than the manufactured hydrogen upon which the industry relies today.

But finding it is only half the battle. Marketing it as fuel would require a build-out of transportation, storage and production facilities, along with retrofits so factories and vehicles could run on hydrogen.

All of that may take decades to achieve.

Still, Allen said, “I would say it is worth the research and exploration to find out if we really have that asset.”