Koloma Opens New Laboratory at Ohio State University to Advance Natural Hydrogen Exploration

Koloma, a leading natural hydrogen exploration company, has opened a new state-of-the-art laboratory at Ohio State University’s Energy Advancement and Innovation Center. The facility, launched on September 25, is designed to accelerate the development of techniques for identifying and extracting underground hydrogen deposits, a resource with the potential to become a scalable, low-cost clean fuel.

Chief Technology Officer Tom Darrah emphasized that natural hydrogen has been overlooked for decades, describing it as a resource created by the Earth itself with “the greatest energy density to the lowest carbon footprint.” He added that if commercialized successfully, natural hydrogen could deliver “the best economics you’re going to find for hydrogen.”

The lab will focus on analyzing rock samples to identify subsurface hydrogen accumulations, similar to methods used in natural gas exploration. Hydrogen, already widely used in industrial processes, fuel cells, and fertilizer production, could see its role expand significantly if naturally occurring reserves prove commercially viable.

Susan Olesik, Dean of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at OSU, suggested that tapping even a small fraction of global reserves could supply enough hydrogen to support net-zero carbon emissions for more than two centuries.

The collaboration represents a bridge between decades of academic research and real-world commercialization, with Koloma aiming to anchor the U.S. as a leader in natural hydrogen development.

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