A piece of satellite technology, called MethaneSAT, has been launched into orbit around the Earth to track methane emissions data across the globe.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, Methane traps significantly more heat in the atmosphere over shorter periods, despite being less prevalent than carbon dioxide, making it a potent contributor to increasing global temperatures.
The collaborative effort among global entities, such as the Environmental Defense Fund, Google, Harvard University’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the Government of New Zealand, and several other partners, MethaneSAT will identify and quantify sources of methane gas emissions, with special focuses on oil and gas operations, agriculture, and landfills.
With the ability to pinpoint individual sources with an estimated coverage of 80 percent of global production sites, MethaneSAT addresses a critical gap in current monitoring capabilities. Much akin to VentMEDIC’s mission to quantify emissions data with precision and efficiency, innovative solutions are needed to fill this gap so that energy companies can make more environmentally conscious decisions.
Experts worldwide, including Jonathan Banks of the Clean Air Task Force and Katlyn MacKay of the Environmental Defense Fund, underscore the importance of MethaneSAT in providing a more comprehensive understanding of methane emissions. This nuanced data could be essential for guiding policy decisions, and driving industry innovation.
MethaneSAT is a subsidiary of the Environmental Defense Fund, which embodies the organization’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology for environmental advocacy. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, the new satellite will provide global, high-resolution coverage to not only track known sources of emissions but also detect and measure previously unidentified ones.
As MethaneSAT sets the stage for comprehensive emissions monitoring, VentMEDIC’s debut adds another dimension to the demand for emissions reduction. With plans to launch in Canada and validate demonstrations at key events, VentMEDIC aims to offer valuable insights into emissions that have been previously underestimated and; additionally, provide customers with the tools and data needed to achieve their reduction targets.
