What is methane?
Methane (CH4) is a hydrocarbon that is a main component of natural gas. It is also a greenhouse gas, meaning that its presence in the atmosphere affects the Earth’s climate and temperature. This greenhouse gas is emitted through a variety of anthropogenic activities as well as natural processes. Anthropogenic activities refer to human-influenced sources and include oil and natural gas, landfills, agricultural systems, a variety of industrial processes and more.
Methane is responsible for around 30% of the rise in global temperatures since the industrial revolution, and there are 2 primary characteristics that determine the impact of greenhouse gases on the Earth’s climate and these are:
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The length of time they remain in the atmosphere
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Their ability to absorb energy
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How long does methane stay in the atmosphere?
Methane’s impact on climate is significant as it has a shorter atmospheric lifetime than carbon dioxide – 12 years in comparison to centuries. However, it absorbs more energy while in the atmosphere. Methane is 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide when it comes to trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. It is also the second most emitted anthropogenic greenhouse gas after Carbon Dioxide(CO2). In just the last 2 centuries, methane in the atmosphere has more than doubled, and this is largely attributed to human activities. Because it is a short-lived greenhouse gas in comparison to Carbon Dioxide, reducing or mitigating methane in the atmosphere will have a significant and positive impact on global warming potential [ref].
There are many companies and technologies being deployed to measure and tackle the rise in methane emissions. Some technologies are dedicated to global mapping, and others are designed to tackle facility-level emissions from industry (human-influenced sources). GHGSat’s innovative technology can pinpoint and detect methane emissions in different markets worldwide, providing emissions data to industries like oil & gas, coal mining, waste management, governments, and financial services – including methane measurements from open-cast coal mines, offshore oil & gas facilities, and even cattle feedlots. This is done by combining satellite and aircraft sensors, providing better monitoring coverage and frequency to facilitate timely decision-making insights for impactful emissions reduction.
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The Primary Sources of Methane
On a global scale, 50 – 65% of total methane emissions are attributed to human activities, and this comes from a variety of sectors, including energy, agriculture, land use and waste management.
Agriculture and Methane Emissions
Domestic livestock, including swine, sheep, goats and cattle, produce methane through their natural digestive process. Methane is also produced when animal manure is stored in lagoons or holding tanks. As livestock is raised by humans for food and related products, the emissions fall under human activities. Agricultural methane doesn’t just come from livestock.
Paddy rice cultivation is also a significant part of agricultural methane emissions worldwide. This is because flooded fields prevent oxygen from penetrating the soil, creating ideal conditions for methane-emitting bacteria. This accounts for another 8% of human-linked emissions worldwide.
The agriculture sector is the largest source of methane emissions in the US, and on a global scale, livestock emissions account for around 32% of human-caused methane emissions.
In May of 2022, GHGSat proved that it was possible to detect agricultural methane emissions from space, detecting 5 methane (CH4) emissions ranging in size from 361 to 668kg/h, coming from an agricultural area in California’s Joaquin Valley. If sustained for a year, this would result in 5,116 tonnes of gas being released – enough to power 15,402 homes. Until now, practical solutions for measuring emissions have been elusive: ground-based monitoring is labour-intensive and can only scan small areas. Aircraft-mounted sensors can cover more ground, but also at a high cost. GHGSat has shown that satellites can monitor thousands of sites every day at a low cost and so support immediate climate action.
Industry, Energy and Methane Emissions
In the US, natural gas and petroleum processes are the 2nd biggest source of methane emissions. As methane is the primary component of natural gas, it’s emitted into the Earth’s atmosphere during all stages of natural gas processes, from production and processing to refinement, transportation and storage. Coal mining also plays a significant role in methane emissions into the atmosphere in the energy and industry sectors.
Advanced technology- is used to assist in mitigating, managing and reduction of methane emissions in the industry. With pioneering sensor innovation, GHGSat is at the forefront of emissions detection technology, making it possible to locate individual emission sources, big or small. In 2021, GHGSat observed methane emissions from an opencast coal mine from space for the first time. This was a breakthrough capability that demonstrated both the remarkable sensitivity of GHGSat’s high-resolution sensors and the practical application of space technology to provide accurate, reliable emissions monitoring across the coal mining sector. In 2022, the company detected the biggest emissions from an individual facility ever seen: nearly 90 tonnes of methane (CH4) being released every hour, from the Raspadskaya Mine, in Kemerovo Oblast, Russia. GHGSat data can play a vital role in helping mine operators better understand their emissions and prioritize coal mine methane (CMM) capture projects.
Waste and Methane Emissions
When municipal solid waste is first deposited in a landfill, it undergoes an aerobic (with oxygen) decomposition stage where a low amount of methane is generated. However, within less than 1 year, anaerobic conditions are established, and methane-producing bacteria begin to decompose the waste and generate methane [ref].
The major greenhouse gas is also generated through industrial and domestic wastewater treatment, composting and anaerobic digestion. Landfills are the third-largest source of methane emissions in the US.
Estimates on landfill methane emissions globally vary. While the IEA Global Methane Tracker 2020 suggests that global waste contributes 68 million tonnes (Mt) of methane emissions annually, it is widely accepted that there is a lack of reliable, detailed, and up-to-date data on emissions from landfills and dumpsites worldwide. This is due to inconsistencies in the measurement and reporting methods and because many sites are unregulated.
GHGSat uses advanced satellite emissions monitoring technology to quantify emissions from landfills and dumpsites. This provides accurate and consistent coverage from anywhere in the world. This technology assists in the planning and optimizing of gas collection systems with actionable emissions intelligence.
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Why methane is the greatest threat to climate change
Even though carbon dioxide has a longer-lasting effect, methane sets the pace for warming in the near term. At least 25% of today’s global warming is driven by methane from human actions.
The Global Methane Pledge was launched by the US and the European Union in November 2021 at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties or COP26. 110 countries have since committed to a collective goal to reduce worldwide methane emissions from human activity by at least 30% by 2030.
Advances in monitoring technologies, particularly from satellites, have been key to bettering our understanding of the level and nature of methane emissions. Advanced satellites and data processing techniques can be used to detect and quantify total emissions from major leaks over a large area down to small leaks at the facility level.
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Technology in the fight against climate change
GHGSat is proud to have pioneered the satellite monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions in high resolution. With our leading emission monitoring solutions, we are able to provide our clients with actionable data and insights into vital environmental and financial decision-making.
Managing emissions can be difficult as it requires a constant and fully integrated view of data. To facilitate operational efficiency, GHGSat created the first emissions intelligence platform, called SPECTRA, to support both high-resolution data and macro datasets. If you’re interested in seeing methane concentrations across the globe, access SPECTRA today.
From high-resolution methane observations to regional emission analytics, organizations and teams can easily access, analyze and communicate the right information to initiate effective mitigation strategies.
Create your free SPECTRA account today, and see methane levels around the world.
