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MethaneSat et al

image credit: Environmental Defense Fund

John Benson 380,415

Senior Consultant, Microgrid Labs

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Microgrid Labs, Inc. Advisor: 2014 to Present Developed product plans, conceptual and preliminary designs for projects, performed industry surveys and developed...

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Apr 2, 2024Apr 2, 2024 2:08 pm GMT
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SpaceX successfully launched a game-changing satellite on Monday March 4. Called MethaneSAT, the new satellite is in orbit tracking methane leaks from oil and gas companies worldwide.

Methane is a critical driver of climate change. When it comes to trapping heat inside Earth's atmosphere, methane is over 28 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Tracking methane leaks will help identify the most egregious emitters.

The Environmental Defense Fund developed MethaneSAT, and Google has partnered with the organization to create its first global methane map by the end of the year for all to see, ushering in a new era of climate accountability.

MethaneSAT, as the new satellite is called, is the latest to join more than a dozen other instruments currently circling the Earth monitoring emissions methane. But it won’t be the last. Over the next several months, at least two additional methane-detecting satellites from the U.S. and Japan are scheduled to join the fleet.

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Tom Rolfson on Apr 2, 2024

While it is true that MethaneSAT will identify the "biggest polluters," I think one of the more important implications of this is that it will improve our ability to accurately quantify emissions of methane from oil and gas operations going forward. This is a really neat technological advancement that has the potential to replace years or other efforts in this area.

John Benson on Apr 4, 2024

Thanks for the comment, Ton:

Although methane is much shorter-lived than the other major greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide). It is substantially more powerful before it degrades (mainly into carbon dioxide). Lately we have seen a spike in global warming. Although there are a number of causes for this, I believe methane is one primary factor. The good news is that we have known the global warming dangers of methane, for a while, and thus the large number of methane monitoring satellites that are aloft and planned.

-John

Audra Drazga on Apr 5, 2024

John, so curious if there are already other Satellites up there tracking methane - 1) what is the difference with this one. 2) And have the results/reports from the others actually netted action taken on the ground?

John Benson on Apr 5, 2024

Hi Audra:

See section 3 regarding Area Flux and Point Source monitoring. Also, as satellites become more advanced (very rapidly), three metrics improve: resolution per pass, orbit frequency and sensitivity to various methane concentrations.

-John

Thank John for the Post!

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