Understanding the sources: methane and carbon dioxide emissions
Methane and carbon dioxide are powerful players in climate change. These greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere from a variety of sources and processes across global sectors. This includes natural sources — like wetlands, termites, or wildfires — or anthropogenic (human-caused) sources — like agriculture, oil and gas operations, or landfills and dumpsites.
Atmospheric growth rates for these greenhouse gases are strongly influenced by human-caused super-emitters, according to The Global Carbon Project’s Global Methane Budget.
Knowing exactly where these emissions come from is important because it influences how they can be identified, quantified, tracked, and ultimately mitigated.
Methane emissions: point and area sources
Both methane point and area sources contribute to regional emissions. However, point sources are often large methane emission events localized to discrete pieces of infrastructure or facilities. They are also known as super-emitters.
Meanwhile, area sources are also large, but they are spread over a wide area. Identifying which types of sources are contributing to regional emissions can help prioritize the most effective mitigation solutions.
Key global sectors
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Oil and Gas
The oil and gas sector is responsible for about 23% of global human-caused methane emissions (according to the 2021 Global Methane Assessment). These come from equipment malfunctions, leaks, flaring, venting, and process emissions. Our observations can spot large and potentially hazardous super-emitters, support rapid leak detection and repair, assess trends, and verify reductions for both methane and CO2 in those high emission sources.
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Oil & Gas related resources
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Coal
Coal venting contributes about 12% of human-caused methane emissions worldwide (according to the 2021 Global Methane Assessment). We survey both active and idle coal mining operations to identify and quantify large emitting sources in key coal-producing regions.
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Coal related resources
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Electricity generation
The process of burning fuel to generate power releases greenhouse gasses, primarily CO2. About 25% of human-caused climate forcing gases originate through power generation in the United States (according to the EPA). Power generation can occur both at large power plants that provide residential power and also on a smaller scale at industrial facilities like refineries, mines, cement plants, and others. If methane is burned as a fuel, methane emissions are sometimes observed at these facilities.
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Waste
The waste sector accounts for nearly 20% of human-caused methane emissions globally (according to the 2021 Global Methane Assessment). Methane sources in the waste sector include landfills, managed and unmanaged waste sites, compost facilities, and wastewater treatment facilities. Our ability to detect and precisely locate high emissions within specific sections of waste management sites can guide best practices and help prioritize mitigation actions.
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Waste related resources
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Agriculture
The agriculture sector is one of the largest methane-emitting sectors with activities like livestock and manure management resulting in 32% of human-caused methane emissions (according to the 2021 Global Methane Assessment).
However, detecting and pinpointing those emissions is still a challenge. Raising and managing livestock at large facilities is a major contributor of methane. Our surveys have identified agricultural methane point sources at large livestock operations, including from emissions associated with manure management and biogas capture technologies, such as digesters.
Agricultural emissions is an area we plan to explore as we grow our team and capabilities. Check back for more information and updates on our efforts within this important sector.