Satellite strike on methane

AirMORE Methane dashboard: February 5, 2025

The Sentinel-2A satellite, originally set for retirement after the launch of Sentinel-2C, has been granted a temporary extension. For the first time, three Sentinel satellites will operate simultaneously, nearly doubling the constellation’s revisit time from once every five days to approximately twice every five days. This enhancement benefits various applications, including greenhouse gas emissions monitoring. AIRMO integrates Sentinel data into its proprietary algorithms to detect and quantify methane plumes and their intensity.

Satellite data to be used to track methane emissions in Bangladesh as part of efforts to expand biogas and biomethane production. The European Space Agency’s Global Development Assistance program and the World Bank are leveraging Earth Observation technologies to identify major methane sources and assess emission trends. This data helps evaluate feedstock potential from agriculture, waste, and industry, supporting Bangladesh’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 6.7% by 2030.

AIRMO is exhibiting at LEAP 2025, one of the world’s biggest tech events, bringing together innovators across industries. We’ll be connecting with the space tech and climate tech community while engaging directly with our end users—energy companies and industrial emitters looking for advanced methane monitoring solutions. Book a meeting with our CEO and co-founder Daria in Riyadh on February 7-12. Find us on February 11-12 at Booth H1A.G40 in the #TAQADAM startup corner—let’s talk about tackling emissions with real-time data.

Switzerland aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 65% by 2035 from 1990 levels under the Paris Agreement. The plan includes an average 59% reduction between 2031-2035, focusing on domestic measures and aligning with the net-zero 2050 strategy.?

Floating solar panels can increase GHG emissions on small ponds by nearly 27%, according to researchers from Cornell University. Covering 70% of a pond’s surface with solar panels led to immediate increases in methane and CO? emissions while significantly reducing dissolved oxygen levels. Despite these effects, floating solar still produces fewer emissions per kilowatt-hour than traditional energy sources. The study highlights the need for careful design and further research to minimize ecological impacts

What we’re reading

This week, we explored Perspectives on Methane Super-Emitters: Determining Emission Sources using Satellite Detections by Carbon Limits and GHGSat. The white paper analyzes methane super-emitting events detected via satellites in 2021-2022, covering over 1 Mt of methane per year from oil and gas sources across 27 countries in five regions. The most common sources are flares (57%), leaks, and vents, with average methane emission rates of 233 kg/hr per flare and 149 kg/hr per tank. Notably, 62% of detected plumes are in the Caspian region. Read more here.

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