Google Partners with The Environmental Defense Fund
By now I’m sure you’ve heard the news. Google has officially partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund and is set to launch a methane mapping satellite into orbit.
The partnership aims to leverage Google’s imaging technology along with infrared sensors and AI capacity to fill in research gaps regarding the sources of methane emissions. MethaneSAT will orbit the earth 15 times per day and survey methane levels. Over the course of a year, as scans are overlapped, a clearer picture will emerge. The goal is to uncover the biggest sources of emissions as well as better understand how methane disperses into the atmosphere.
Until now, methane measurements have been done with hand held cameras and airplanes which really only give us a single glimpse at a moment in time. Satellite surveillance on the other hand, will regularly update data offering a more real time analysis.
The launch seems timely in the wake of Kazakhstan’s record breaking methane leak last June. As conversation on the topic increases, it appears that the emissions have as well.
What Does Methane Mapping Mean for Agriculture?
It’s the question we are all thinking but not asking out loud. From a quick web search it would appear that the main target of the surveillance is actually gas and oil. According to current research, the extraction, pumping and transportation of fossil fuels accounts for a significant portion of methane emissions; usually due to leaks. And leaks are pluggable.
But, agriculture, specifically the dairy cattle industry, is also on top of the methane emissions list. The nowhere to hide era seems to be upon us. We’re wondering what color the clouds hovering over the cows will be on the scans generated by the satellite. Will the data support current research or point to other methane polluters?
India, China, New Zealand and the United States have the highest concentration of dairy farms and each country has unique industry features. India for example, relies on dairy as a protein source and has 75 million dairy farms across the country. The industry is actually dominated by small farm operations, which presents a very challenging scenario for managing methane emissions.
In China, large commercial dairy farms have addressed dairy cow diets in an effort to minimize emissions. New Zealand has poured money into researching both technology to sequester methane emissions and dietary changes for cows.
American dairy and cattle farmers are weighing options as well. Anaerobic digesters are an option growing in popularity as are dry manure management systems. Both are high ticket shifts and require financial investment as well as logistical considerations.
Time is the one universal component. When dealing with living animals, their food sources and the resulting waste, nothing happens overnight. The chain is one long string of dominoes. Shift one domino and the resulting fall or disconnect of pieces affects millions of people.
Will The Satellite Help?
Google has been clear, the data will not result in a contact list of specific companies or industries to be called up and chewed out. Rather, the goal is that real time data can affect real time policy decisions.
If time is of the essence, then having reliable, regularly updated data, would mean that we are able to identify methods that produce real changes in methane emissions. In theory, more dollars would be spent on actually fixing leaks and solving area specific problems. For example, if the data shows that dry manure management is producing significant decreases in methane emissions over time, more funding could be poured into grant money for dairy farmers who would like to shift, but simply can’t afford the technology.
More Questions Than Answers
The coming launch of the MethaneSAT brings with it a swirl of questions that only time will help us answer. Will Google charge for the data it collects? What will the ripple effect be on soybean farms who supply many dairies with meal for cattle feed? Will a Global Methane Alert and Response System increase pressure on a fragile agriculture sector? Accurate data drives policy as do our questions and conversations.
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