Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/Z503605/1
EMPreSS: Enhanced Methane Monitoring Precision with a Multi-Agent UAV System Solution
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Dr P Balcombe, Queen Mary University of London, School of Engineering & Materials Scienc
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr R E Fisher, Royal Holloway, Univ of London, Earth Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr K Zhang, Queen Mary University of London, School of Engineering & Materials Scienc
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr D Lowry, Royal Holloway, Univ of London, Earth Sciences
- Science Area:
- None
- Overall Classification:
- Unknown
- ENRIs:
- None
- Science Topics:
- None
- Abstract:
- Methane causes 30% of today's man-made global warming, but our understanding of industrial emissions across different regions and sectors is critically lacking: this makes it difficult to reduce emissions at pace to meet climate targets. Methane emissions are hard to measure, partly because only small emissions are needed to cause strong climate impacts. Historically we have relied on 'bottom-up' source-level quantification methods, e.g. using optical gas imaging cameras to detect and quantify leaks from equipment or applying emission factors to known exhaust flow rates. But with these methods there is a risk of underrepresentation, particularly not accounting for the leaks that we don't know about. More recently there has been an increased focus on conducting site-level methane monitoring rather than source-level. These typically involve measuring concentrations of methane from the local atmosphere and then estimating an equivalent emission rate needed to reach these concentrations. Methane sensors can be placed on drones to collect data sufficient to monitor relatively large site boundaries, but there are several limitations that reduce the effectiveness of emissions quantifications from this approach. High estimation uncertainties. There exist many points of uncertainty in the emissions quantification method, including from the methane and weather measurement sensors, and assumptions made in the estimation method such as constant weather and emission conditions over time and space. High cost. This method requires both equipment cost but also high labour cost associated with flight and monitoring expertise. High failure rates. The high labour cost is exacerbated by the high failure rates of current systems: weather conditions must be within the window to fly (wind speed range, cloud height, no rain, daylight) leading to long resource waiting times. This project aims to produce a step-change in UAV methane monitoring to reduce uncertainty and address the cost/uncertainty trade-off. To do this, we will develop an automated, multi-drone monitoring system that characterises methane and meteorological characteristics in much more detail over both time and space. The system will be reactive to what the drones are measuring to optimise their movement. We will then produce a downstream emissions estimation method that uses this multi-drone data to drive down uncertainties. Three potential technical options for design are envisaged, in which one or a combination will be taken to design and test phases: improved wind mapping over spatial and temporal scales; the use of a partner receiver drone for an open path tuneable diode sensor; and triangulating emissions with multiple lower cost methane sensors. Our team combines methane measurement experts, industrial engineers and drone swarm robotics experts to design, build, test and optimise a system to prototype stage. We also have project partners that include key users and routes to commercialisation so that we can maximise impact and the pace of impact. This new monitoring system will place the UK at the forefront of methane measurement at a time where the UK, EU, US and Australia are increasing emissions monitoring stringency for industrial sites relating to oil and gas, coal, biogas, landfill, water treatment and landfill: all key sources of methane emissions. Enhanced monitoring will give us tools to provide rapid emission reductions, where methane is one of the quickest routes to slowing global warming due to its potency and short atmospheric lifespan.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/Z503605/1
- Grant Stage:
- Awaiting Event/Action
- Scheme:
- Research Grants
- Grant Status:
- Active
- Programme:
- IEM
This grant award has a total value of £456,118
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Exception - Equipment | DI - Other Costs | Indirect - Indirect Costs | DA - Investigators | DA - Estate Costs | DI - Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £330,419 | £2,521 | £53,247 | £18,049 | £17,192 | £34,690 |
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