Fighting climate change with MethaneAIR

Cutting methane is a powerful opportunity to slow global warming and limit the worst impacts of climate change, from disrupted food supplies to extreme weather. But methane is invisible.

That’s where MethaneAIR comes in. By revealing the sources of this invisible gas, it’s designed to help industry and regulators achieve faster, more effective reductions in emissions.

Fossil fuel operations, agriculture and landfills are all sources of methane emissions. MethaneAIR can map methane from all these sectors.

The aircraft has flown over major U.S. oil and gas regions to gather data, laying the groundwork for MethaneSAT, which will take this work global — and help hold polluters accountable.

How it works: MethaneAIR is a Learjet that’s been specially modified to hunt for methane from high altitudes.

The aircraft operates at about 40,000 feet, above most commercial air traffic. (Greenhouse gas emissions from flights are carefully calculated and offset through investment in high-integrity emission reduction projects.)

On board, instruments called imaging spectrometers measure methane in the atmosphere with unparalleled sensitivity, tracking changes in atmospheric concentrations as small as 3 parts per billion.

MethaneSAT will use similar methods to map methane over even larger areas and rapidly make that data publicly available.

See how MethaneSAT is different than other methane-tracking satellites

MethaneAIR and MethaneSAT build on more than a decade of EDF driving action on methane.

With partners, we analyzed methane emissions in the world’s largest oil field; deployed methane detection sensors on everything from cars to cell phone towers; and helped put methane at the forefront of the global climate agenda.

Next up: The data from MethaneAIR and MethaneSAT will enable companies and governments to speed up emissions cuts. At this critical point in the climate crisis, there’s no time to waste.

Learn how MethaneSAT will hold polluters accountable