California’s PG&E Installs Innovative Methane Detection Technology
New technology developed for EDF’s Methane Detectors Challenge will continuously detect methane leaks,
reducing harmful emissions and minimizing waste
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) became the first energy company in the U.S. to pilot an innovative methane detection
device developed for the Methane Detectors Challenge (MDC), a groundbreaking partnership between Environmental Defense Fund (EDF),
oil and gas companies and distributors, U.S.-based technology developers, and other experts.
The technology, which is being tested as a tool to continuously monitor for unplanned releases of methane, was installed last
month at a PG&E natural gas storage facility in northern California.
Methane, the key component of natural gas, is emitted across the U.S. oil and gas supply chain at a rate of more than 9.8
million metric tons per year. Technologies that continuously detect methane emissions offer opportunities to not only improve air
quality and operational efficiency, but also recapture resources that would otherwise be wasted—all while limiting
contributions to climate change. About 25 percent of today’s global warming is driven by emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse
gas.
Continuous 24-hour monitoring offered by this technology could cut the time it takes to detect leaks from months to hours. This
would lead to improved environmental performance and operational efficiency of gas infrastructure.
“At PG&E, we believe that climate change is, in fact, a reality and we maintain a steadfast conviction to doing all we can
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The State of California has set clear goals regarding emissions reductions, which PG&E
proudly supports and is actively working to help achieve. This work with EDF and innovative methane detection technologies will be
instrumental to this effort as well as our support of industry partners as they set and achieve their own emissions reductions
goals,” said Gas Regulatory Senior Director Jim Howe.
The low-cost laser technology being piloted by PG&E was developed by Acutect Inc., a San-Francisco-based startup company.
The Acutect technology was selected as one of 20 submissions received as part of the Methane Detectors Challenge, which aims to
catalyze and bring to market new technologies that quickly detect methane leaks. By working with EDF’s oil, gas and utility
partners, Acutect will gain insight and data about how its solar-powered design performs under field conditions.
“The Methane Detectors Challenge created the framework through which I was able to bring together a Chinese manufacturer of
laser-based methane detection components and a team of product development engineers I’d previously helped spin out of
Carnegie-Mellon, SenSevere LLC,” said Peter Foller, founder of Acutect Inc. “After our technology successfully made it through
third party testing during the Methane Detectors Challenge, Acutect is now in licensing negotiations with a well-established
supplier of industrial sensing solutions. We feel we will be able to, together with this licensee, go to market on a national
scale.”
The pilot conducted by PG&E will study the reliability, accuracy and durability of the technology over three months in a
true field setting.
“The U.S. oil and gas industry loses about $2 billion of natural gas a year from leaks at dispersed sites, much of them
undetected for months due to lack of continuous monitoring,” said Aileen Nowlan, manager of the Methane Detectors Challenge. “By
building bridges between innovators and customers that need scalable solutions, EDF is accelerating technologies that can help the
oil and gas industry improve operations and forging solutions that build safer communities and let the planet thrive.”
The entrepreneurs participating in the Methane Detectors Challenge are part of a growing U.S. sector focused on helping oil and
gas operators control emissions. By advancing technologies to market, this innovative partnership is adding to the pool of
more than 75 U.S. companies creating jobs by offering solutions to the methane problem.
The partnership will reach another major milestone in 2017 when Statoil, a leading energy company in oil and gas production,
conducts real-world pilot testing of another laser-based technology developed by Quanta3, a Colorado startup founded specifically
to participate in the Methane Detectors Challenge.
Learn more about the EDF-led Methane Detectors Challenge at EDF.org/MethaneDetectorsChallenge.
Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading international nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most
serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. Connect with us
on our EDF+Business blog, Twitter and Facebook.
Environmental Defense Fund
Catie de Montille, 202-572-3345
cdemontille@edf.org
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161207005151/en/