The European Parliament’s recent adoption of a new law and rules to cut methane emissions has highlighted the significant role that Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sensors can play in driving sustainability and emission reduction across industries. These regulations emphasize the increasing need to tackle environmental challenges and encourage responsible practices, considering current concentrations are now 260 percent of pre-industrial levels, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.
Their 2022 annual report also stated that human-driven methane emissions are responsible for nearly 45 percent of current net warming. These increases are overwhelmingly caused by human activity. Let’s delve into how IIoT sensors can empower industries to meet these requirements and foster a more sustainable future.
The newly adopted law mandates regular inspections of above-ground infrastructure by the energy sector in Europe. IIoT sensors prove instrumental in monitoring and detecting methane leaks in real time, enabling companies to comply with these inspection requirements effectively. Industries can play a significant role in achieving global climate goals by quickly identifying and fixing leaks, which helps to reduce methane emissions.
According to the Global Methane Initiative, proposed actions to limit gas emissions are modernizing technologies or equipment to reduce or eliminate fugitive and scattered emissions into the atmosphere. The second point is improved management practices that utilize the modernization of emission reduction measures or technologies. IIoT sensors facilitate a proactive approach to leak prevention and maintenance. With the ability to continuously monitor critical equipment and infrastructure, these sensors can identify early warning signs of potential leaks or equipment malfunctions. Predictive maintenance can help industries avoid significant issues by identifying and addressing them early. This approach can result in reduced risk of leaks, less downtime, and better resource management.
The rules backed by the EU Parliament aim to broadly ban the intentional release or burning of methane, known as venting and flaring. IIoT sensors can monitor methane levels in real-time, enabling industries to detect and prevent venting and flaring incidents. By implementing sensor-based monitoring systems, companies can ensure compliance with these regulations and reduce methane emissions associated with these practices.
The Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario sees all non-emergency flaring eliminated globally by 2030, reducing flared volumes by around 90% by 2030.
Industrial IoT sensors have great potential in joint efforts to reduce methane emissions. Intelligent instruments offer several benefits that definitely contribute to methane mitigation practices and compliance:
➜ providing data for emissions inventories;
➜ providing some of the data required for assessing the collection efficiency of the gas collection system;
➜ enabling a gas risk assessment to be undertaken by determining the concentration from a specific source.
As we can see, the European Parliament’s recent legislation on methane emissions underscores the critical role of industrial sensors in enabling industries to meet environmental regulations and promote sustainability. IIoT sensors provide enterprises with the tools to prevent leaks, reduce emissions, and enhance safety. By doing this, our customers can comply with environmental regulations and positively impact, creating a durable future.
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