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Bluemethane - Methane Emissions Technology
Although the threat has been invisible, stemming methane leaks from reservoirs, rice paddies, and wastewater could be one of the most powerful instruments to quickly slow global warming. Some sources of methane seem unusual, like from water. Methane emissions from water represent 6% of all anthroprogenic methane emissions. Those emissions are comprised from municiple wastewater, industrial wastewater, reservoirs and rice production. Below is a brief explanation of how methane is rapidly escaping into the atmosphere from sources of water across the globe.
Methane is an organic, chemical compound presented as a odourless and colourless gas in nature. Its molecular formula (CH4) reflects its main characteristics as a hydrocarbon, consisting of a single carbon atom bound to four hydrogen atoms. Methane is highly flammable and it is the primary component of natural gas.
A global warming potential 84 times that of carbon dioxide
Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas contributing to climate change, after carbon dioxide. Methane is also a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, with a global warming potential of 28 and 84 times that of carbon dioxide, over 100 year or 20 year timescales, respectively.
In addition to geological natural gas reservoirs, a variety of environments contribute to methane production. These include wetlands, rice paddies, and landfills, as well as through the digestive processes of animals, specifically enteric fermentation in ruminants. Anaerobic digesters also produce methane, serving dual purposes in waste and water treatment, as well as biogas production.
Interestingly, all these processes of methanogenesis, with the exception of methane emissions from wetlands, have been harnessed from nature. They are now integral to several human activities, including agriculture, waste management, and biofuel production. This demonstrates how we can adopt and adapt natural processes for sustainable practices.
Methane is transferred to our atmosphere from water through three different processes.
Bubbling
The first source mostly happens near shores or in shallow water. It happens due to the water pressure not being high enough to keep the methane dissolved. The bubbles rise to the surface at which point the methane escapes into the atmosphere.
Diffusion
Methane is absorbed under pressure by water and eventually transferred at the surface to the atmosphere through diffusion.
Degassing
Similar to the reaction when opening a carbonated drink, degassing takes place after the water is discharged through turbines and is the most constant source of methane emissions. It is responsible for about half of methane emissions from hydropower reservoirs.