The unexplored frontier of methane removal

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Oct 24, 2024

Gabrielle Dreyfus, Chief Scientist at the Institute For Governance & Sustainable Development, shares her expertise on methane removal. She discusses the importance of capturing methane from point sources like landfills and dairy barns, while also exploring the possibility of atmospheric extraction. Gabrielle contrasts methane removal with carbon dioxide removal methods and highlights innovative technologies, like biocatalysts and methane reactors. She emphasizes the role of agriculture in enhancing methane consumption, urging further research in the field.

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INSIGHT

Methane Removal vs. CO2 Removal

Methane removal is harder than CO2 removal due to its lower atmospheric concentration (2 ppm vs. 400+ ppm).
However, methane's higher global warming potential means removing less has a bigger impact.

INSIGHT

Atmospheric vs. Semi-Concentrated Methane Removal

The podcast focuses on atmospheric methane removal, specifically from the free atmosphere (2 ppm).
This differs from semi-concentrated sources (e.g., landfills, barns) where capture is already happening.

INSIGHT

Need for Methane Removal

Some human methane sources lack good mitigation options and will continue emitting.
Natural sources (e.g., wetlands) are expected to increase emissions in a warmer world.

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We capture concentrated methane emissions from point sources like dairy barns, landfills, and coal mines. Mitigating methane emissions is essential to hitting net-zero targets, but could we capture diluted gasses straight from the atmosphere, too?

In this episode, Shayle talks to Dr. Gabrielle Dreyfus, Chief Scientist at the Institute For Governance & Sustainable Development, about a National Academy of Sciences report on the unexplored area of methane removal. Gabrielle chaired the committee behind the report. Shayle and Gabrielle cover topics like:

Why methane removal may be critical to addressing methane from hard-to-abate sources, like enteric emissions and tropical wetlands
Key differences between methane removal and carbon dioxide removal
How reducing methane in the atmosphere may also reduce its atmospheric lifetime
Technological pathways, including reactors, concentrators, surface treatments, ecosystem uptake enhancement, and atmospheric oxidation enhancement
The potential for combining methane and carbon dioxide removal in direct air capture

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