Reuters/EuroNews: In this article, Abt Global’s Jonathan Dorn discussed ways to address leaking methane—a greenhouse gas—in industrial gas facilities across the European Union (EU). According to the reporters, while methane is the biggest cause of climate change after carbon dioxide (CO2), the main component of natural gas, and over 80 times more potent than CO2 in its first 20 years in the air, the EU does not regulate methane emissions in the energy sector. Worse, as noted in the story, many facilities in the EU are leaking methane due to cracks in the physical plants and other mechanical issues, contributing to even greater concentrations of emissions beyond those released in the production of oil and gas.
The good news, says Dorn, is “If there are cracks in the storage tanks, it is a relatively easy fix to patch the tanks.” Dorn’s work at Abt includes focusing on emissions related to power generation. Additionally, the article notes that the EU is looking at legislation to regulate methane emissions.
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