this post was submitted on 15 Feb 2024
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Google is making a map of methane leaks for the whole world to see::Google will use satellite data, AI, and its computing power to map methane emissions around the globe. The transparency marks a new era in climate accountability.

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[–] [email protected] 75 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Sounds good for the world. Curious to know what else is being captured.

[–] ThePantser 48 points 9 months ago (4 children)

Yep, with Google it's 10% good and 90% evil profits.

[–] grabyourmotherskeys 38 points 9 months ago (1 children)

"we can hide your leak for a modest subscription fee", probably

[–] partial_accumen 7 points 9 months ago

If it were Yelp putting out these maps, that would be their business model.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Let's not delude ourselves. Google is totally getting something out of this. Not sure if they just want some good press for a change or if it's something else though.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 9 months ago

Was prob just built by a guy or small team that was given the freedom to build something in a month or two. Don't worry, though, they'll be laid off soon.

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[–] WeeSheep 15 points 9 months ago (2 children)

That's 10% better than most though

[–] SuckMyWang 12 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The 10% is purely by chance

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

Collateral damage...

[–] franklin 2 points 9 months ago

Shades of grey I guess

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Don’t be evil more than 90% of the time.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

ambiguous wording

at least 90% of the time, don't be evil

or

at least 10% of the time, don't be evil

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Haha fair I meant the second one.

[–] cabron_offsets 63 points 9 months ago (4 children)

Fuck me, Google is doing something good.

[–] DannyMac 22 points 9 months ago

They realized that biosphere collapse wouldn't be profitable in the long run.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 9 months ago

They will fuck this up / drop it. History ensures this.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 9 months ago

They remembered their old moto for a split second.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It's hard to trust in companies now. I bet the news in the following months is "Methane increasing green house gasses more than fossil fuel. Look at this colorful, interactive map from Google!"

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago

But... Methane is fossil fuel?

[–] [email protected] 26 points 9 months ago (8 children)

Cane here to see how people were gonna spin this as a bad thing. Was not disappointed.

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[–] Pretzilla 24 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

The supposition currently is Russia is a huge emitter, especially Siberia as the permafrost melts.

These positive feedback mechanisms are the sleeping giant.

It will be very useful to track this over time.

[–] nexusband 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Siberia isn't the permafrost melting - those emissions correlate to known Oil and Gas Wells, that mostly have been just left open, so that they can be used easily again. Melting permafrost is still releasing relatively little.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil 8 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I work in O&G and my own firm just spent the last three years hunting for and patching pipe leaks by looking for methane emissions.

This is something they've been crowing about for a while, but its been a problem for decades that only got treated as something worth fixing when the cost of aerial reconnaissance dropped. Its a classic negative externality that energy companies simply don't want to acknowledge until the price is right.

If you think this is the only case in which lax regulation has left the lid off Pandora's box, don't ask what was up with the BP oil rig explosion or look to hard into the number of gas leaks polluting the Mississippi river or... really... ask any questions at all about the state of safety and soundness of O&G infrastructure.

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Before you get excited, farts have on average about <0.01% methane. Its mostly hydrogen sulfide.

[–] Mog_fanatic 9 points 9 months ago

Party pooper

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

Just means I need to make more. I'm gonna get on the map, just you wait.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 9 months ago

Finally some good news from Google!

[–] [email protected] 15 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)
[–] [email protected] 10 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Google detecting farts from space.

Adds your fart map to your monthly gmaps timeline!

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[–] Yokozuna 9 points 9 months ago

GIS nerds unite!

But seriously, great way to see the technology used and data distributed. One day I can only hope to grasp a more complete understanding of the software and how to apply it to do shit like this.

[–] mydude 7 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Reminder: "The Nord Stream gas leak emitted up to 500,000 tons of methane : NPR"

[–] Pretzilla 2 points 9 months ago

That written looks way more impressive than 0.5 Mega tons, or 0.0005Gt, which is how global emissions are often noted.

Now I'm curious how it ranks in scale with other emissions

[–] [email protected] 7 points 9 months ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:


A satellite that measures methane leaks from oil and gas companies is set to start circulating the Earth 15 times a day next month.

The partnership between Google and the Environmental Defense Fund, which in March is expected to launch its satellite known as MethaneSAT, marks a new era of global climate accountability.

Scientists say slashing emissions is one of the fastest ways to slow the climate crisis because methane has 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over a decade.

"We think this information is incredibly valuable for energy companies, researchers, and the public sector to anticipate and mitigate methane emissions in components that are generally most susceptible," Maguire said.

The satellite launch comes as countries and oil and gas companies aim to drastically reduce methane emissions by 2030 to tackle the climate crisis.

During the UN climate summit in Dubai last year, companies accounting for 40% of global oil and gas production promised to nearly eliminate methane leaks from their own operations this decade.


The original article contains 736 words, the summary contains 167 words. Saved 77%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

[–] Land_Strider 5 points 9 months ago

Curious to see how this will flame the "China making up all the bad gases" data simplification while it will omit everything else in that regard as they won't be its business.

[–] Cocodapuf 5 points 9 months ago

The irony would be thick if this satellite were launched on a next-Gen methane fueled rocket.

(That is the trend now, kerosene and hydrogen are out, methane is in.)

[–] killeronthecorner 2 points 9 months ago

Great, now I have to worry about this every time I order a curry

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