The story of Bluemethane began almost by chance when current CTO and co-founder, Nestor Rueda-Vallejo, read an article in The Guardian revealing that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from hydropower reservoirs amounted to a billion tonnes.
After the unusually warm European winter of 2019/2020, Néstor resolved to use his engineering expertise to tackle the critical problem of methane emissions from water sources and formed a small team and incorporated the company.
With the belief that to understand a problem is the first step to solving it, they started working from first principles to leverage some of the characteristics of methane that are useful to finding engineering solutions for this particular problem. One such characteristic is that methane is hydrophobic, ie it has low solubility and is relatively straightforward to remove from water, unlike carbon dioxide. Another characteristic is that methane is the primary component of natural gas.
Currently the team is testing the technology in the lab and soon in the field at a wastewater treatment company where they also have issues with methane in water. Preliminary results show promising methane removal efficiencies of up to 80% with low energy input.
Emissions from hydropower reservoirs
However, there is still a high uncertainty about the concentration and distribution of methane in reservoirs, and models remain in a low level of development. Valuable former research has been published and data shows there is a high variety of emissions from hydropower reservoirs where the characteristics of the site and its location play a relevant role. To overcome this lack of certainty, Bluemethane decided to develop strategies for measuring methane concentrations in reservoirs.
In partnership with the University of Quebec at Montreal and the International Hydropower Association (IHA), Bluemethane has pioneered the first decentralised system for measuring greenhouse gases in reservoirs worldwide. This initiative, funded by the Global Methane Hub, will select 20 reservoirs to measure their emissions free of charge. The objective is to establish a first-of-its-kind global methane observation network for hydropower reservoirs.
This network will aid in quantifying and ultimately reducing methane emissions into the atmosphere. The collected data will enhance existing datasets and models, improving understanding of methane accumulation and release patterns and drivers in these ecosystems, both now and in the future. Additionally, the enriched datasets and models will help identify areas where emission mitigation efforts are most beneficial and suitable locations for deploying innovative “methane harvesters”.
The project includes comprehensive training, a sampling kit, laboratory analysis, and reporting for reservoir operators. Operators must provide personnel for training and access to the water body during three sampling days across different seasons, and samples are taken at various depths near the dam and downstream. This initiative aims to complete data collection for the initial 20 reservoirs by December 2025.
Additionally, Bluemethane has developed a protocol based on the expertise of leading scientists and guidelines from UNESCO and IHA. This tailored service measures the distribution and variability of GHGs (methane and carbon dioxide) with high accuracy, including equipment provision, sampling, lab analysis, and comprehensive reporting, which includes methane capture potential.
By accurately mapping GHG distribution over time and space, it will be possible to assess the emission levels of a reservoir and determine its methane capture potential. Such detailed understanding allows development of targeted solutions for reducing and utilising methane emissions.
For decentralised measuring, reservoirs in Africa, Oceania, and South America have been selected, with fieldwork to begin in the third quarter of the year. There are still several remaining places to cover and all regions of the world are welcome to participate.
There is also an agreement in place with Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM) in Colombia to apply the protocol to an Andean reservoir, with fieldwork scheduled for this year.
In the UK, we have evaluated methane potential for water companies dealing with wastewater and sludge. While not identical to hydropower reservoirs, these evaluations have significantly contributed to refining our sampling techniques and establishing our laboratory.
Global challenges
While it is a crucial energy source for addressing global challenges, hydropower is not without its flaws. As the hydropower sector expands in response to global decarbonisation efforts and reduced dependence on fossil fuels, Bluemethane is preparing to address emerging challenges, including the decarbonisation of water. We envision our technology becoming integral to hydropower plants, transforming them into new sources of biomethane. Such a solution will help the hydropower industry mitigate its GHG emissions, contributing to a net-zero future by not only reducing reliance on higher-emitting energy sources but also addressing its own emissions
