Atmospheric Monitoring of Methane in Beijing Using a Mobile Observatory

• Main Authors: Wanqi Sun, Liangchun Deng, Guoming Wu, Lin Wu, Pengfei Han, Yucong Miao, Bo Yao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-09-01
• Series: Atmosphere
• Subjects: mobile measurement; methane; atmospheric concentration; source apportionment
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/9/554

Cities have multiple fugitive emission sources of methane (CH₄) and policies adopted by China on replacing coal with natural gas in recent years can cause fine spatial heterogeneities at the range of kilometers within a city and also contribute to the CH₄ inventory. In this study, a mobile observatory was used to monitor the real-time CH₄ concentrations at fine spatial and temporal resolutions in Beijing, the most important pilot city of energy transition. Results showed that: several point sources, such as a liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant which has not been included in the Chinese national greenhouse gas inventory yet, can be identified; the ratio “fingerprints” (CH₄:CO₂) for an LNG carrier, LNG filling station, and LNG power plant show a shape of “L”; for city observations, the distribution of CH₄ concentration, in the range of 1940−2370 ppbv, had small variations while that in the rural area had a much higher concentration gradient; significant correlations between CO₂ and CH₄ concentrations were found in the rural area but in the urban area there were no such significant correlations; a shape of “L” of CH₄:CO₂ ratios is obtained in the urban area in wintertime and it is assigned to fugitive emissions from LNG sources. This mobile measurement methodology is capable of monitoring point and non-point CH₄ sources in Beijing and the observation results could improve the CH₄ inventory and inform relevant policy-making on emission reduction in China.