Monitoring and Measuring of Emission to Air
The Joint Research Center (JRC) from the European Commission defines Emission Monitoring (EM) as systematic surveillance of the variations of a certain chemical or physical characteristic of an emission. Monitoring is based on repeated measurements or observations, at an appropriate frequency following documented and agreed procedures, to obtain the intended information on emissions. The JRC makes a distinction between monitoring and measuring as usually both terms are interchanged. Measuring involves a set of operations to determine the value of a quantity and therefore implies that an individual quantitative result is obtained. While monitoring can include the measurement of the value of a particular parameter and also the follow-up of variations in its value. In chemical industry sub-sectors, where monitoring is compulsory by law (a reference to the EU), measuring accompanies the monitoring as numerical evidence that is neccesary to have a notion of the number of emissions released to water or air. In practice, monitoring systems with integrated digitalized tools fulfill both, measuring and monitoring through automated sensors which usually compile data that is registered in a companies monitoring system. This technique not only allows to have regular control of emissions but it is useful to detect leakages that can result in toxicity or other unwanted impacts on people and the environment.
Stage of Life Cycle
Overarching
GHG Reduction Potential
Monitoring systems do not reduce emissions. However, such systems are put in place to identify sources of leakage or potential points of emissions during production and fugitive gases that occur in chemical manufacturing. The amount of GHG reduced depends on how a company uses the monitoring systems to identify possible points for improvement along with production equipment and related processes.
Solution Maturity Status
Well Established:
This technology has been operating for a number of years and is well-known/ successful in its industry or market.