In this panel Picarro’s CEO, Alexandre Balkanski discusses how Picarro leads the way to net-zero for our partner-operators in his keynote presentation, “You cannot fix what you do not measure.” Take this journey with Alex as he guides the natural gas distribution industry along the path to net zero emissions by leveraging Picarro’s AMLD and analytics solutions.

We Discussed

Introduction and your path to NetZero [1:00]

Digitization as a key enabler to your transformation journey [3:25]

Why having an aggressive ESG posture is a critical path forward for premium gas operators [4:30]

Keeping your one step ahead of the changing regulatory environment [6:00]

Making NetZero real [7:05]

Case study: Typical DSO moving from estimates to measurements [9:24]

Getting access to critical tools to get you to NetZero [12:28]

Detailing the normalized leak distribution curve [14:00]

Case study: PG&E super emitter program example [24:17]

By the numbers – what PG&E abatement looks like, bringing the threshold down [25:55]

Case study: Italgas adoption of Picarro technology, going all in [26:50]

Italgas reaching 81% reduction by 2022 [30:54]

Understanding that the majority of super emitters are hazardous leaks [32:47]

Optimized pipe replacement – starved for good data [35:40]

Detailing the normalized leak distribution curveOptimize and measure so you can take credit for leak detection and repair [39:29]

Best practice recommendations – drive yearly, 2/3 in super emitter mode [42:50]

Detailing the normalized leak distribution curveOptimize and measure so you can take credit for leak detection and repair [39:29]

Summary – a new set of tools, a new language [45:02]

It won’t be easy but we need this community! [47:06]

Key Takeaways

• Measure everything.
• There is a clear path to your goals.
• Several organizations have adopted best practices.
• Substantial gains in emissions reductions is possible.
• This community is critical to our shared success.
• Trust the data, it's there.

Summary [Complete transcript]

During this keynote speech, Alex weaves themes around digital transformation, ESG metrics, and changing regulatory regimes to detail the path to net-zero for the natural gas distribution industry.

He expresses how Picarro is much like a new language, with AMLD acting as this language’s vocabulary – he carries this analogy successfully to explain how important it is for companies to learn and use this language effectively, the language of net zero. Key to his message is the idea that MEASUREMENT is the key to enabling the pathways to achieve substantial gains in emissions reductions, safety, and capital optimization.

He contrasts the modern measurement-based emissions inventory paradigm, espoused by Picarro, with the traditional, outdated, asset-based emissions inventory based on estimated average emissions factors. He highlights, using the normalized leak distribution curve to show why AMLD is the right choice for distribution system operators, and how they can use the curve’s shape to target and reduce their emissions in a systematic and verifiable way. He offers the PG&E model and data as an example of an operator and regulator, the CPUC, successfully reducing emissions utilizing Picarro’s AMLD solution and emission reduction protocols.

Using the same PG&E data, Alex is able to show how super-emitters, the main target of Picarro’s emissions reduction methodology, also are often also hazardous. He turns next to Pipeline Replacement Optimization based on Picarro data and sharing an example of this work from CenterPoint Energy. Next he turns his attention to Compliance Leak Survey and how priority-ranking leaks allows optimization of O&M budgets to maximize the safety gains and emissions reduction outcomes of leak repair operations. He offers a novel approach to AMLD surveying to maximize the benefits to an operator as they strive to achieve net zero.

Selected Links/Related Material

• Complete 2023 Picarro Community Conference Presentation File
• CenterPoint Energy's sustainability pledge and dedicated ESG web page
• ONE Gas Sustainable Vision report and dedicated ESG web page
• PG&E Announces 20% emissions reductions, two years ahead of schedule
• The Paris Agreement, international treaty of climate change
• "Measurement-based emissions assessment and reduction through accelerated detection and repair of large leaks in the gas distribution network." Francois Rongere and Sean MacMullin, Picarro, Inc., Atmospheric Environment X
• Paolo Gallo's keynote speech for the 2022 EMEA Picarro Community Conference

People/Organizations Mentioned

• Paolo Gallo, CEO at Italgas [01:29, 28:35, 49:35]
• CenterPoint Energy [05:03, 37:51, 45:57]
• ONE Gas [05:05, 45:58, 54:18]
• PG&E [08:14, 18:37, 19:40, 24:10, 26:10, 34:38]
• Sean MacMullin, Senior Director, Software and Data Analytics at Picarro, Inc. [16:17]
• Francois Rongere, Senior Director, Solution Architect Climate and Safety at Picarro [16:18]
• Naturgy Spain [29:46]
• BlackHills Energy [54:18]
• NiSource [54:18]
• Jemena [54:18]
• South Jersey Gas [54:19]
• Southern Company [54:18]
• Cadent Gas [54:18]
• Summit Utilities [54:19]
• Xcel Energy [54:19]