FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., July 10, 2024 – Geofinancial Analytics (GEO) has been awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Phase 1 SBIR grant to develop an AI-powered tiered multi-satellite observation scheme for methane quantification and attribution. SBIR, America’s Seed Fund powered by the NSF, invests up to $2 million in funding for startups that are developing innovative technologies with broad impact and commercial potential.
GEO’s Technical Innovation
GEO’s technical innovation is a computationally efficient, tiered multi-satellite monitoring system that tracks daily-to-weekly CH4 emissions from oil & gas assets across the globe, which are then used to assess company-level emission performance and benchmark companies amongst their peers. The technology integrates satellite observations from multiple sensors, deep learning models, and statistical data aggregation. A crucial component is a deep learning model which automatically detects CH4 plumes in high-resolution imagery from satellites not designed to detect methane, like the Landsat suite and Sentinel-2. These plumes are used to refine TROPOMI (Sentinel-5p) baseline observations. Most quantification methods, and deep learning models in particular, are too computationally expensive to use at a global scale. Thus innovative, computationally efficient methods for emission quantification and statistical data aggregation must be developed.
The Broader Impact of GEO’s NSF-Funded Work
The broader/commercial impact of GEO’s NSF-funded project is that methane, with its global warming potential 85 times that of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, represents a critical target in the fight against climate change. If successful, the proposed innovation could play a pivotal role in mitigating methane emissions, contributing significantly to global climate goals. Specifically, the proposed intervention could help flatten the methane emissions curve – cutting emissions of US oil & gas producers by 75% over five years. This 75% reduction in emissions from fossil fuels aligns with the International Energy Agency’s goal for 2030 that would enable limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Lower methane emissions translate into improved air quality, reducing respiratory illnesses and other health issues associated with air pollution. Additionally, decreased global warming mitigates the frequency and severity of climate-related disasters such as wildfires, floods, and heatwaves. These changes have profound implications for biodiversity, ecosystems, and human livelihoods, particularly in vulnerable regions which includes much of the US.
Job Openings
GEO is seeking to immediately add two highly motivated professionals to its existing research and development team to assist in the NSF-funded development and commercialization of this key technical innovation for tracking atmospheric methane sources via satellite remote sensing.
Research Scientist – Atmospheric Modeling (Job # 2024-NSF AS3)
Data Scientist – Methane Monitoring (Job # 2024-NSF DS1)
If interested, please provide a cover letter describing your fit to the role, a curriculum vita including a bibliography of refereed and other work, and contact information for at least three professional references. Please combine all documents into one PDF and email to careers@geofinancial.com. Applications received by August 1, 2024 will receive full consideration.
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About Geofinancial Analytics
Geofinancial Analytics (GEO) is an independent science-driven data provider whose civic mission is to accelerate the clean energy transition by informing decisions and business practices with transparent, objective analysis using advanced geospatial technology and AI. Learn more at geofinancial.com.