The Methane to Markets (M2M) Partnership is an initiative led by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to reduce global methane emissions to enhance economic growth, promote energy security, improve the environment, and reduce greenhouse gases.
M2M focuses on four key sectors: 1) agriculture: livestock (e.g. dairy, swine) and agro-industry (e.g., distilleries/ethanol plants, sugar mills, fruit and juice processing, starch processing); 2) oil and gas; 3) landfills; and, 4) coal mines (coal bed methane). The objective is to develop sustainable markets for methane capture and use in the four key sectors in developing countries.
As part of this work PA has:
Developed country profiles and resource assessments to determine sector characteristics and the potential to reduce methane emissions;
Implemented pilot projects that use recovered methane;
Developed implementation guides for methane capture projects;
Conducted preliminary feasibility studies of methane reduction projects; and
Strengthened local institutional capacity in methane management.
Specific results from PA’s assistance include country resource assessments for Argentina, the Philippines and Thailand, with studies under way in other countries in Latin America and South/South East Asia. These resource assessments demonstrate the important contribution methane recovery can play in support of both energy and environmental objectives. For instance, PA estimates that Argentina can reduce over 2 million tonnes CO2e/yr currently being emitted by the livestock and agro-industrial sectors through methane capture and utilization. PA has also conducted feasibility studies for anaerobic digester systems in Mexico, China and Georgia,
M2M Partner countries are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Ecuador, European Commission, Finland, Georgia, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam.
To learn more about PA's environmental sustainability capability, please contact us now.