MAP-of-MeLEES is the acronym for “Mapping and Pricing of Methane Emissions from the European Electricity Sector (MAP-of-MeLEES)”(grant P2022H483A) funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research under the PRIN-PNRR.

MAP-of-MeLEES brings together researchers from

• Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (PI: Valerio Dotti)
• University of Milan (Co-PI and Head of the local unit Luca Rossini)

Brief description of the proposal

Anthropogenic methane (CH4) emissions are responsible for at least a third of today’s climate change. The energy sector accounts for 35% of these global CH4 emissions, mostly due to gas venting in the extraction of oil, coal, and gas and leakages from gas pipelines. It is the main culprit, but it also has the largest potential for rapid and cost-efficient reduction. Because CH4 leakages from power generation are difficult to measure, the European Emission Trading System (EU ETS) does not discipline CH4 emissions and neither do the other carbon pricing schemes, with few exceptions (Alberta emission offset system). Yet, the Global Methane Pledge initiative launched at COP 26 in 2021 in Glasgow with the goal to catalyze methane emission reduction initiatives call for urgent policy intervention.

MAP-of-MeLEES aims to meet two measurable and verifiable goals:

i. measure CH4 emissions of the European power sector,

ii. allocate them to each power plant and ii) price such emissions within the EU ETS.