Pitch
Use electrical sparks to ignite small point sources.
Description
Summary
Small, inexpensive spark devices can ignite combustible methane/air mixtures at source. Technologies include piezo-electrics, or induction coils & spark plugs. Micro-renewables can provide off-grid power. Ignition units can be designed for use on soil or water surfaces. Device distribution could be by air, vehicle or animal transport.
Category of the action
Geoengineering
What actions do you propose?
Who will take these actions?
Where will these actions be taken?
What are other key benefits?
What are the proposal’s costs?
Each unit would likely cost a few tens of dollars, and potentially even less. The payback resulting would be highly dependent on the amount of methane which could feasibly be flared off. Transient seeps, power outages, equipment breakdown, etc. all play a part in limiting the capacity to provide ignition. In any event, not all methane would burn. There is a risk of sooting surrounding snow, which would need to be taken into account. Sooting is particularly an issue in snow-covered areas with low precipitation.
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