An e-Bike Measurement System for Urban Methane Emissions Measurements

Mobile, ground-based methane measurements play a critical role in detecting, locating, and quantifying urban emissions and are increasingly relied upon for mitigation tracking and inventory development. Most existing studies employ automobile-based platforms, which offer broad spatial coverage but constrain sampling speed, proximity to sources, and access to dense or traffic-restricted environments. These limitations introduce persistent uncertainties in source localization and plume interpretation, particularly in urban settings.

To address these challenges, we developed a bicycle-based methane measurement system that prioritizes transport-aware localization as a core measurement capability. The platform integrates an open-path methane sensor with high-accuracy GNSS positioning, and a sonic anemometer mounted directly on the platform. High-frequency (10 Hz) measurements are synchronized and fused in real time, enabling wind-resolved interpretation of methane enhancements within their spatial context. By operating at flexible travel velocities and leveraging the maneuverability of a bicycle, the system enables targeted sampling in narrow corridors, pedestrian zones, and other environments that are often inaccessible or impractical for automobile-based surveys.  

Initial deployments in the City of Calgary, Alberta demonstrate the platform’s ability to detect, localize, and attribute methane emissions from a range of anthropogenic sources, including wastewater and other urban infrastructure, that are difficult to resolve using conventional mobile methods. Direct integration of high-fidelity wind measurements on the mobile platform provides critical transport context which can be used in real time to constrain source locations and improve plume-based quantification. Together, these results show that bicycle-based platforms equipped with integrated wind sensing can generate high-resolution methane datasets and represent an effective approach for improving urban methane mapping and emission attribution.