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Please join the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center for the next episode of EnergySource Innovation Stream. The series highlights new energy technologies with the potential to reshape the global energy system through discussions with companies and individuals working diligently to bring those innovations to market at scale. On Thursday, April 1, from 10:30 – 11:00 a.m. EDT, the Global Energy Center will host Dr. Doug Baer, Global Product Line Manager for Laser Analyzers, Measurement and Analytics Division at ABB, who will discuss how ABB’s gas leak detection technology identifies leaks throughout the entire natural gas supply chain with high reliability and speed.

ABB’s comprehensive mix of stationary, hand-held, mobile, and drone-based solutions combines leading-edge cybersecure measurement technology with advanced data analytics. Dr. Baer will focus on the new drone-based solution—HoverGuard™. The system continuously measures methane, carbon dioxide, and water vapor emissions while flying attached to a drone. He will explain how HoverGuard’s proprietary analytical software generates digital reports, which detail leak locations and corresponding emissions rates. These results can be shared in minutes, allowing operators to intervene quickly when hazardous gas leaks are found.

This conversation is particularly timely—in December 2020, Congress passed the PIPES Act of 2020 with bipartisan support. The law instructs the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to create rules on how to detect and repair methane leaks, among other requirements. Innovative technologies could play an important role in implementing this rule. 

Please join this conversation via the web application Zoom, which is accessible through your web browser, the Zoom desktop or mobile app, and by phone. If you wish to join the question and answer period, you must join by app or web. You must register to receive further information on how to join the virtual audience.

Featuring

Dr. Doug Baer, Global Product Line Manager for Laser Analyzers, Measurement and Analytics Division, ABB

Doug Baer, Ph.D., is the Global Product Line Manager for Laser Analyzers at ABB Measurement and Analytics Division where he invents, develops, manufactures, and sells laser-based instrumentation for ultra-sensitive and accurate measurements of gases, liquids and isotope ratios for atmospheric and environmental monitoring, industrial process control, and homeland security. Based in San Jose, CA, Doug is an inventor of ABB’s patented laser-based technology and the industry-leading natural gas leak detection platform. Before joining ABB, Doug was the President of Los Gatos Research. Doug has degrees in Mechanical Engineering (Ph.D., M.S., Stanford University) and in Engineering Physics (B.S., University of California Berkeley).

The Global Energy Center develops and promotes pragmatic and nonpartisan policy solutions designed to advance global energy security, enhance economic opportunity, and accelerate pathways to net-zero emissions.