Objectives of the service
The main objective of the GEMS service is to revolutionize the field of emission monitoring, providing a comprehensive and reliable source of data on air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
Unlike traditional concentration measurements, GEMS focuses on emission levels, identifying sources and their rates over time. This information enables users to develop fact-based strategies for emissions reduction, prioritize actions, and assess the impact of these measures over time. The service aims to bridge the gap between business, science, and space by integrating innovative algorithms, satellite data,. GEMS seeks to improve the accuracy of emission inventories, significantly reduce the time required to access data, and streamline the process with an automated online platform. Its long-term goal includes expanding the coverage to encompass all pollutants and sectors, creating a global, trustworthy, and affordable register of greenhouse gas and air quality emissions.
Users and their needs
The primary users of the GEMS service include Green Finance, The whole value chain of Green Industry businesses investing in environmental transformation, and regulatory bodies and emission inventories involved in outdoor air quality monitoring.
These users have diverse needs, such as:
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assessing portfolio exposure
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risk, and competitor analysis (Green Finance)
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supporting environmental transformation investments (Green Industry)
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maintaining regulatory compliance and improving air quality (outdoor AQ monitoring).
GEMS provides these users with accurate, trustworthy, and transparent data on emissions, allowing them to make informed decisions and take effective action. By pinpointing emission sources and providing detailed information, GEMS meets the needs of its users by offering comprehensive emissions data that aids in addressing climate change, poor air quality, and sustainable development.
Service/ system concept
The GEMS service is a unique and comprehensive platform that combines satellite data, scientific algorithms, and ground imagery to monitor and analyse global emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
It consists of a "back office" utilizing reliable Copernicus EO data and advanced algorithms for data processing, as well as a "front office" offering an interactive webservice for easy access to processed emission data and key indicators. The service aims to automate these components to a great extent during commercialization, making it efficient and user-friendly. The subscription-based model allows users to access lifetime data on emissions, as well as reliable metrics and key indicators.
The innovation of GEMS lies in its integration of business and science, with a focus on localized emissions data rather than just national-level data. The technical entrepreneurship behind GEMS ensures efficient processing, programming, and infrastructure management.
The service's added value include measuring emissions at their sources, scientific and technical excellence, and trustworthiness through validated data and transparent methodologies.
Space Added Value
The proposed service needs Satellite Earth Observation of the atmospheric pollutants. The required data will be sourced from the Copernicus Atmosphere Sentinel operational missions: Sentinel 5 Precursor (S5P TROPOMI), Sentinel 4 (S4 UVN + MTG/IRS), Sentinel 5 (S5 UVNS + IASI-NG). Sentinel 4 and Sentinel 5 missions will be launch in 2024/25. Pilot service will preliminary rely on S5P. The TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) is onboard of satellite S5P, that was successfully launched in October 2017. TROPOMI is a spaceborne nadir viewing imaging spectrometer, that provides measurements of atmospheric trace gases at daily global scale with unprecedented level of detail, introducing new areas of application.
This space asset will have unique added value for providing real time information on neighbour pollutions, and global vision. It provides a unique spatio-temporal coverage for proposing global survey services for pollution emission. In addition, with respect to in situ or ground-based measurement networks, space data provides an integrated view of the atmosphere, allowing to capture the entire amount of pollutant for retrieving source emission (providing that the accuracy and the spatio/temporal sampling of the data is sufficient).
Current Status
The project is actively evolving, with monthly interviews with engaged users to refine requirements. New users are joining, and new market segments are being identified. Activities and departmental developments are being integrated to enhance the service's value and supply chain. On the technical front, the system and service architecture are being refined, and platform development is on schedule. "Backoffice" results are improving, coverage is expanding, and pilot sites are being identified, with validation methods and automations in progress. In the business domain, efforts are concentrated on onboarding new users, identifying a new segment, and refining the service's business plan. The goal is to motivate user partnerships and offer competitive incentives to early adopters. In marketing and communication, GEMS is preparing digital material for phase 1 awareness campaigns, emphasizing the project's mission-driven objectives, social benefits, and commercially valuable nature for users.
