Google is collaborating with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to tackle methane emissions through the deployment of EDF's satellite, MethaneSAT. Set to orbit the Earth and collect satellite data, MethaneSAT's information will be combined with Google's AI and infrastructure mapping capabilities to enhance understanding and mitigation of methane emissions. 

With 2023 marking the hottest year on record and human-generated methane contributing to 30% of global warming, the partnership aims to address a major source of methane in the atmosphere fossil fuel extraction. Google plans to utilize cloud computing and AI to power methane detection algorithms, identifying oil and gas infrastructure globally. 

The insights generated will assist EDF in quantifying and tracing methane emissions to their origin, enabling energy companies, researchers, and the public sector to take more effective actions. MethaneSAT is scheduled to launch in early March on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, orbiting the Earth 15 times a day at an altitude of over 350 miles. The collected data will be made available on MethaneSAT’s website and accessible through Google Earth Engine later this year.