Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1344
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1344
10 Apr 2025
 | 10 Apr 2025

Best Practices and Uncertainties in CH4 Emission Quantification: Employing Mobile Measurements and Gaussian Plume Modelling at a Biogas Plant

Julia Beate Wietzel, Piotr Korben, Antje Hoheisel, and Martina Schmidt

Abstract. The increasing number of biogas plants in Germany and Europe necessitate an appropriate strategy to quantify potential methane (CH4) losses to ensure the sustainability of renewable energy production. In addition to high uncertainties in emission factors, there is little information on the temporal variation in CH4 emissions from biogas plants. In this study, long-term measurements of CH4 emission rates at a biogas plant in Heidelberg, Germany, were performed over a period of eight years using mobile measurements combined with a Gaussian plume model (GPM). To increase the accuracy of the emission rate calculations and harmonize the dataset, the methodology was evaluated through six controlled methane release experiments. The results of these experiments demonstrated that our method exhibits an uncertainty lower than 30 %, provided that the following recommendations are followed: wind and solar radiation should be measured onsite, at least 10 transects should be driven at low speeds, and a minimum distance of 20 m should be maintained from the emission source. By integrating these improvements into long-term monitoring practices at a biogas plant in Heidelberg, we present a comprehensive and consistent dataset of mobile measurements from 26 campaigns. The data revealed only low temporal variations in CH4 emission rates, which is probably due to the continuous operation of the biogas plant with stable procedures. Notably, the average CH4 emission rate was 5.9 ± 0.5 kg CH4 h-1. The successful integration of data acquired over eight years through multiple measurement setups increases the reliability of the dataset, providing valuable insights into methane emissions from biogas plants.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

23 Sep 2025
Best practices and uncertainties in CH4 emission quantification: employing mobile measurements and Gaussian plume modelling at a biogas plant
Julia Beate Wietzel, Piotr Korben, Antje Hoheisel, and Martina Schmidt
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 4631–4645, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4631-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4631-2025, 2025
Short summary
Julia Beate Wietzel, Piotr Korben, Antje Hoheisel, and Martina Schmidt

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1344', Anonymous Referee #1, 30 Apr 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Julia Wietzel, 09 Jul 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1344', Anonymous Referee #2, 21 May 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Julia Wietzel, 09 Jul 2025

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1344', Anonymous Referee #1, 30 Apr 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Julia Wietzel, 09 Jul 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1344', Anonymous Referee #2, 21 May 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Julia Wietzel, 09 Jul 2025

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Julia Wietzel on behalf of the Authors (28 Jul 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (14 Aug 2025) by Pinhua Xie
AR by Julia Wietzel on behalf of the Authors (15 Aug 2025)  Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

23 Sep 2025
Best practices and uncertainties in CH4 emission quantification: employing mobile measurements and Gaussian plume modelling at a biogas plant
Julia Beate Wietzel, Piotr Korben, Antje Hoheisel, and Martina Schmidt
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 4631–4645, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4631-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4631-2025, 2025
Short summary
Julia Beate Wietzel, Piotr Korben, Antje Hoheisel, and Martina Schmidt
Julia Beate Wietzel, Piotr Korben, Antje Hoheisel, and Martina Schmidt

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Short summary
Long-term measurements of CH4 emission rates at a biogas plant in Germany, were performed eight years using mobile measurements combined with a Gaussian plume model. The average CH4 emission rate of the biogas plant was 5.9 ± 0.5 kg CH4 h-1. To increase the accuracy of the emission rate calculations and harmonize the dataset, the methodology was evaluated through six controlled methane release experiments demonstrating an uncertainty lower than 30 %, following several recommendations.
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