Project: Stable isotope metrology to enable climate action and regulation

Acronym 19ENV05 STELLAR (Reference Number: 19ENV05)
Duration 01/09/2020 - 01/09/2023
Project Topic Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) released into the atmosphere by human activity are major contributors to the presence of greenhouse gases (GHGs), driving climate change. Field-deployable spectroscopes can help identify sources and discriminate between human and natural emissions for these by analysing the ratios of CO2 and CH4 isotopes present. However, these instruments require calibration with gases with measurement traceability and precisely known isotope compositions which are currently lacking, compromising the comparability of global observations. The project will provide improved CO2, and the first ever, CH4 reference materials linked to the SI through international isotope ratio scales. Validation routines and traceability chains for spectroscopic techniques will also be developed to allow state-of-the-art measurements to be made in the field. At the end of the project in 2023 the improved discrimination between natural and manmade sources of GHGs will aid governmental agencies to better attribute emission sources, help demonstrate compliance to national reduction targets and enhance the effectiveness of future abatement strategies.
Website visit project website
Network EMPIR
Call EMPIR Call 2019

Project partner

Number Name Role Country
1 NPL Management Limited Coordinator United Kingdom
2 Dansk Fundamental Metrologi A/S Partner Denmark
3 Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica Partner Italy
4 LGC Limited Partner United Kingdom
5 Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Partner Germany
6 Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu Partner Türkiye
7 VSL B.V. Partner Netherlands
8 Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy Partner Finland
9 Al Air Liquide España, S.A. Partner Spain
10 Eidgenoessische Materialpruefungs- und Forschungsanstalt Partner Switzerland
11 Institut Jožef Stefan Partner Slovenia
12 Max Planck Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Wissenschaften e.V. Partner Germany
13 Rijksuniversiteit Groningen Partner Netherlands
14 Itä-Suomen yliopisto Partner Finland