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| 28 Mar 2026 | |
| Written by J.B. Wogan | |
| Press Releases and Statements |
Washington, D.C., March 27, 2026—The Data Foundation today announced the formation of the Methane Plume Technical Working Group (MP TWG), a collaborative initiative to strengthen the transparency, accuracy, and reliability of methane emissions data derived from remote sensing technologies. The working group will officially commence activities on May 1, 2026, and is now accepting letters of interest from prospective participants.
Organizations interested in joining can submit a letter of interest here.
Remote sensing for methane plume detection and quantification is a rapidly growing field, and one where the stakes of inconsistent or unreliable data are high. The MP TWG will address that risk by increasing consistency across data products and results, improving the understanding of what drives error and uncertainty, and enabling a well-constructed validation strategy that builds trust in the data used by regulators, researchers, and industry alike.
"Collaborative work across the wide range of measurement and analysis teams will be the most efficient approach to achieve our goals," said Annmarie Eldering, the MP TWG Manager and a Senior Fellow at the Data Foundation’s Climate Data Collaborative, which works to make climate and environmental data work better for decision-makers across sectors. "The MP TWG brings together the right stakeholders to move this field forward with rigor and transparency."
The working group will pursue three workstreams: developing written consensus standards and best practices for methane plume detection and quantification; building a tiered validation and characterization framework supported by controlled release experiments; and serving as a central convening body to track ongoing initiatives and produce a field-wide coordination roadmap.
Participants will include experts from federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector. All members will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) designed to protect intellectual property while enabling open exchange of ideas. There are no fees or required financial contributions to participate; contributions of data and methodologies are strongly encouraged.
The MP TWG will collaborate closely with other relevant ongoing efforts in the field, including MEDUSA, IG3IS, and NPL, ensuring that its work complements and coordinates with parallel initiatives rather than duplicating them.
Organizations wishing to participate will be expected to submit a description of their relevant experience, a list of publications, and a list of anticipated participants. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Accepted organizations will be invited to sign the MOU and formally join the working group.
About the Data Foundation
The Data Foundation is a Washington, DC-based, non-profit, non-partisan organization. It is a trusted authority on the use of open, accessible data to fuel a more efficient, effective, and accountable government; spark innovation; and provide insights to the country's most pressing challenges. It conducts research, facilitates collaborative thought leadership, and promotes advocacy programs that advance practical policies for the creation and use of accessible, trustworthy data and evidence. The Data Foundation is recognized by Candid Guidestar with the Platinum Seal of Transparency and by Charity Navigator as a 4-Star non-profit. To learn more, visit www.datafoundation.org. (LEI: 254900I43CTC59RFW495)
