Picarro Leads Methane Detection Project in Europe

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 6, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Picarro, the global leader in Network Intelligence and methane emissions reduction solutions, has emerged as the top performer in a rigorous vehicle-based methane detection project. The company’s Advanced Mobile Leak Detection (AMLD) solution was the only system to detect all 10 methane events during real-world field testing, achieving a 100% detection rate. This marks a significant milestone in the company’s efforts to enhance network safety and meet increasingly stringent methane regulations.

The DVGW-fund research project, known as Fahrzeuggestützte Methanmessung (FaMeGQ), evaluated six vehicle-based systems in a two-stage qualification process. The first stage involved controlled test-field validation in Düsseldorf, where methane releases ranging from 5 to 15 liters per hour were positioned at varying distances from vehicle routes and exposed to different wind and environmental conditions. Picarro, identified as Vehicle Fz-1 in the DVGW report, successfully passed this stage with a 96% detection rate, the best result among all competitors.

The second stage of the evaluation moved to an active gas distribution network in Regensburg, where eight controlled methane releases were installed. Picarro identified all eight and discovered two additional unknown leaks that were independently confirmed, resulting in a 100% detection rate across all 10 methane events. This was the only system in the study to achieve such a result.

The findings of the FaMeGQ project underscore the importance of advanced vehicle-based methane detection technologies. The DVGW evaluation concluded that repeated surveys, robust quality-control procedures, and optimized operating conditions are critical to detection reliability. It also highlighted the benefits of nighttime surveying and near-ground sampling using multiple sampling nozzles. These findings align directly with Picarro’s deployment model, which combines repeated surveys performed primarily at night with four front-mounted sampling nozzles, high-precision methane and ethane measurements, wind characterization, and atmospheric analytics. Picarro also automates data validation and quality assurance, continuously monitoring system health, wind, and positioning data, and excluding measurements collected outside approved operating conditions.

The European Methane Regulation (EU Regulation 2024/1787) has increased requirements for leak detection and repair inspections. The FaMeGQ project was designed to determine whether vehicle-mounted technologies can reliably detect methane leaks while maintaining established DVGW safety standards. The results demonstrate how advanced mobile measurement can help utilities efficiently scale network inspections while supporting broader methane management objectives. The same measurement data used for leak detection can also support emissions quantification, methane inventory reporting, risk-informed leak prioritization, asset integrity management, and capital investment planning.

Picarro’s technology and analytics are trusted by operators representing more than 30% of global gas distribution networks. The company’s AMLD methodology has been refined through years of deployments around the world, ensuring that operators have the tools they need to manage network safety, methane emissions, and regulatory compliance together.

The DVGW, founded over 165 years ago, has advanced technical safety and innovation across the gas and water industries. Through its network of experts, institutes, and research facilities, DVGW helps identify and advance new technologies, research, and industry practices at both the national and international level. Its services and technical guidance continuously evolve to address new technical developments and the changing needs of the gas and water industries.