Why Industry Needs International Methane Measurement Conference: An Interview with Rod Robinson

Watch a short video-interview with Rod Robinson on the origins and importance of IMM.

Rod Robinson currently serves as a Senior Scientist at the National Physical Laboratory, where he has played an instrumental role in over 25 campaigns to improve industrial emissions monitoring – but this isn’t just a day-job. Throughout his career, Rod has been committed to bettering our understanding of industrial emissions, taking up various high-ranking roles in leading organisations, including a stint as Chairman for the highly-regarded Source Testing Association, a UK-based group devoted to the advancement of the science of emissions monitoring. Now, he's back in the Chairman’s seat for this year’s IMM, an international conference dedicated solely to the discussion of industrial methane monitoring. So, what’s so important about methane? 

“Over the years, we’ve seen an increase in targeted regulation for methane emissions,” suggests Robinson, “as well as the voluntary commitments that industry are signing up to.” With various initiatives, like the Global Methane Pledge, springing up in the wake of COP26, the monitoring of methane is gathering regulatory and commercial steam, necessitating international forums like IMM as a means of coordination and cooperation between concerned parties. “We set up IMM to bring together the different communities involved in methane measurement,” Rod confirms. “In particular, we wanted to bring academic communities and innovators of new measurement technologies into contact with industry, who are having to report and measure their emissions.” By creating a channel between those on the hook for methane emissions and those best equipped to handle these emissions, the team behind IMM hope to provoke essential dialogues. 

Indeed, at IMM 2022, you’ll be able to watch these dialogues in real-time. For instance, a number of lectures will present results from experiments in using the latest techniques at operative sites, results which will help to accurately assess the success of technological innovations in meeting the real-world demands of industry. Similarly, attendees will get a front-row seat to presentations on the cutting-edge of industrial applications and concerns, being the first to know where businesses think that various sectors, like agriculture, waste and energy, will go next with methane monitoring. 

As such, the Chairman of IMM 2022 hopes to welcome a diverse group of attendees into the convention centre in June. In particular, those working in industries which are feeling the heat of increasing regulation will find the conference indispensable, as it will provide expert guidance and advice for addressing these new needs. But even those who’ll be applying the regulatory pressure in the coming years have lots to learn from the speakers at IMM 2022, with specialist lectures on the ins-and-outs of the latest techniques and analytical difficulties. And in keeping with the aim of establishing dialogue between all of the communities concerned with methane monitoring, any and all job-titles that feel they have something to offer or want to stay ahead of the curve should consider attending – which, by the way, will cost you absolutely nothing. 

That’s right: for the first time ever, attending IMM 2022 will be completely free of charge. So, register now – and gain simultaneous access to PEFTEC 2022, which will run alongside.