Sustainable Systems Seminar Lunch Series – Near-Real-Time Monitoring of GHG Emissions

The central topic of this seminar is modeling approaches to facilitate resource conservation and a just energy transition. Potential subtopics are an emerging technology’s potential for scaling, life-cycle assessment for measuring social and environmental impacts, uncertainty quantification, and economic modeling for the energy transition. Our goal is to create an intimate, collaborative space for students, postdocs, scientists, and PIs within the Stanford techno-economic modeling and systems modeling community. These seminars will provide an opportunity to disseminate insights from your studies, connect with fellow researchers, and strengthen bonds across the community.
This week’s speaker is:
Xinyu Dou, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Stanford University
“Near-Real-Time Monitoring of GHG Emissions”
Talk Abstract: Tracking greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in near-real-time is essential for informing timely climate action and evaluating the effectiveness of mitigation policies. My work focuses on developing high-resolution, near-real-time datasets of anthropogenic CO2 and CH4 emissions, integrating satellite observations, ground-based activity data, and machine learning. I contribute to projects such as Carbon Monitor (https://carbonmonitor.org/) and GRACED (https://carbonmonitor-graced.com/), which provide daily CO2 and CH4 emission estimates across multiple sectors for global coverage. These data are used to assess the immediate impact of socio-economic changes, such as the pandemic or energy crises, on emissions. Moving forward, this research aspires to shed light on the dance between the energy transition and GHG emissions, offering insights to guide future policy decisions and technological advancements.
Bio: Dr. Xinyu Dou is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Earth System Science at Stanford University, supported by the Stanford Energy Postdoctoral Fellowship. Her research centers on near-real-time monitoring of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, with a particular focus on integrating top-down (satellite and atmospheric observations) and bottom-up (activity-based) data. She earned her PhD in ecology from Tsinghua University, developing GRACED, the world’s first near-real-time, grid-level carbon emissions database on a daily scale. Xinyu is a key member of the international Carbon Monitor project and a contributor to the Global Carbon Project. Currently, she is collaborating with Prof. Rob Jackson to advance the study of methane emissions monitoring. Xinyu’s research interests include high-resolution greenhouse gas emissions monitoring, carbon footprint, and methane leak.