On Monday, New Jersey material science and sensor company Intelligent Material Solutions (IMS) that it is part of a group, led by Princeton University Engineering Professor Mark Zondlo, rural telecom infrastructure firm Paige Wireless, and agriculture technology company Slant Range, that has been awarded a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy‘s applied research (ARPA) program.
The granted project, “NitroNet: Smart System to Quantify Nitrous Oxide Emissions,” is an autonomous sensing system intended to non-disruptively monitor fields for nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions over a complete growing season. This award is part of the DoE’s SMARTFARM program, which is dedicated to improving data collection in the biofuel supply chain.
IMS says the project has the potential to transform the emissions assessment of farms. N2O is an extremely powerful greenhouse gas, with an environmental impact of 300:1 when comparing one pound of N2O to one pound of CO2. The company notes that a large portion of the N2O in the atmosphere is emitted indirectly, and with large variability in space and time, as a byproduct of cropland fertilization.
By quantitatively totaling the loss of nitrogen over a growing season, the research may enable producers to make informed decisions about practices that mitigate the harmful environmental and climate impacts of agricultural crop production. The system provides the promising opportunity to impact the U.S.’s security as a leader in agricultural sustainability, incentivize and monetize emission reductions for farmers, and enable participation of producers in carbon management markets.
NitroNet, uses eye-safe mid infrared lasers, ultra-sensitive detectors, and inexpensive reflectors to cast a ‘net’ over a field to map N2O emissions at high temporal and spatial resolutions. Validation of the monitoring will be accomplished using a compact pilotless drone and subsequent data compared with established monitoring approaches.
“What is unique about NitroNet is that it is a continuous, unattended 24/7 system that does not interfere with the farmers’ operation, and yet the information will allow farmers to monetize their efforts to reduce their climatic footprint. It is a ‘win-win’ for both agriculture and the environment,” Professor Zondlo said in an official comment on the award.
