About the pilot program

A greenhouse gas monitoring network and verification pilot program in the Upper Hunter region is testing a new way to independently measure greenhouse gases in the air at a regional scale. It uses a network of analysers to track how levels change over time.

Key facts about the pilot

Location: Upper Hunter, New South Wales

Description: A pilot greenhouse gas monitoring network and verification program

What it measures: Greenhouse gas in the air

Purpose: To improve emissions measurement and verification

Timeframe: Pilot running until June 2027

It is important to monitor greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane because they play a central role in the greenhouse effect, which traps heat in the atmosphere and drives climate change. Until now, we have used modelled estimates and measurements taken at the source to track emissions. These methods vary between different sources and sectors. This pilot project will help scientists develop and refine techniques to directly monitor these gases in the atmosphere.

Scientists will use this new monitoring data to understand where these greenhouse gases could be coming from. They do this using atmospheric modelling and chemical ‘fingerprinting’. This links the gases to likely sources in the area, such as mining and other land use activities.

This work supports greater transparency in emissions reporting. It will also strengthen the evidence base for future climate action led by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA).

This is Australia’s first greenhouse gas monitoring network and the first high-density regional greenhouse gas monitoring network in the Southern Hemisphere.

Learn about the pilot from the scientists leading the project.

Monitoring locations in the network

Up to 9 greenhouse gas analysers will be installed at existing air quality monitoring stations across the Upper Hunter region of New South Wales. At the end of June 2026, sensors would be installed at Singleton, Muswellbrook, Merriwa, Mount Thorley and Bulga air quality monitoring stations.

Air quality monitoring station building with fenced enclosure and sampling equipment on the roof in an open field
Singleton air quality monitoring station. 
Credit: Jason Potts/DCCEEW
Singleton air quality monitoring station

The Upper Hunter was chosen because it already has an established air quality monitoring network. This allows the project to use existing infrastructure and operate efficiently.

The region also has a mix of activities that produce emissions, including agriculture, waste management, industry and energy generation. This makes it a suitable real-world setting to test new monitoring methods.

The long-term aim is to expand greenhouse gas monitoring across New South Wales, subject to future planning.

A map of the upper Hunter region with black dots marking air quality monitoring stations at Merriwa, Muswellbrook, Singleton, Mount Thorley and Bulga. An inset in the bottom corner shows marks the locations on a map of NSW
Map showing air quality monitoring stations in the Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Network and Verification Pilot Program. 
Credit: DCCEEW
Map showing air quality monitoring stations in the Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Network and Verification Pilot Program

Measuring greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

Measuring greenhouse gases in the atmosphere involves sensitive scientific instruments installed at our air quality monitoring stations. They sample air at regular intervals and detect the concentrations of various greenhouse gases.

Picarro air monitoring instrument mounted in a metal rack with 'PICARRO' on the front and a green panel labelled 'cavity ringdown spectrometer G2301 CO2/CH4/H2O'
A Picarro analyser used to measure greenhouse gases. 
Credit: DCCEEW
A Picarro analyser used to measure greenhouse gases

How greenhouse gases are measured

The figures below explain how air is collected at air quality monitoring stations and analysed to detect greenhouse gas levels.

Bullet points explain that an air sample is collected and drawn by a vacuum pump into a cavity ring-down spectrometer (CRDS). To the right, a small monitoring building is shown with pipes taking in air. Circles labelled CH₄, CO₂, and H₂O with arrows indicate these gases entering the system.
Air quality monitoring station. 
Credit: DCCEEW
Text explains that laser light enters a chamber, reflects repeatedly between mirrors, then is switched off while the light continues bouncing and gradually fades (ring-down). Gas molecules absorb some of the light, and a detector measures the remaining light that leaks out. Diagram shows a cylindrical chamber with mirrors at each end and coloured dots representing gas molecules absorbing light.
Gas analyser chamber. 
Credit: DCCEEW
Text explains that gases are identified by how quickly the light signal fades and by wavelength peaks, which indicate gas type and quantity. A graph shows multiple coloured peaks representing different gases, with peak position indicating identity and peak size indicating concentration of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.
Gas analyser software. 
Credit: DCCEEW

Next steps

The pilot will run until June 2027 while the monitoring technology and methods are tested and improved. Scientists will collect, validate and analyse data during this time. An update on the project’s future will be available in late 2027.