Why Green Manufacturing Needs Smarter Gas Detection Solutions

Industrial emissions significantly contribute to climate change, resulting in regulatory pressure for greener practices worldwide. This article discusses photonics-based gas detection, focusing on the ways that advanced infrared sensors and emitters can support the monitoring of emissions and leak detection, allowing industries to comply with regulations and thereby reduce their environmental impact.

Industrialization and Its Environmental Cost

Industrialization has resulted in worldwide economic growth, but has also resulted in high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Major industrial sectors, such as chemical production, power generation, and cement manufacturing, emit high amounts of CO₂, CH₂, and N₂O, significantly contributing to climate change.

The EDGAR 2024 database and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) state that direct industrial emissions were responsible for around 11,408 million tons of CO₂ equivalent (Mt CO₂e) in 2023. This is equivalent to approximately 21.5% of GHG emissions globally, not including land use and forestry. With the inclusion of indirect emissions from electricity used in industry, the sector's share increases to almost 31%.¹

Industrial emissions are commonly centralized and continuous, so they can rapidly accumulate and affect regional and global climate patterns. These emissions can also increase global temperature, polar ice melt, and more frequent extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and hurricanes. These emissions' high volume and persistence make it challenging to mitigate them without systemic change.

Regulatory Pressure to Cut Emissions

In response to this climate emergency, governments worldwide enforce stricter environmental regulations to reduce industrial emissions and promote cleaner technologies. The steps taken have been designed to reduce global warming and begin building resilience against its impacts. Several countries have instituted new climate laws, taxes on carbon, and compulsory reporting requirements to push the industry to transition to cleaner alternatives.

China aims to increase its consumption of non-fossil fuels to 20% by 2025 and reduce 130 million tons of CO₂ over 2024–2025.² The EU's "Fit for 55" package mandates reducing 55% of GHGs from 1990 levels by 2030.³ These policies push industries to take advantage of real-time emission monitoring technologies such as advanced gas detection sensors.

Photonics: A Technological Solution for Emission Monitoring

Industries require rapid, highly sensitive, and accurate gas detection systems that comply with demanding regulatory standards. Photonics-based gas detection provides non-contact, real-time analysis of a range of gases. These systems use the interplay of light with gas molecules through absorption spectroscopy to quantify and identify certain gases.

Continuous monitoring through these sensors gives industries the required data for detecting leaks and adjusting processes. Industries can measure emissions, comply with regulations, and reduce carbon footprints.

Hamamatsu's InAsSb photovoltaic detector with preamp P16702-011M. Image Credit: Hamamatsu Photonics Europe

Hamamatsu Photonics: A Leader in Infrared Detection

Hamamatsu is a leader in advanced infrared detection technologies. It offers a comprehensive range of indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) photodiodes and image sensors designed for high-sensitivity, high-speed, and low-noise detection in the near-infrared spectrum, with spectral responses in the range of 0.5 μm to 2.6 μm, which is ideal for detecting strong absorption peaks of the main GHGs.

Compact, integrated designs, which sometimes combine photodiodes with ICs for digital output, allow for precise, real-time monitoring in industrial environments.⁴

Hamamatsu's indium arsenide antimonide (InAsSb) detectors for mid-infrared applications also provide high sensitivity at essential atmospheric absorption bands—5 μm, 8 μm, and 11 μm.

In these wavelength ranges, the absorption peaks of GHG, such as methane and carbon dioxide, are spaced well, allowing for a measurement with high gas selectivity.

Hamamatsu’s newest models, like the P16702-011MN, boast built-in preamplifiers that improve signal amplification and seamless integration, enhancing compact form factors and quick response times up to 100 MHz.

These detectors are important for portable gas analyzers as they allow for immediate on-site analysis of industrial exhaust gases. InAsSb also offers a RoHS-compliant alternative to mercury-cadmium-telluride (MCT) detectors, which are restricted because of concerns over toxicity.⁵

Hamamatsu is one of a small number of companies manufacturing light sources and infrared photodetectors. Its QCLs and infrared LEDs can integrate with detectors in high-speed, high-sensitivity measurements. When coupled with InAsSb detectors, these emitters aid in advanced spectroscopic techniques.

Applications for Emission Monitoring and Leak Detection

Hamamatsu's infrared solutions are utilized in a number of crucial applications that assist industries in meeting environmental and safety goals. For example, Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (CEMS) are required by regulation in many countries for buildings that release pollutants into the atmosphere. These systems continually measure gas concentrations in flues and exhaust stacks to meet environmental regulations. In this way, Hamamatsu's infrared detectors are critical for enabling multi-gas monitoring capabilities and tracking harmful emissions accurately.

Leak Detection and Repair LDAR programs have been designed to find and fix uncontrolled gas leaks before they become critical. This allows for the quick identification and localization of leaks through laser scanning, optical gas imaging, and UAV-based (drone) monitoring technologies.

Hamamatsu's emitters and sensors can enhance these technologies' range and precision, making leak detection less labor-intensive and more efficient.

Image Credit: Hamamatsu Photonics Europe

The Impact of Photonics on Environmental Sustainability

The application of photonics technologies has a significant impact on the industry's ability to conform to stringent environmental regulations and contribute to the fight against global warming.

Photonics empowers process optimization, waste reduction, and the minimization of environmental impact through accurate and real-time data on gas emissions.

Ultimately, this means a substantial reduction in GHG emissions, a significant contribution to the global effort to reduce climate change, and create a more sustainable future.

References

1. United Nations Industrial Development Organization. Decoding Industrial Decarbonization. (Online) United Nations Industrial Development Organization. Available at: https://www.industrialenergyaccelerator.org/wp-content/uploads/Explainer-Brief_02_updated.pdf (Accessed 20 Aug. 2025) 
2. IGSD. (2024). China Announces Key Energy-Saving and Carbon-Reduction Targets and Actions for 2024-2025. (Online) Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (IGSD). Available at: https://www.igsd.org/china-announces-key-energy-saving-and-carbon-reductiontargets-and-actions-for-2024-2025/ (Accessed 20 Aug. 2025) 
3. VDA. (2022). The "Fit for 55" package — the EU's legislative package. (Online) VDA. Available at: https://www.vda.de/en/topics/european-agenda/fit-for-55 (Accessed 20 Aug. 2025) 
4. Hamamatsu. Infrared detectors. (Online) Hamamatsu. Available at: https://www.hamamatsu.com/eu/en/product/optical-sensors/infrared-detector.html (Accessed 20 Aug. 2025) 
5. Hamamatsu. InAsSb photovoltaic detector P16702-011MN. (Online) Hamamatsu. Available at: https://www.hamamatsu.com/eu/en/product/optical-sensors/infrared-detector/inassb-photovoltaic-detector/P16702-011MN.html (Accessed 20 Aug. 2025) 

This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Hamamatsu Photonics Europe

For more information on this source, please visit Hamamatsu Photonics Europek.