A Canadian government grant announced recently highlights a commercial sideline emerging for the natural gas industry as it seeks the net-zero target of national climate change policy: digital greenhouse gas accounting.

Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), a federal agency, awarded a C$1.2 million ($960,000) grant to Toronto-based Validere Technologies. 

SDTC said that Validere will apply the funding toward scaling up its carbon and methane emission tracking venture, “with the goal of creating a preferred market for lower emissions natural gas.”

Mark Le Dain, Validere vice president, said, “Once the market can clearly see emissions at a producer level, it should incentivize the increased adoption of gas so long as the right molecule is produced, transported...