SIMFLEX
Simulation Facilities for Large-scale Emission Experiments (SIMFLEX) is a network of controlled-release research facilities developed and operated by FluxLab to evaluate methane measurement technologies under realistic field conditions.
Across three specialized facilities, SIMFLEX provides independent, rigorous testing environments where satellites, aircraft, drones, ground sensors, and other measurement systems can be assessed against known methane releases — generating the performance data that researchers, regulators, and industry need to make confident decisions.
Methane Measurement Matters
A new generation of technologies — from satellites and aircraft to continuous monitoring networks and drone platforms — offers real opportunities to improve how we detect, locate, and quantify methane across industries and landscapes.
But new technologies need to be validated before they can be trusted. That means using them under realistic conditions, with known release rates, in environments that reflect the complex terrain, weather, and emission patterns of the real world. That's what SIMFLEX was built to do.
The SIMFLEX Approach
Each SIMFLEX facility is built and operates around the same principles: controlled releases of methane at known rates, under realistic field conditions, with independent and often blind testing protocols.
This approach allows technologies to be assessed objectively — free from the conflicts of interest that can arise when developers evaluate their own systems. It generates comparable, reproducible performance data across different technologies and deployment strategies, and creates a shared scientific foundation that researchers, regulators, developers, and operators can build on together.
Who we work with
SIMFLEX brings together a broad community of stakeholders committed to advancing methane measurement science — technology developers, universities, government agencies, regulators, industry operators, environmental organizations, and international research initiatives. Whether you're developing a new measurement system, building an emissions inventory, or shaping methane policy, SIMFLEX offers a rigorous, independent environment to test ideas and generate evidence.
To learn more about upcoming campaigns or collaboration opportunities, contact the SIMFLEX team.
For general inquiries about the SIMFLEX program, please contact:
Nadia Tarakki
ntarakki@stfx.ca
Or visit the page for the facility you're interested in.
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