Uncovering the Future of Methane Emissions Management with Thomas Fox

In this episode of The Empirical Energy Podcast, host Mark Smith welcomes Thomas Fox, President of Highwood Emissions, to unpack the mechanisms reshaping global energy markets.

The conversation explores the industry’s shift from “alternative energy” toward measured, verified energy as the new gold standard—powered by empirical data, evolving regulations, and emerging verification frameworks. Thomas shares his journey from PhD research in methane emissions to building Highwood Emissions and launching the Emissions Intelligence Platform (EIP), a software solution designed to help operators create measurement-informed inventories at scale.

Together, they dive into the realities of methane reporting: reconciliation challenges, OGMP Level 5 requirements, EPA and Colorado regulatory approvals, and why harmonization across global reporting frameworks remains one of the industry’s biggest hurdles. The episode closes with a forward-looking discussion on how collaboration, technology, and credible data may finally unlock real market incentives for low-methane energy.

🎧 If you work in energy, ESG, emissions reporting, or climate compliance, this episode offers a clear look at where the industry is heading—and what it will take to get there.

⏱️ Episode Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Empirical Energy Podcast

00:55 Meet Thomas Fox: Highwood Emissions

02:51 The Journey to Methane Mitigation

04:54 Building Measurement-Informed Inventories

08:27 Challenges and Innovations in Methane Reporting

18:34 The Future of Emissions Reporting

25:02 Closing Thoughts and Call to Action

✔️ Listen to the full episode to understand how methane measurement is evolving

✔️ Subscribe to the Empirical Energy Podcast for more conversations at the intersection of energy, AI, and climate policy

✔️ Share this episode with colleagues navigating methane reporting, OGMP, or ESG compliance

✔️ Join the discussion—what do you think will finally drive harmonized emissions reporting?

#EmpiricalEnergy #MethaneEmissions #EnergyTransition #OGMP #ClimateReporting #EnergyMarkets #OilAndGas #ESG #CarbonAccounting #Decarbonization #ClimateTech #EnergyPolicy #LowMethaneGas #Sustainability