Partner Reported Opportunities (PROs) PRO Fact Sheet No. 903 for Reducing Methane Emissions 

Install Electronic Flare Ignition Devices 

Technology/Practice Overview 

Description 

Flares are used to safely dispose of 

combustible gas and avoid releasing it to 

the atmosphere. Some flares have one or

more continuously burning pilot flames, 

while others save gas by only igniting 

pilot flames in preparation for use. Pilots 

can be blown out by wind and gas

leakage and/or waste gas is occasionally

released to an unlit flare. Both of these 

situations result in methane, volatile 

organic compounds (VOC) and 

hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions 

to the atmosphere. 

This technology replaces the 

intermittently or continuously burning 

flare pilots with electrical sparking pilots 

similar to a modern gas stove. These

sparking pilots require low electrical 

power that can be supplied from a

battery with solar recharge in remote 

sites. In addition to using electronic flare 

ignition devices for pilots, facilities may 

also install sensors to detect the pilot 

Compressors/Engines 

Dehydrators 

Directed Inspection & 

Maintenance 

Pipelines 

Pneumatics/Controls 

Tanks 

Valves 

Wells 

Other 

Applicable Sector(s) 

Production 

Processing 

Transmission 

Distribution 

Other Related Documents: 

Install Flares, PRO No. 904 

Install BASO® Valves, PRO No. 

604 

Estimated 

Gas Price 

Annual 

Methane 

Savings 

Value of 

Annual Fuel

 Gas Savings* 

Estimated 

Implementation 

Cost1 

Incremental 

Operating Cost 

Payback 

(months) 

$7.00/Mcf 1.68 Mcf $4,564 2 

$5,000 

(without on-site power) 

$3,000 

(with onsite power) 

$0 14 Months 

8 Months 

$5.00/Mcf 1.68 Mcf $3,260 2 $5,000 

$3,000 $0 19 Months 

11 Months 

$3.00/Mcf 1.68 Mcf $1,956 2 $5,000 

$3,000 $0 31 Months 

19 Months 

Economic and Environmental Benefits 

Economic Evaluation 

Additional Benefits 

 Avoiding significant fuel gas requirements since a pilot flare is no longer required 

 Reducing methane emissions was an associated benefit of this project 

 Operators must no longer travel to site to relight a pilot flare 

Methane Savings 

* Whole gas savings are calculated using a conversion factor of 94% methane in pipeline quality natural gas. 

1 Two cost scenarios are considered: A) where power is not already available on-site to power the electronic flare 

ignition device; B) where power is already available on-site to power the electronic flare ignition device. Scenario A 

includes capital and installation costs for the electronic flare ignition device plus the costs to install a solar array. 

2 The value of the gas savings is based on the volume of fuel gas savings., which is estimated to be 652 Mcf and 

includes the avoided methane emissions. 

Estimated annual methane emission reductions 1.68 Mcf per year 
 

 

 

 

PRO Fact Sheet No. 903 Continued 

Install Electronic Flare Ignition Devices (Cont’d) 

flame and shut off fuel gas if the pilot is extinguished. 

Operating Requirements 

A low amperage electrical power supply is required, such 

as solar recharged batteries. 

Applicability 

This technology can be applied to all pilot flame ignition 

systems, including flares and heaters. 

Methane Emissions 

Methane emissions occur from leaking or venting uncombusted natural gas through an unlit flare. Leakage 

may occur through emergency relief valves and 

blowdown valves connected to a flare. Venting occurs 

when flare pilot flames are occasionally blown out by 

high winds, causing release of methane at 70 scf per hour 

per pilot until they are relit or shut off. In order to model

methane savings, it was assumed that a pilot would be 

blown out for 24 hours in a year, leading to 1.68 Mcf of

methane being vented. In addition to the volume of 

methane that is vented when the pilot is blown out, there 

are emissions from incomplete combustion of the fuel gas

used for the pilot. To be conservative, these emissions are

not included in this analysis. 

Economic Analysis 

Basis for Costs and Emissions Savings 

Methane emissions reductions of 1.68 Mcf per year apply 

to the installation of one electronic ignition device 

replacing a single pilot that is blown out for 24 hours per 

year. This value does not include unburned hydrocarbon 

emissions, making it conservative. However, the primary

economic justification for implementation of this 

mitigation option is the value of the fuel gas savings.

Since flare pilot flames require approximately 70 scf of 

methane per hour, yearly fuel gas savings reach 652 Mcf, 

assuming a methane content of 94% in fuel gas. 

The cost of this project will depend on the availability of

sufficient power on site to supply the electronic flare 

ignition device. If sufficient power is available, the 

incremental installation and equipment cost would be

$3,000. If sufficient power is not available, the full cost of 

equipment and installation of an electronic ignition 

device is estimated to be $5,000. The difference is a result 

of purchasing and installing a solar array, estimated to

be $1,000 per panel and $1,000 per solar stand. 1 

2011 

The average methane content of natural gas varies by natural gas 

industry sector. The Natural Gas STAR Program assumes the 

following methane content of natural gas when estimating 

methane savings for Partner Reported Opportunities. 

Production 79 % 

Processing 87 % 

Transmission and Distribution 94 % 

Methane Content of Natural Gas 

Discussion 

This technology can pay back in less than a year. The 

primary economic justification is the savings of natural 

gas burned in flare pilots, and not in the reduction of 

natural gas released through unlit pilots or flares. The

gas savings associated with converting a continuous 

burning pilot to an electronic ignition are, on average, 70 

scf per hour per pilot. 

1http://epa.gov/gasstar/documents/workshops /

billings2009/07_solar.pdf 

EPA provides the suggested methane emissions estimating methods contained 

in this document as a tool to develop basic methane emissions estimates only. 

As regulatory reporting demands a higher-level of accuracy, the methane emission estimating methods and terminology contained in this document may not 

conform to the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule, 40 CFR Part 98, Subpart W 

methods or those in other EPA regulations. 

2