Koveva is an energy company based in Carbondale, Colorado, that believes in empowering communities by identifying and harnessing energy sources that are located near communities.

NTEC CEO Clark Moseley said: “We are excited about this new partnership with Koveva that will help Navajo Transitional Energy company understand the role fugitive methane has on and near Navajo Mine. We will have some answers to our role in the ongoing debate regarding fugitive methane in our area.”

NTEC and Koveva’s work will determine whether methane is escaping into the atmosphere on or near Navajo Mine, and if so, whether it can be captured economically to benefit nearby communities and potentially be used as an energy resource such as generating electricity.

This study is funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation through Koveva. Neither entity hold an interest in NTEC.

The MOU was signed in early May.

Koveva CEO Taku Ide said: “We are excited to see this project start to come together and happy that NTEC is going to be part of a study that will help answer some questions regarding fugitive methane on the Navajo Nation portion of the San Juan Basin.”

The first phase of the study begins in May is scheduled to end in January of 2017. The study will be performed on the Navajo Nation in the San Juan Basin. Ide says during that time, fugitive methane will be identified and quantified. The second phase will identify potential for capturing and using the methane.

Koveva has established partnerships with Dine College and Navajo Technical University to employ professors and Navajo college students to collect, analyze, and interpret the data.