New rules on emissions from medium combustion plants adopted

On 10 November 2015, the Council adopted a new directive to limit the emissions from medium-sized combustion plants, i.e. those with a thermal input of between 1 and 50 megawatts (MW). The new rules result from the Clean Air for Europe programme, which was presented by the Commission in December 2013 and aims at improving air quality in the EU.

Table : Emission limit values expressed as milligrams per cubic metre (mg/m3) for medium combustion plants other than engines and gas turbines.

	Existing plants 1–5 MW			Existing plants 5–50 MW			New plants 1–50 MW
	SO2	NOx	Dust	SO2	NOx	Dust	SO2	NOx	Dust
Solid biomass	200	650	50	200	650	30	200	300	20
Other solid fuels	1100	650	50	400	650	30	400	300	20
Gas oil	-	200	-	-	200	-	-	200	-
Liquid fuels other than gas oil	350	650	50	350	650	30	350	300	20
Natural gas	-	250	-	-	200	-	-	100	-
Gaseous fuels other than natural gas	200	250	-	35	250	-	35	200	-

Note that there are a number of derogations from the ELVs given in the table, e.g. existing plants between 5 and 20 MW burning “other soild fuels” are allowed higher emissions of SO₂ (1100 mg/m³) and dust (50 mg/m³); those burning “liquids other than gas oil” are allowed higher emissions of SO₂ (850 mg/m³); and new plants smaller than 20 MW are allowed higher emissions of dust (50 or 30 mg/m³). Note also that the ELVs in the table apply to “combustion plants” – the directive sets separate ELVs for existing and new “engines and gas turbines”.

While air pollutant emissions from new combustion plants smaller than 1 MW are covered by the Ecodesign Directive and those from existing and new plants bigger than 50 MW are covered by the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), the emissions from medium combustion plants were not previously regulated at EU level.

Medium combustion plants (MCP) are used for a wide variety of purposes, including heating and cooling, electricity generation and providing steam for industrial processes. The approximate number of medium combustion plants in the EU is over 140,000.

The new directive sets specific emission limit values (ELVs) for the three air pollutants sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and dust (see table), with different deadlines depending on the age and size of plants.

For new plants, the deadline is after a transposition period of two years following entry into force of the directive, i.e. as from 20 December 2018.

Existing plants are defined as those put into operation before 20 December 2018. For bigger existing plants (5–50 MW), the emission limit values apply from 1 January 2025 and for smaller existing ones (1–5 MW) from 2030.

Extended compliance deadlines until 2030 may be granted to some plants, such as district heating systems, plants that burn biomass as their main fuel, plants in small isolated systems and plants linked to a national gas transmission system. Moreover, member states may exempt MCPs operating for less than 500 hours per year – in some cases they may exempt plants operating for less than 1000 h/yr – provided that the plants still comply with some minimum (safeguard) ELVs for dust.

The directive also requires member states to set up a register over their medium combustion plants. New plants, i.e. those put into operation after 20 December 2018, are to be permitted or registered before operation. Existing MCPs greater than 5 MW are to be covered by 1 January 2024, while smaller existing plants (1–5 MW) have until 1 January 2029.

Since the directive sets minimum standards, member states are free to maintain or introduce more stringent ELVs. For example, in areas not complying with the EU’s air quality limit values, member states shall – as part of the development of air quality plans – assess the need to apply stricter ELVs than those set out in the directive.

By January 2020, the Commission shall review progress regarding the energy efficiency of MCPs and assess the benefits of setting minimum energy efficiency standards in line with best available techniques. And by January 2023, the Commission shall review the ELVs for new plants, on the basis of state-of-the-art technologies. As part of this review, the Commission shall also assess if there is also a need to regulate CO emissions from MCPs.

Christer Ågren

Note: The full name of the new directive is: Directive (EU) 2015/2193 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from medium combustion plants.

Source: Press release from the Council, 11 November 2015.

Link: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2015/11/10-medium...

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