The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016

[F1 PART 2 E+W Emission Limit Values

Textual Amendments

F1 Schs. 25A, 25B inserted (30.1.2018) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/110), regs. 1, 16

Interpretation of this Part E+W

5.   In this Part—

“Ambient Air Quality Directive” means Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe;

“Annex I” means Annex I of the MCPD;

“Annex II” means Annex II of the MCPD;

“biomass”, “dust”, “emission limit value”, “micro isolated system”, “nitrogen oxides”, “operating hours”, “small isolated system” and “zone” have the respective meanings given in article 3 of the MCPD;

any reference to emissions expressed in mg/Nm³ is to those emissions defined in accordance with the first paragraph of Annex II.

Emission limit values E+W

6.— (1) Sub-paragraphs (2) to (4) apply, subject to paragraphs 7 to 11.

(2) From 20th December 2018, emission limit values applicable to a new medium combustion plant, for emissions into the air of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and dust, are the corresponding emission limit values set out in Part 2 of Annex II (but with the modification that footnote (3) in Table 2 of that Part is to be read as if for “may be” there were substituted “are”).

(3) From 1st January 2025, emission limit values applicable to an existing medium combustion plant with a rated thermal input greater than 5 megawatts, for emissions into the air of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and dust, are the corresponding emission limit values set out in Tables 2 and 3 of Part 1 of Annex II.

(4) From 1st January 2030, emission limit values applicable to an existing medium combustion plant with a rated thermal input of less than or equal to 5 megawatts, for emissions into the air of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and dust, are the corresponding emission limit values set out in Tables 1 and 3 of Part 1 of Annex II.

Limited operating hours – existing medium combustion plants E+W

7.— (1) An existing medium combustion plant which operates for no more than 500 operating hours per year, as a rolling average over a period of five years, is not required to comply with the emission limit values set out in Tables 1, 2, and 3 of Part 1 of Annex II, provided that the operator has signed a declaration in accordance with paragraph 7 of Annex I.

(2) An existing medium combustion plant is not required to comply with the emission limit values set out in Tables 1, 2, and 3 of Part 1 of Annex II where it operates for no more than 1,000 operating hours per year, as a rolling average over a period of five years to—

(a) provide backup power production in islands connected to an electricity transmission system or distribution system, in the event of an interruption of the main power supply to an island; or

(b) produce heat in cases of exceptionally cold weather events,

provided that the operator has signed a declaration in accordance with paragraph 7 of Annex I.

(3) Subject to sub-paragraph (4), where an existing medium combustion plant firing solid fuels falls within sub-paragraph (1) or sub-paragraph (2), an emission limit value for dust of 200mg/Nm³ applies.

(4) In the case of an existing medium combustion plant falling within sub-paragraph (2)(b), the emission limit value for dust in sub-paragraph (3) only applies during any period which has been notified by the appropriate authority to the regulator as an exceptionally cold weather event.

(5) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2)(a), “transmission system” and “distribution system” have the meanings given in section 4(4) of the Electricity Act 1989.

Limited operating hours - new medium combustion plants E+W

8.— (1) A new medium combustion plant which operates for no more than 500 operating hours per year, as a rolling average over a period of three years, is not required to comply with the emission limit values set out in Part 2 of Annex II, provided that the operator has signed a declaration in accordance with paragraph 7 of Annex I.

(2) Where a new medium combustion plant firing solid fuels falls within sub-paragraph (1), an emission limit value for dust of 100mg/Nm³ applies.

Small and micro isolated systems – existing medium combustion plants E+W

9.   Existing medium combustion plants which are part of a small isolated system or a micro isolated system are only required to comply with the emission limit values set out in Tables 1, 2 and 3 of Part 1 of Annex II from 1st January 2030.

Plant at gas compressor stations – existing medium combustion plants E+W

10.   An existing medium combustion plant—

(a) with a rated thermal input greater than 5 megawatts; and

(b) which is used to drive gas compressor stations required to ensure the safety and security of a national gas transmission system,

is only required to comply with the emission limit values for nitrogen oxides set out in Table 3 of Part 1 of Annex II from 1st January 2030.

Temporary derogations – existing and new medium combustion plants E+W

11.— (1) This sub-paragraph applies in relation to a medium combustion plant which normally uses low sulphur fuel, where the operator is unable to comply with the relevant emission limit values for sulphur dioxide in paragraph 6 because of an interruption in the supply of low-sulphur fuel resulting from a serious shortage.

(2) Where sub-paragraph (1) applies, the regulator may grant a derogation from the obligation to comply with those emission limit values for such period, up to a maximum of six months, as the operator satisfies the regulator is justified under the circumstances.

(3) This sub-paragraph applies in relation to a medium combustion plant using only gaseous fuel where—

(a) the plant has to resort exceptionally to the use of other fuels because of an interruption in the supply of gas; and

(b) as a result of using those other fuels, the plant would need to be equipped with secondary abatement equipment in order to comply with the relevant emission limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and dust in paragraph 6.

(4) Where sub-paragraph (3) applies, the regulator may grant a derogation from the obligation to comply with the relevant emission limit values in paragraph 6—

(a) for a maximum of 10 days; or

(b) for such longer period as the operator satisfies the regulator is justified under the circumstances.

(5) Where the regulator grants a derogation under sub-paragraph (2) or (4), the regulator must inform the appropriate authority immediately.]