Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD)

Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD)

New legislation came into effect last year covering emissions from medium combustion plants, which commercial boilers also belong to.

The MCPD is legislation which regulates emissions of:

1 nitrogen oxides NOx.

2 sulphur dioxide (SO2).

3 dust into the air.

from medium combustion plants which also includes commercial boilers. 

It specifies the level of ongoing monitoring to ensure continued compliance for any plant covered by this directive.

The directive aims at reducing air pollution to protect people from the harmful effects of these emissions on health.

A Medium Combustion Plant is an individual combustion plant with a rated thermal input greater than or equal to 1MW but less than 50MW.

The directive regulates individual combustion plants with a thermal input greater than or equal to 1MW.

Individual plants with an output lower than 1MW:

80-400kW of output: covered by ErP regulations.

400-1000kW of output: covered by Building Regulations.

On the 20th December 2018: emission limit values for newmedium combustion plants have been enforced and need to be complied with.

Registration/permission is required from the relevant authority before the plant can be put to service.

Any plant where it cannot be proven that it was installed and operational before that date will be regarded as new plant and immediately subject to the requirements of MCPD.

The dates and NOx emission limit values as set by the MCPD are:

From 20th December 2018 (new medium combustion plants ≥ 1MW but less than 5MW):

Natural gas: 100 mg/Nm³

Oil: 200 mg/Nm³

From 1st January 2025 (existing*  medium combustion plants > 5MW thermal input):

Natural gas and oil: 200 mg/Nm³

From 1st January 2030 (existing medium combustion plants ≥ 1MW but less than 5 MW thermal input)

Natural gas: 250 mg/Nm³

Oil: 200 mg/Nm³

All new installations require a permit or registration

In addition to emission limit values (ELVs) specified in MCPD, the local governments, permitting authorities or regulators may impose other requirements on new installations, e.g. the position of the plant or the discharge of the combustion products which specifiers, installers and operators should be aware of.

The responsibility to apply for a permit to operate lies with the operator of the plant.

All MCPs, existing and new, will have to be registered/permitted.

Compliance dates for existing plants depend on their size and which agency they are covered by.

Applications for permits for new plant should be made at least 12 weeks before operation (England / Wales) or at least 4 months before operation (Scotland).

Permits are issued in the England and Wales under Environment Agency Standard Rule No.7, or in Scotland or Northern Ireland under Part B of the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations.

Any existing MCP that is altered or repaired such that the ELVs for that MCP will change, shall be considered new (see Art 9) i.e. if an existing boiler is running on heavy oil and it is converted to run on natural gas, this will be a new MCP.

An existing MCP can become a new MCP if it is substantially refurbished.

Take a look at the original below

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

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32015L2193