By: Daniel van Drunen – XEAMOS
10 July 2021

Medium Combustion Plant Directive
The emission limitations of industrial processes are laid down in EU 2-15/2193, the Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD). This legislation covers power generation and stationary combustion engines.

Objectives
The objectives mentioned in the directive:

1: Decision No 1386/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (4) (‘the Action Programme’) recognises that emissions of pollutants to air have been reduced significantly over the past decades, but that at the same time air pollution levels are still problematic in many parts of Europe, and that citizens of the Union continue to be exposed to air-polluting substances, potentially compromising their health and wellbeing. According to the Action Programme, ecosystems continue to suffer from excess nitrogen and sulphur deposition associated with emissions from transport, unsustainable agricultural practices and power generation. In many areas of the Union, air pollution levels are still above the limits that the Union has set, and Union air quality standards are still failing to meet the targets set by the World Health Organisation.

2: In order to ensure a healthy environment for all, the Action Programme calls for local measures to be complemented with adequate policy at both national and Union level. It requires in particular strengthening efforts to reach full compliance with air quality legislation of the Union and defining strategic targets and actions beyond 2020.

Emission Limits:

The emission limits for engines and gas turbines are specified as mg/Nm3 at 15% O2

Exemptions:

Member States may exempt from compliance with the emission limit values set out in Part 2 of Annex II those new medium combustion plants which do not operate more than 500 operating hours per year (as a rolling average over a period of three years). In the event of such exemptions an emission limit value for dust of 100 mg/Nm3 applies for plants firing solid fuels.

Local (stricter) limits

In zones or parts of zones not complying with the air quality limit values laid down in Directive 2008/50/EC, Member States shall assess the need to apply stricter emission limit values than those set out in this Directive for individual medium combustion plants in those zones or parts of zones. This is part of the development of air quality plans referred to in Article 23 of Directive 2008/50/EC. It takes into account the results of the information exchange referred to in paragraph 10 of that Article, provided that applying such emission limit values would effectively contribute to a noticeable improvement of air quality.

Xeamos solutions

Xeamos offers SCR and DPF systems to reduce the NOx and/or dust emissions of new or existing plants below the MCPD or local limits.