AQESHOW AQESHOW

New Medium Combustion Plant Directive affects over 30,000 plants

This year’s Air Quality & Emissions Show, AQE 2018, will focus heavily on the Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD), which will come into force on 20th December 2018. AQE Organiser Marcus Pattison says: “This new regulation will affect an enormous number of processes, so it is vitally important that they are fully aware of the requirements and how to implement them.

Caption-Atlas Copco Power Technique QAC 1250 containerized diesel generators“Visitors to the first day of the AQE 2018 Conference (Telford, 21st November) will be provided with detailed information on the MCPD, and the accompanying workshops and exhibition will enable them to appraise the monitoring requirements that will be appropriate to their business.”

The Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD) applies to generators and plants between 1 and 50 MW (net rated thermal input) and an impact assessment has estimated that between 30,000 and 35,000 of these plants are currently operating in the UK. The introduction of the MCPD was supported by the UK, and it was transposed into UK law in January 2018.

From 20th December 2018 new plants will need to be registered or have obtained a permit and comply with emission limit values (ELVs) for sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and dust.  The ELVs to be applied are dependent on plant, fuel type and size. Existing plants (i.e. those which were in operation before 20th December 2018) must be registered or have obtained a permit. They must comply with the requirements from 2024 or 2029, depending mostly on size, with the aim of full implementation by 2030.

The Conference programme covering the MCPD has been organised by the Source Testing Association, and will include speakers from the Environment Agency, Uniper, Viridor and the Combustion Engineers Association.

Registration for AQE 2018 is now open at www.ilmexhibitions.com/aqeshow/ By registering, visitors will be eligible for free parking and refreshments, as well as free entry to the exhibition, the workshops, and the water and wastewater monitoring event that is taking place in an adjacent hall - see www.ilmexhibitions.com/wwem/ . The combined exhibitions will feature over 230 companies representing more than 400 manufacturers, and there will be a total of over 140 free technical workshops to choose from.