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EU to cap emissions from medium-sized combustion plants

Xinhua, October 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Parliament (EP) Wednesday endorsed a proposal to set emission limits for medium-sized combustion plants. As the ministers of the European Union (EU) have reached an informal agreement on the proposal, the new limits will soon become legislation.

According to the proposal, the EU will set out emission standards for sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide from medium-sized combustion plants, such as electricity generators or heating systems.

"This legislation fills a legislative gap, a loophole that we have between the ecodesign directive, which sets out standards for combustion plants of less than 1 megawatt (MW), and the industrial emissions directive for those over 50MW," said Andrzej Grzyb, the member of European Parliament (MEP) who is steering the legislation through parliament.

There are approximately 143,000 "medium" combustion plants in the EU. They are used for a wide variety of applications, such as electricity generation, domestic or residential heating and cooling, and providing heat or vapour for industrial processes.

The MEP said the emission limits were set at an ambitious level in order gradually to improve air quality. Meanwhile, the new limits will safeguard the operation of existing plants, in particular small plants, which are important for heating schools, hospitals or universities.

The EP said the limits would take effect within three years for new plants.

For existing plants with a thermal output above 5MW, the maximum emission values would come into force from 2025.

The smallest plants, with a thermal input from 1 to 5 MW, most of which are operated by small or medium-sized enterprises, would have to comply with emission limit values from 2030.

In areas where these emissions breach EU air quality standards, EU countries would be required to assess whether to introduce stricter limits, the EP said in the statement.

The new limits still need to be formally approved by the EU Council of Ministers before they can take effect. Endit