MCPD – Medium Combustion Plant Directive

This is accurate to date (5th February 2019) and should be used as a guide when purchasing burners in and around the UK.

Firstly, let’s start with a simple explanation of MCPD.

A new MCP is a combustion unit that was first fired on or after 20 Dec 2018 (so anything sold now will be a new MCP). Anything used before that is called existing plant. It relates to Gas and gas firing and have NOx and SOx limits, but also CO must also be measured and reported.

For a new MCP, NOx limits are 100 mg/m3 on gas and 200 mg/m3 on gas oil for all plants individually 1 – 50MW net rated thermal input.

Existing plants (this is MCP that remains untouched, i.e. has not yet been upgraded with controls or burners yet) 5 – 50MW must be registered with Environmental Agency by 1/1/24 (6 months earlier in Scotland) and the NOx limits from 1/1/25 are 200 mg/m3 on gas and 200 mg/m3 on gas oil.

Existing plants (this is MCP that remain untouched, i.e. has not yet been upgraded with controls or burners yet) 1 – 5 MW must be registered with Environmental Agency by 1/1/29 (6 months earlier in Scotland) and the NOx limits from 1/1/30 are 250 mg/m3 on gas and 200 mg/m3 on gas oil.

All emission limit values are defined at a temperature of 273,15 K, a pressure of 101,3 kPa and after correction for the water vapour content of the waste gases and at a standardised O2 content of 3 % for medium combustion plants, other than engines and gas turbines, using liquid and gaseous fuels.

The rules are being implemented in a slightly different way in each UK country. Take care to check with the local regulator (EA, SEPA, NIHES, NRW) although some of the information is sparse and difficult to find.

The big issue many of our customers will face is Article 6 (9) of the directive:

“9.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, for individual medium combustion plants in those zones or parts of zones, stricter emission limit values than those set out in this Directive, as part of the development of air quality plans referred to in Article 23 of Directive 2008/50/EC, taking into account the results of the information exchange referred to in paragraph 10 of this Article, provided that applying such emission limit values would effectively contribute to a noticeable improvement of air quality.”

This means that Local Authorities might set tighter limits, especially in Air Quality Management Zones, and the only way to find out is to ask the question for which you may not like the answer.

To assist with improving emissions, UK and European boiler makers are making larger designed furnaces to allow them to be fired at the low NOx levels of 100 mg/m3. Limpsfield Burners have been designed to operate at these lower low NOx levels of 100 mg/m3 on existing boilers therefore allowing the customer to upgrade their burners with new high efficiency Limpsfield burners and controls meeting and exceeding these stringent NOx emission levels. Limpsfield Combustion will guarantee NOx performance as well as a 6:1 turndown and a guaranteed 3% O2 from low fire and everywhere in-between up to high fire (on old boilers not just new). We can offer the perfect solution and easily future proof our existing and new customers.

Interested In Finding Out More? Call 01959 576 633