Combustion plants over 1 MWth input and up to 50MWth input need to comply with the Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD) through the Environment Agency (EA). The EA regulate the operation of combustion plants and monitor plant emissions to prevent environmental impacts on the local area. Biomass, natural gas, biogas, gas-oil boilers and engines are all included under the directive, with only the context of the permit changing slightly; for instance, CHP engines are also considered under the MCPD but are regulated as Specified Generators.

• New plants installed and operational after 20 December 2018 need an EA permit issued before first operation.
• Existing boilers installed before 20 December 2018 that are over 5MWth input need a permit issued before 01 Jan 2025.
• Existing boilers between 1 and 5 MWth need a permit issued before 01 Jan 2030.

Existing CHP engines operation before 20 December 2018 required Specified Generator permitting back in January 2019 if:

• They were operating after 01 December 2016, or
• Exporting over 100kWe to the National Grid after the 31 October 2017.

We offer an extensive permitting service that ensures clients are compliant with MCPD through the lifetime of their project:

• Management of the whole permit application process, including:
  • Screening for dispersion modelling (and evidencing exemption (simple bespoke)),
  • Management of dispersion modelling / review of existing report (complex bespoke),
  • Production of necessary supporting evidence documents, where applicable,
  • Full online application process,
  • Monitoring of permit status in EA queue,
  • Answering of EA queries once issues to an officer,
  • Proofing of draft permit and approving final permit.
• Provision of an Environmental Management System (EMS), including training in its use – required by the permit.
• Management of flue stack emission testing, which is required within 4 months of first operation once the permit is issued.
• Annual EMS auditing and periodic emission testing management, as agreed with the client.

We also receive the most recent updates from the EA, including Regulatory Position Statements, which allow early operation of plants; technically, plants should not be commissioned without first getting a permit as most areas of the UK consider commissioning as operation.

If you or your clients have plants over 1 MWth input installed on site and may not be aware that environmental permitting or an EMS for their permit is required, please feel free to inform them of our service so that we can get them compliant as soon as possible.

If you need help working out if a permit application/variation is required please call us on 024 7669 6512 and stay up to date with the latest compliance news at www.nfuenergy.co.uk