HETAS warns of new biomass air quality regulations 17 September 2013

HETAS, the UK certification body for ENplus, is alerting installers and specifiers to changes in air quality regulations which affect biomass boiler applications for the non domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

From 24 September 2013, applications will need to have either a RHI emission certificate or an environmental permit demonstrating low particulate and nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions.

Since the Renewable Heat Incentive was launched, the majority of funding has been allocated to biomass installations, with commercial users reaping the benefits of using biomass as a low-carbon fuel.

The criteria for the RHI emission certificate is a maximum of 30 grams per gigajoule (g/GJ) net heat input for particulate matter, and 150 g/GJ for NOx (expressed as NO2).

If the biomass boiler does not have a RHI emission certificate, an environmental permit from the Environment Agency is required. Biomass boilers without a RHI emission certificate or an environmental permit will be ineligible for RHI.

HETAS also warns that end users must make sure they use the correct fuel, as specified in the emission certificate. Fuel quality is paramount and moisture content has the biggest effect on heat output, says the organisation, as water in the fuel has to evaporate before the biomass will burn – wasting energy.

For installations using wood pellets the European ENplus standard ensures fuel quality with minimum standards for ash content, ash melting temperature, wood pellet size, dust, moisture content and heat output.

For more information, use the link below.

Brian Tinham

Related Websites
http://www.hetas.co.uk/

Related Companies
HETAS Ltd

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