The regulators requirements for the operation of an AD facility. Gitty Ankers Senior Environment Officer Devon and Cornwall

Transcription

1 The regulators requirements for the operation of an AD facility Gitty Ankers Senior Environment Officer Devon and Cornwall Cornwall Renewable Energy Show 27 July 2012

2 Introduction Waste past and present Exemptions Standard rules permits Bespoke permits Digestate Biogas Forward look

3 The Way We Were - Landfill

4 Where are we now? Landfill

5 Where are we now? - Public opinion

6 Where are we now? Public opinion

7 Our priorities: Creating a better place for all To protect and improve water, land and air Work with businesses and other organisations to use resources wisely

8 T24 Agricultural premises: Exemptions Wastes limited to plant matter, farmyard manure & slurry only. Storage & treatment limit of 1250 m 3 at any one time. Burner limited to a net thermal input of 0.4MW. T25 - Non-agricultural premises: Wastes limited to plant matter, farmyard manure & slurry & some food & packaging wastes. Storage and treatment limit of 50 m 3 at any one time. Burner limited to a net thermal input of 0.4MW.

9 Included in the 1,250 m 3 limit Feedstock Storage of feedstock Digester Storage of digestate M&S from farm Imported M&S M&S from farm + crops grown for AD M&S from farm + plant waste

10 Exemptions What you need to do Anyone wanting to start a new exempt waste operation will need to register. The quickest and easiest way of registering is online via our website: Registration is free. There are no subsistence costs. Registrations last for three years - to continue operating for longer than this you will need to renew your registration.

11 Standard Rules & Permits Advantages Our Standard Rules approach replaces the requirement to submit an application for a bespoke permit. Rules are set out in the Standard Rules document so that you will know exactly what you have to comply with before you make an application. The application process is simpler and less time consuming as a risk assessment has already been prepared and the application requirements are reduced. Application fees for standard permits are cheaper than for bespoke and permits determined more quickly.

12 Standard Rules & Permits - Types We have introduced 3 sets of Standard Rules & Permits: Digestion of manures and slurries on farms. Digestion of a wider range of food and biodegradable waste. Storage of waste digestate at locations away from the AD site. Restrictions on use: Waste throughput < 75,000 tonnes/year [100,000] Combustion units < 3 MW net rated thermal input [5MW] Prescribed distance limits from watercourses & housing or workplaces must not be encroached.

13 Standard Rules Risk Criteria AD activities shall not be within: 500m of a conservation site; An Air Quality Management Area; 200m from any dwelling or workplace for On-farm & 250m for Off-farm; 10m of a watercourse; 50m of any spring, well or borehole; 250m of any borehole used to supply water for domestic or food production; A groundwater source protection zone 1.

14 Standard Rules & Permits Costs Application fee: 1,590 Subsistence fee : 1,540 on-farm 2,420 off-farm

15 Standard Rules Permit On-Farm AD Stack height at least 7m or effective stack height at least 3m or at least 200m from buildings used by the public Emission limits for gas engines (but not boilers or auxiliary flares) All storage and process tanks with appropriate leak detection Digestate stored within containers or lagoons. Lagoon freeboard at least 0.75m Biogas condensate drained

16 Standard Rules Permit Off-Farm AD Not within 250m of a building used by the public and effective stack height at least 3m Emission limits for gas engines (not boilers or auxiliary flares) All storage and process tanks on an impermeable surface within a bunded area Underground tanks need secondary containment/leak detection Buildings used for waste storage or treatment, fitted with a biofilter or scrubber system Digestate stored within covered containers or covered lagoons. Lagoon freeboard at least 0.75m Biogas condensate drained to a sealed system

17 Bespoke Permits If you cannot comply with any of the standard rules then you must apply for a bespoke permit. Your application must include additional information about the criteria that you cannot meet & how you intend to control the associated risks. We are required to go out to statutory consultation. Determination can take up to 13 weeks. Charges are based on an operational risk appraisal as set out in our OPRA charging scheme. Complexity Inputs & Emissions Location Operator management systems & performance

18 Bespoke Environmental Permits More detailed application process than Standard Rules Use Best Available Techniques for Schedule 1 activities (e.g. 10 tonnes per day animal waste) Application to include the H1 screening tool If emissions to air exceed screening tool thresholds, air dispersion modelling to justify stack height Engineering standards likely to be at least equivalent to Standard Rules Permit for off-farm AD Bunds likely to be required (if physically not possible, valves & pumps within bunded area & leak detection system)

19 Digestate Manures & slurries are considered fully recovered once digested & are not subject to waste management controls. All other digestate is considered a waste and you must obtain a permit & authorisation in order to land-spread. You can achieve end of waste for you digestate if you meet the requirements of our Quality Protocol. An element of this is PAS110 certification.

20 Digestate Under the EPR, digestate may be spread to land in accordance with Standard Rules & Permit. There is a one off application charge of 700. There is an additional deployment cost based on risk & distance criteria. Low risk High risk On-line applications may be lodged for each Deployment Authorisation.

21 Biogas Biogas may be purified to a biomethane. We have a position statement on biomethane injection to the grid system and for use as a transport fuel. Our Quality Protocol on biomethane is now out for consultation.

22 Forward Look The Industrial Emissions Directive captures AD taking in waste as an installation activity at a threshold of 100 tonnes per day. 6 January 2013 for new AD 6 July 2015 for existing AD Standard Rules will be in place for installation activities, the upper threshold for which is Waste throughput 100,000 tonnes/year Combustion units 5 MW net rated thermal input

23 Any Questions? Thank you for listening! For further information please visit out website: