The EA has published its decision on proposals to revise the standard rule set (SR2018 No 9) for natural gas generators that are combined heat and power (CHP) plants of less than 0.9 megawatts thermal.

The EA has decided to allow secondary abatement under the standard rules permit, as proposed in the consultation and it intends to implement the revised rule set and publish it in January 2019. The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 introduced controls on emissions of nitrogen oxides from small-scale generators (mostly intended to regulate diesel generators). However, under the main environmental permitting regime, standard permits enable ‘light touch’ regulation of facilities that present a low risk to the environment. Standard permits contain a single condition, which requires compliance with a set of standard rules that apply to all facilities of that type.