EPA sets biomass boiler emissions standards

 The EPA has issued Boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) rules for emissions from the nations' 1.5 million industrial incinerators and boilers which include wood burning facilities  However, stringent limits on mercury, acid gas and small particulate matter emissions will only affect less than 1% of the highest emitting boilers and incinerators. The other 99% of boilers which include most in the biomass industry are either not covered or can meet these new standards though regular maintenance and tune-ups.

In addition the EPA rules clarified permissible wood waste for burning in a boiler:

"Clean cellulosic biomass means those residuals that are akin to traditional cellulosic biomass such as forest-derived biomass (e.g., green wood, forest thinnings, clean and unadulterated bark, sawdust, trim, and tree harvesting residuals from logging and sawmill materials), corn stover and other biomass crops used specifically for energy production (e.g., energy cane, other fast growing grasses), bagasse and other crop residues (e.g., peanut shells), wood collected from forest fire clearance activities, trees and clean wood found in disaster debris, clean biomass from land clearing operations, and clean construction and demolition wood. These fuels are not secondary materials or solid wastes unless discarded. Clean biomass is biomass that does not contain contaminants at concentrations not normally associated with virgin biomass materials."

The Biomass Thermal Energy Council issued a statement:

"The EPA's final standards look to balance health concerns, technological achievability, and compliance costs in a way that will pull our industry forward. Reasonable and attainable standards for emissions and efficiency allow the biomass thermal industry to offer a viable alternative to fossil fuels that can be adopted by the public and supported by government. BTEC is committed to a dialogue with the EPA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to facilitate continuous improvement for community-scale biomass boilers."

For more see NY Times and Biomass Magazine

Penns Valley High School wood boiler room