Canada Proposes National Emission Standards for Industrial Boilers, Stationary Engines

On the heels of the Environmental Protection Agency’s carbon emissions proposal for existing power plants, the Canadian government last week issued draft regulations to curb emissions from industrial boilers and heaters, stationary engines, and the cement manufacturing sector.  

The Multi-sector Air Pollutants Regulations (MSAPR) proposed on June 3 are a part of the federal government’s efforts to implement national performance standards on specific sector/equipment groups to establish consistent emissions limits for regulated industries across the country.

While the MSAPR includes requirements only for stationary spark-ignition gas-fired engines, non-utility boilers and heaters, and the cement manufacturing sector, “requirements for additional industrial sectors will be added to the regulations in the years ahead,” said Environment Canada, the government’s federal environmental protection arm.

The rules propose performance standards for both new and existing spark-ignition engines, which are typically used for gas compression in the upstream oil and gas sector, as well as for back-up power generation. According to Environment Canada, the new performance standards could reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) by about 1.8 million metric tons between 2013 and 2035—almost twice the amount of NO_x that Canada’s entire transportation fleet, including planes, emitted in 2011.

The rules also impose performance standards for both new and existing non-utility boilers and heaters, seeking to reduce NO_x emissions by about 227,000 metric tons between 2013 and 2035. They would also impose, starting in 2017, kiln-specific performance standards for NO_x and sulfur dioxide per metric ton of clinker produced during cement manufacturing.

The rules are part of the federal government’s efforts to implement a new Air Quality Management System (AQMS) across all provinces and territories to improve Canada’s air quality. Since October 2012, when the initiative was first rolled out, the government has proposed new ambient air quality standards to reduce ozone and particulate matter. 

The proposal to regulate industrial air pollutant emissions through MSAPR is the first-ever mandatory national emission standard for major industries in Canada. 

—Sonal Patel, associate editor (@POWERmagazine, @sonalcpatel)