Medium Combustion Plant Registration

What is this licence?

Under the Medium Combustion Plant (MCP) Regulations, the EPA is required to establish and maintain a register of all MCP that come within the scope of the Regulations. This is unless the MCP is located on an installation controlled by an IED or IPC licence from the EPA.

Medium Combustion Plants which are not located on an IED or IPC licensed installation will need to be registered in accordance with the dates specified in the Regulations.

Purpose of the regulations

A combustion plant is a device in which fuels are burned to make use of the heat generated. This includes boilers, turbines, and engines. The term medium is a reference to the size of the combustion plant and applies to the 1-50 MWTH (thermal input) range.

The burning of fuels in these devices gives rise to emissions of various pollutants into the air, which can include particulates (dust), nitrogen and sulphur oxides, and carbon monoxide. The purpose of the Medium Combustion Plant Regulations is to limit these emissions in order to help improve air quality to the benefit of the environment and human health.

When do I need it?

Under the European Union (Medium Combustion Plant) Regulations 2017, the operator of a medium combustion plant shall apply to the Agency for registration in the MCP registration in the MCP register in accordance with the following time frames:

• At least two months prior to being put into operation, in the case of new medium combustion plants
• Prior to 1 November 2023, in the case of existing medium combustion plants with a rated thermal input greater than 5MW
• Prior to 1 November 2028, in the case of existing medium combustion plants with a rated thermal input of less than or equal to 5MW

For MCPs operating for the first time on or after 20th December 2018, it is especially important that you understand the different requirements that apply to ‘new’ versus ‘existing’ MCP in the Regulations.

How to apply

In order to register an MCP, operators must complete the registration process through the online EDEN portal.

NOTE: If you are a first-time user of the EDEN portal, you will need to create a user login account using the Sign Up option, and follow the instructions provided. On signing up, you should request access to the MCP module. After this, you can log in via the EDEN portal to register a new MCP or to request changes to existing registrations. There are extensive user instructions in the Help section of the EDEN portal but if you require further assistance in relation to technical issues or queries on EDEN registration, contact the EPA by email at [email protected].