Technical Guide 09: Guidance for the Consenting of Biomass Boiler Systems Using Different Solid Biofuels for Heat Production

This Technical Guide is intended to provide guidance to those applying for, and those who have to approve, Air Discharge and other Resource Consents for solid biofuels which, for whatever reason, may be regarded as contaminated, are treated wood, are unusual, or are otherwise problematic.

This document looks at a number of fuels. It:

• looks at the issue of possible environmental contaminants or other environmental issues for each fuel in the pre-combustion stage.
• looks at the likely environmental contaminants in the combustion gasses.
• seeks to quantify the expected levels of contaminants and to compare them with the NESAQ to identify those which might require particular attention to ensure environmentally safe use of the fuel.
• identifies for each fuel, the types of equipment that will likely produce acceptable combustion results, and where necessary, such additional pre or post use treatments or systems as might be required to meet the NESAQ and related legislation emission requirements.

This guide is for consenting so only aspects relevant to consenting are addressed. Some contaminants etc may affect the life of equipment and performance but they are not the subject of this document.

Liquid and gaseous biofuels are not covered by this document although there will be many aspects which will be relevant to their combustion in boiler systems to produce heat.