greenhouse gas permitting sean o’brien air permits division texas commission on environmental...

Greenhouse Gas Permitting


Sean O’Brien

Air Permits Division

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Advanced Air Permitting Seminar 2015

General TopicsGeneral Topics

Administrative Expectations

Technical Expectations

Implementation & Integration

Contact Information & Questions


Greenhouse Gas PermittingTechnical

ExpectationsImplementation &

IntegrationContact Information

& Questions


The Do’s and Don’ts



The Do’s - Submit non-GHG and GHG applications at

the same time:Separate – two PI-1s; orConsolidated – one PI-1

Resubmit if change method



The Don’ts - Don’t submit a minor amendment for:

A stand-alone GHG permit; orThe GHG portion of consolidated permit

No minor revisions of GHG permits

Don’t send fee for GHG permit actions

Greenhouse Gas PermittingImplementation &

IntegrationContact Information

& Questions

Technical ExpectationsTechnical Expectations

How to Make Your Life Easier



Consider GHGs as a Pollutant - One of several permitted pollutants

Same importance as NOx, VOC, etc.

Will be permitted with PSD program



Two Ways to Handle GHGs - 1. Separate Application

2. Consolidated Application



Separate GHG Application - Two complete applications required:

Don’t cross-reference other applicationNo impacts review or discussion needed

Update both applications in the same e-mail or physical mail



Consolidated GHG Application - No change in most of application:

Add GHG BACT analysis and calculations

Use only one BACT process

No impacts review or discussion needed



BACT and GHG - Concept questions

Example

Example questions



BACT and GHG - Is the process different for GHG?

For example, the use of Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS)

What is the BACT determination?A numerical emission limitation, or

if infeasible.....A work practice

Greenhouse Gas PermittingTechnical Expectations

BACT Example (Non-GHG) - Combined cycle (CC) power plant

Fires natural gas

What is BACT for NOX?


BACT Example (Non-GHG) -How should the application address BACT? Numerical limit – 2 ppm NOX

Based on control device or technique – SCR

No prescribed design or operation of the unit (unless a work practice is BACT)


BACT Example - Do not propose design and work practices with a numerical BACT. SCR with four catalyst beds using a zeolite

catalyst

One bed will be replaced every year

Ammonia grid design


BACT Example (GHG) - CC power plant

Fires natural gas

What is BACT for CO2e?


BACT Example (GHG) - What controls are technically feasible/

economically reasonable?

Can a meaningful numerical limit be set for the turbine?


BACT Example (GHG) - CCS is not cost effective and may be

technically infeasible for full control of the stack

Efficiency requirements are possible and a numerical limit can be set


BACT Example (GHG) - Example of BACT for CC power plant:

Turbine Model Gross Heat Rate(Btu/kWh)

Output Specific CO2 Emission Rate (lb CO2/MWh)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) J

7,882 937

Both fuel usage and electrical generation can be measured


BACT Example (GHG) - Other facilities may express efficiency in different forms.

Exhaust stack temperature

Fuel usage per unit of product


BACT Example Summary -

Numerical limits speak for themselves.

Implementation and Integration Greenhouse Gas Permitting


• Issuance• Updates• GHGs• Non-GHGs


Issuance Updates

GHGsNon-GHGs



Issuance of Permits – OrderMajor NSR permitting actions for non-GHG and GHG may be issued out of sync. Case-by-case basis



Issuance of Permits – TimeframeStart of Construction deadline based on last permit issued. Void process still exists

Issuance timeframes are important



Updates to Non-GHG Permits -Non-GHG permit must always be accurate. Amend or alter as needed

No change from past NSR permitting



Updates to GHG Permits -GHG permit cannot use minor NSR mechanisms. Updates will be allowed

Guidance is being developed

Must be part of a non-GHG action that is approved with or before the update



Updates to EPA-Issued GHG Permits - EPA will rescind if needed (contact EPA)

Updates/major mods through TCEQ

EPA-issued permits receive TCEQ permit numbers



Current Issues - When BACT is not a number:

Numerical limit vs. work practiceWork practices can be subjective

Fugitive monitoring for methane

Consistency with non-GHG permit

Updates and existing BACT



Moving Forward - Streamlining and standardizing permit

conditions

Documenting more Tier 1 BACT determinations

Working with EPA on TCEQ issued draft permits

Contact Information and Questions Greenhouse Gas Permitting




Contacts -Technical Contact:

Sean O’Brien(512) [email protected]

Implementation Contact:Tasha Burns(512) [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



Questions?

greenhouse gas permitting sean o’brien air permits division texas commission on environmental...

Documents

ghg applications

ghg bact analysis

nonghg app

ghg permit actionsdont

life easier6 greenhouse

required information

application sections

minor amendment