How are large combustion plants distributed across the Member States of the European Union?

Trends in installed capacity

LCPs are not distributed evenly across Europe, and a few countries dominate in terms of total fuel input and operating capacity. In 2016, four countries — Germany, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom — accounted for 54 % of total operating capacity (Fig. 4). In these four countries, the installed capacity is heavily dominated by the very large LCP class. In Germany, for example, 73 % of total installed capacity is accounted for by very large LCPs (greater than 500 MWth). Nonetheless, in 2016 Germany had the highest operating capacity within three of the capacity classes in the EU-28: 18 % of the total for small LCPs (50-100 MWth), 21 % of the total for medium LCPs (101-300 MWth) and 22 % of the total for very large LCPs (greater than 500 MWth). Italy was responsible for 21 % of operating capacity for large LCPs (301-500 MWth). Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Ireland, Kosovo (under UN Security Council Resolution 1244/99), Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta and Slovenia on the other hand each accounted for less than 1 % of total operating capacity.

Trends in fuel input

Germany, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom accounted for 56 % of total fuel input (Fig. 5). In 2016, Germany reportedly accounted for the largest proportion of fuel input for other solid fuels (27 % of the EU-28 total, followed by Poland with 22 %) and other gases (27 %). France reportedly accounted for the largest proportion of fuel input for liquid fuels input (16 % of the EU-28 total, followed by Germany with 15 %). The United Kingdom and Italy reportedly accounted for the largest proportions of natural gas input (22 % and 19 %, respectively, of the EU-28 total). Sweden and the United Kingdom reportedly accounted for the largest proportions of biomass input (20 % and 18 %, respectively, of the EU-28 total). In 2016, the reported quantity of biomass input was 1.5 times more than the reported quantity of liquid fuel input. Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia each accounted for less than 1 % of total fuel consumption.

Indicator definition

This indicator provides a profile of the number of LCPs operating in Europe, their installed capacity and the mix of fuels they use. It is based on data from 2004 onwards. The geographical coverage comprises the EU-28 countries (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom).

In the period 2004-2015, LCPs were covered by Directive 2001/80/EC, while in 2016 LCPs were subject to reporting in accordance with Directive 2010/75/EU. The scope of this latter directive is slightly wider and thus covers plants that were not subject to reporting before 2015.

The temporal coverage is the period 2004-2016 (the most recent year with officially reported emissions; LCP_database_v4.2).

Units

Total fuel consumption is measured in terajoules (TJ) per year or gigajoules (GJ) per year.

Rated thermal input is measured in megawatt thermal (MWth) or gigawatt thermal (GWth).

Policy context and targets

Context description

The EU has had policies on emissions from combustion plants since the 1980s. Between 2004 and 2015, two pieces of EU law were in place: the LCP Directive and the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive  (EC, 2010). This EU legislation imposed specific emission limit values on emissions of NO_x, SO₂ and dust from plants with a thermal rated input equal to or greater than 50 MW. Since 1 January 2016, this legislation has been replaced by the IED (EC, 2010).

The aim of EU policy on LCPs is to reduce emissions to air, water and land, including measures related to waste, to achieve a high level of protection of the environment as a whole. The focus with regard to LCPs is to reduce emissions of acidifying pollutants, particles and ozone precursors while also covering other environmental concerns (e.g. mercury emissions).

Legal instruments that address emissions from large combustion plants

Emissions from LCPs are subject to several EU-wide regulations:

• The IED  (EC, 2010) : IED permits are based on an integrated approach to whole environmental performance. For LCPs, and several other activities, the IED sets emission limit values for SO₂, NOx and dust. Permit conditions, including emission limit values, are based on best available techniques (BATs). The BAT reference document (BREF) and BAT conclusions on LCPs were published in 2017.
• The European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR) (EC, 2006a): for plants with activities over certain thresholds, they must report to the E-PRTR releases of pollutants, off-site transfers of waste and pollutants in waste water, and releases of pollutants from diffuse sources.

Permit conditions including emission limit values must be based on BATs. The term ‘best available techniques’ refers to the most effective, and economically and technically viable methods of operation that reduce emissions and the impact on the environment.

To define BATs, the European Commission organises an exchange of information between Member State experts, industry and environmental organisations. This process results in the production of BREFs. Each BREF contains information on the techniques and processes used in a specific industrial sector in the EU, current emission and fuel consumption trends, and techniques for the determination of BATs, as well as emerging techniques.

Targets

No target specified.

Related policy documents

• Best available techniques (BAT) conclusions for large combustion plants (published Aug 2017)
  Best available techniques (BAT) conclusions for large combustion plants (published August 2017)
• Directive 2001/80/EC, large combustion plants
  Directive 2001/80/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2001 on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants
• Directive 2008/1/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2008 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control
  IPPC (newly recoded) Directive 2008/1/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2008 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control. (see earlier code 96/61/EC)
• Directive 2010/75/EC on industrial emissions
  Directive 2010/75/EC on industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control) The IED is the successor of the IPPC Directive and in essence, it is about minimising pollution from various industrial sources throughout the European Union. Operators of industrial installations operating activities covered by Annex I of the IED are required to obtain an integrated permit from the authorities in the EU countries. About 50.000 installations were covered by the IPPC Directive and the IED will cover some new activities which could mean the number of installations rising slightly.
• Greening the power sector: benefits of an ambitious implementation of Europe’s environment and climate policies
  Europe's electricity generation still relies largely on fossil fuels as an energy source and thus contributes to emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2), dust and nitrogen oxides (NOx), among other pollutants. A new EEA assessment shows that with an ambitious implementation of new requirements under the EU Industrial Emissions Directive, Member States can significantly reduce pollutant emissions and thus minimise their potential harmful effects on the environment and human health. There is also a close link between future reductions in pollutant emissions and EU climate and energy policy, which drives growth in renewables and the switch towards cleaner fuels in the remaining power plants. A more fundamental restructuring of the power sector is, however, needed to meet the EU's long-term decarbonisation targets. EEA, 2018, ' Greening the power sector: benefits of an ambitious implementation of Europe’s environment and climate policies ' , EEA Briefing No 18/2018'  
• Reference Document on Best Available Techniques (BREF) for Large Combustion Plants (published Dec 2017)
  Reference Document on Best Available Techniques (BREF) for Large Combustion Plants (December 2017 published version)
• Regulation (EC) No 166/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 January 2006 concerning the establishment of a European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register
  Regulation (EC) No 166/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 January 2006 concerning the establishment of a European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register
• Renewable energy in Europe 2018: recent growth and knock-on effects
  EEA, 2018, 'Renewable energy in Europe 2018: recent growth and knock-on effects' , EEA report No 20/2018  

Methodology

Methodology for indicator calculation

The LCP database (LCP_database_v4.2) is used for the calculations necessary in this analysis. For each plant, total fuel consumption (a sum of fuel consumption from all fuel types) and capacity class (based on a plant's rated thermal input (in MWth)) are calculated. Plants are grouped into five capacity classes: > 500 MWth (‘very large LCPs’), 301-500 MWth (‘large LCPs’), 101-300 MWth (‘medium-sized LCPs’), 50-100 MWth (‘small LCPs’) and < 50 MWth. The last of these (< 50 MWth) is excluded from this indicator.

Methodology for gap filling

For the earliest years in the time series, capacity data (in MWth) were missing for some plants. Where possible, capacity data (in MWth) from an adjacent year’s reporting for that plant was used to gap fill.

Methodology references

No methodology references available.

Uncertainties

Methodology uncertainty

Data sets uncertainty

Although the reporting requirements began in 2004, it is possible that the data for the first period (2004-2006) contain some gaps.

Rationale uncertainty

No uncertainty has been specified.