Regulations last checked for updates: Oct 17, 2024

Title 40 - Protection of Environment last revised: Oct 15, 2024
§ 60.5880b - § 60.5880b What definitions apply to this subpart?

As used in this subpart, all terms not defined herein will have the meaning given them in the Clean Air Act and in subparts A, Ba, TTTT, and TTTTa, of this part.

Affected electric generating unit or Affected EGU means a steam generating unit that meets the relevant applicability conditions in section § 60.5845b.

Annual capacity factor means the ratio between the actual heat input to an EGU during a calendar year and the potential heat input to the EGU had it been operated for 8,760 hours during a calendar year at the base load rating.

Base load rating means the maximum amount of heat input (fuel) that an EGU can combust on a steady-state basis, as determined by the physical design and characteristics of the EGU at ISO conditions, as defined below. For a stationary combustion turbine or IGCC, base load rating includes the heat input from duct burners.

Coal-fired steam generating unit means an electric utility steam generating unit or IGCC unit that meets the definition of “fossil fuel-fired” and that burns coal for more than 10.0 percent of the average annual heat input during any continuous 3-calendar-year period after December 31, 2029, or for more than 15.0 percent of the annual heat input during any one calendar year after December 31, 2029, or that retains the capability to fire coal after December 31, 2029.

Combined cycle unit means a stationary combustion turbine from which the heat from the turbine exhaust gases is recovered by a heat recovery steam generating unit to generate additional electricity.

Combined heat and power unit or CHP unit, (also known as “cogeneration”) means an electric generating unit that uses a steam-generating unit or stationary combustion turbine to simultaneously produce both electric (or mechanical) and useful thermal output from the same primary energy source.

Compliance period means an annual (calendar year) period for an affected EGU to comply with a standard of performance.

Derate means a decrease in the available capacity of an electric generating unit, due to a system or equipment modification or to discounting a portion of a generating unit's capacity for planning purposes.

Fossil fuel means natural gas, petroleum, coal, and any form of solid fuel, liquid fuel, or gaseous fuel derived from such material for the purpose of creating useful heat.

Gross energy output means:

(1) For stationary combustion turbines and IGCC, the gross electric or direct mechanical output from both the EGU (including, but not limited to, output from steam turbine(s), combustion turbine(s), and gas expander(s)) plus 100 percent of the useful thermal output.

(2) For steam generating units, the gross electric or mechanical output from the affected EGU(s) (including, but not limited to, output from steam turbine(s), combustion turbine(s), and gas expander(s)) minus any electricity used to power the feedwater pumps plus 100 percent of the useful thermal output;

(3) For combined heat and power facilities where at least 20.0 percent of the total gross energy output consists of useful thermal output on a 12-operating-month rolling average basis, the gross electric or mechanical output from the affected EGU (including, but not limited to, output from steam turbine(s), combustion turbine(s), and gas expander(s)) minus any electricity used to power the feedwater pumps (the electric auxiliary load of boiler feedwater pumps is not applicable to IGCC facilities), that difference divided by 0.95, plus 100 percent of the useful thermal output.

Heat recovery steam generating unit (HRSG) means a unit in which hot exhaust gases from the combustion turbine engine are routed in order to extract heat from the gases and generate useful output. Heat recovery steam generating units can be used with or without duct burners.

Integrated gasification combined cycle facility or IGCC means a combined cycle facility that is designed to burn fuels containing 50 percent (by heat input) or more solid-derived fuel not meeting the definition of natural gas plus any integrated equipment that provides electricity or useful thermal output to either the affected facility or auxiliary equipment. The Administrator may waive the 50 percent solid-derived fuel requirement during periods of the gasification system construction, startup and commissioning, shutdown, or repair. No solid fuel is directly burned in the unit during operation.

ISO conditions means 288 Kelvin (15 °C, 59 °F), 60 percent relative humidity and 101.3 kilopascals (14.69 psi, 1 atm) pressure.

Mechanical output means the useful mechanical energy that is not used to operate the affected facility, generate electricity and/or thermal output, or to enhance the performance of the affected facility. Mechanical energy measured in horsepower hour must be converted into MWh by multiplying it by 745.7 then dividing by 1,000,000.

Nameplate capacity means, starting from the initial installation, the maximum electrical generating output that a generator, prime mover, or other electric power production equipment under specific conditions designated by the manufacturer is capable of producing (in MWe, rounded to the nearest tenth) on a steady-state basis and during continuous operation (when not restricted by seasonal or other deratings) as of such installation as specified by the manufacturer of the equipment, or starting from the completion of any subsequent physical change resulting in an increase in the maximum electrical generating output that the equipment is capable of producing on a steady-state basis and during continuous operation (when not restricted by seasonal or other deratings), such increased maximum amount (in MWe, rounded to the nearest tenth) as of such completion as specified by the person conducting the physical change.

Natural gas means a fluid mixture of hydrocarbons (e.g., methane, ethane, or propane), composed of at least 70 percent methane by volume or that has a gross calorific value between 35 and 41 megajoules (MJ) per dry standard cubic meter (950 and 1,100 Btu per dry standard cubic foot), that maintains a gaseous state under ISO conditions. Finally, natural gas does not include the following gaseous fuels: Landfill gas, digester gas, refinery gas, sour gas, blast furnace gas, coal-derived gas, producer gas, coke oven gas, or any gaseous fuel produced in a process which might result in highly variable CO2 content or heating value.

Natural gas-fired steam generating unit means an electric utility steam generating unit meeting the definition of “fossil fuel-fired,” that is not a coal-fired or oil-fired steam generating unit, that no longer retains the capability to fire coal after December 31, 2029, and that burns natural gas for more than 10.0 percent of the average annual heat input during any continuous 3-calendar-year period after December 31, 2029, or for more than 15.0 percent of the annual heat input during any calendar year after December 31, 2029.

Net electric output means the amount of gross generation the generator(s) produce (including, but not limited to, output from steam turbine(s), combustion turbine(s), and gas expander(s)), as measured at the generator terminals, less the electricity used to operate the plant (i.e., auxiliary loads); such uses include fuel handling equipment, pumps, fans, pollution control equipment, other electricity needs, and transformer losses as measured at the transmission side of the step up transformer (e.g., the point of sale).

Net energy output means:

(1) The net electric or mechanical output from the affected facility, plus 100 percent of the useful thermal output measured relative to standard ambient temperature and pressure conditions that is not used to generate additional electric or mechanical output or to enhance the performance of the unit (e.g., steam delivered to an industrial process for a heating application).

(2) For combined heat and power facilities where at least 20.0 percent of the total gross or net energy output consists of electric or direct mechanical output and at least 20.0 percent of the total gross or net energy output consists of useful thermal output on a 12-operating month rolling average basis, the net electric or mechanical output from the affected EGU divided by 0.95, plus 100 percent of the useful thermal output; (e.g., steam delivered to an industrial process for a heating application).

Oil-fired steam generating unit means an electric utility steam generating unit meeting the definition of “fossil fuel-fired” that is not a coal-fired steam generating unit, that no longer retains the capability to fire coal after December 31, 2029, and that burns oil for more than 10.0 percent of the average annual heat input during any continuous 3-calendar-year period after December 31, 2029, or for more than 15.0 percent of the annual heat input during any one calendar year after December 31, 2029.

Standard ambient temperature and pressure (SATP) conditions means 298.15 Kelvin (25 °C, 77 °F) and 100.0 kilopascals (14.504 psi, 0.987 atm) pressure. The enthalpy of water at SATP conditions is 50 Btu/lb.

State agent means an entity acting on behalf of the State, with the legal authority of the State.

Stationary combustion turbine means all equipment including, but not limited to, the turbine engine, the fuel, air, lubrication and exhaust gas systems, control systems (except emissions control equipment), heat recovery system, fuel compressor, heater, and/or pump, post-combustion emission control technology, and any ancillary components and sub-components comprising any simple cycle stationary combustion turbine, any combined cycle combustion turbine, and any combined heat and power combustion turbine based system plus any integrated equipment that provides electricity or useful thermal output to the combustion turbine engine, heat recovery system, or auxiliary equipment. Stationary means that the combustion turbine is not self-propelled or intended to be propelled while performing its function. It may, however, be mounted on a vehicle for portability. A stationary combustion turbine that burns any solid fuel directly is considered a steam generating unit.

Steam generating unit means any furnace, boiler, or other device used for combusting fuel and producing steam (nuclear steam generators are not included) plus any integrated equipment that provides electricity or useful thermal output to the affected facility or auxiliary equipment.

System Emergency means periods when the Reliability Coordinator has declared an Energy Emergency Alert level 2 or 3 as defined by NERC Reliability Standard EOP-011-2, or its successor.

Uprate means an increase in available electric generating unit power capacity due to a system or equipment modification.

Useful thermal output means the thermal energy made available for use in any heating application (e.g., steam delivered to an industrial process for a heating application, including thermal cooling applications) that is not used for electric generation, mechanical output at the affected EGU, to directly enhance the performance of the affected EGU (e.g., economizer output is not useful thermal output, but thermal energy used to reduce fuel moisture is considered useful thermal output), or to supply energy to a pollution control device at the affected EGU. Useful thermal output for affected EGU(s) with no condensate return (or other thermal energy input to the affected EGU(s)) or where measuring the energy in the condensate (or other thermal energy input to the affected EGU(s)) would not meaningfully impact the emission rate calculation is measured against the energy in the thermal output at SATP conditions. Affected EGU(s) with meaningful energy in the condensate return (or other thermal energy input to the affected EGU) must measure the energy in the condensate and subtract that energy relative to SATP conditions from the measured thermal output.

Valid data means quality-assured data generated by continuous monitoring systems that are installed, operated, and maintained according to 40 CFR part 75. For CEMS, the initial certification requirements in 40 CFR 75.20 and appendix A to 40 CFR part 75 must be met before quality-assured data are reported under this subpart; for on-going quality assurance, the daily, quarterly, and semiannual/annual test requirements in sections 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3 of appendix B to 40 CFR part 75 must be met and the data validation criteria in sections 2.1.4, 2.2.3, and 2.3.2 of appendix B to 40 CFR part 75 apply. For fuel flow meters, the initial certification requirements in section 2.1.5 of appendix D to 40 CFR part 75 must be met before quality-assured data are reported under this subpart (except for qualifying commercial billing meters under section 2.1.4.2 of appendix D), and for on-going quality assurance, the provisions in section 2.1.6 of appendix D to 40 CFR part 75 apply (except for qualifying commercial billing meters).

Waste-to-Energy means a process or unit (e.g., solid waste incineration unit) that recovers energy from the conversion or combustion of waste stream materials, such as municipal solid waste, to generate electricity and/or heat.

authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401
source: 36 FR 24877, Dec. 23, 1971, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 40 CFR 60.5880b