There’s a new NES for industrial boilers - do you need a consent?
1 May, 2024
The Resource Management (National Environmental Standard for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Industrial Process Heat) Regulations 2023 (NES:GHG (Industry)) came into force on 27 July 2023. This introduces a new requirement for all boilers that are fuelled by coal, oil or natural gas and that emit more than 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year to obtain a consent for greenhouse gas emissions by 26 January 2025.
Specifically, the NES:GHG (Industry) requires:
• existing boilers fueled by coal, oil or natural gas must get a consent for greenhouse gas emissions (Regulation 6) by 26 January 2025 (Schedule 1)
• maximum term of consent is 10 years (Regulation 18)
• adoption of the best practicable option for greenhouse gas emission reductions and an emissions reduction plan (Regulation 19)
• all existing boilers fueled by coal are banned after 2037 (Regulation 9)
We are concerned that industry may be unaware of these new requirements because it is not very clear what type of boiler emits more than 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
Here is guidance from the Ministry for the Environment and here is guidance from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority on the new NES: GHG (Industry). However, it is not immediately obvious from the advice on these pages that the new regulations apply to nearly every industrial boiler in New Zealand. We think this NES is excellent for taking genuine action to address climate change - but not so much if people are not aware of it.
For example, are you aware that your boiler requires consent if you annually combust more than:
190 tonnes bituminous coal
190 kL diesel
170 kL LPG
170 kL heavy fuel oil; or
2,600 MWh natural gas?
Don’t know your annual fuel consumption?
You require a new consent if you operate continuously (i.e., 24 hours a day, 365 days a year) and your boiler is bigger than:
• 140 kW (coal)
• 185 kW (diesel)
• 215 kW (LPG)
• 175 kW (oil)
• 300 kW (natural gas)
From an industrial process heat perspective, these energy capacities are tiny so it would pay to check all of your boiler ratings.
Have different operating hours? Download our free NES:GHG (Industry) threshold calculator to see if your boiler requires consent (hint, it probably does).
Please also note the NES:GHG (Industry) excludes:
backup devices (operating < 400 hrs/year)
heating for commercial buildings
units for electricity generation (lucky old Huntly).
Whilst we are making this tool available free of charge, we would appreciate acknowledgement to Emission Impossible Ltd and Steve Goldthorpe as the app developers.
Need help? Contact us here.