What Is the Medium Combustion Plant Directive, MCPD Guide
The Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD) regulates pollutant emissions from the combustion of fuels in plants with a rated thermal input of between 1MW and 50MW.
Medium combustion plants are used across a wide range of applications, including electricity generation, residential heating and cooling, and the provision of heat or steam for industrial processes. They are a significant source of emissions, including sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (dust).
The emission limit values set out in the MCPD applied from 20 December 2018 for new plants, and will apply to existing plants by 2025 or 2030, depending on their size.
Flexibility provisions for district heating plants and biomass-fired systems help ensure that climate and air quality policies remain aligned, while supporting the transition to lower-carbon energy sources.
Legal Requirements & Deadlines
The legal requirements and deadlines are as follows:
All New Energy Plants
- Must be registered and comply with Emissions Limit Values (ELV).
Existing Plants (rated thermal input above 5MW)
- Must be registered/obtain a permit to operate by 1 January 2024
- Must comply with the proposed ELVs by 1 January 2025
Existing Plants (between 1MW & 5MW)
- Must be registered or obtained a permit to operate by 1 January 2029
- Comply with the proposed ELVs and full implementation of the MCPD by 1 January 2030
How does the MCPD affect you?
The directive regulates each individual piece of medium-sized equipment that oxidises a fuel source to generate heat. This means the 1MW to 50MW threshold applies to each unit, rather than the combined output of an entire energy centre.
This type of equipment is commonly found in energy systems that supply large buildings such as offices, hotels and hospitals, as well as in industrial processes and power generation facilities.
Exemptions & Exclusions
The Medium Combustion Plant Directive does not apply to certain types of equipment. These exclusions are defined in Article 2 of the Medium Combustion Plant Directive (EU) 2015/2193 and set out which combustion plants fall outside its scope entirely.
Examples include combustion plant used to propel vehicles, ships or aircraft, turbines and engines on offshore platforms, certain drying processes, and thermal oxidisers used for pollution control.
There are also specific exemptions defined in Article 6. In these cases, plants still fall within scope and must be registered, but may be exempt from meeting emission limit values, sometimes on a time-limited basis. Examples include plants operating for a limited number of hours, certain biomass applications, and those serving public district heating networks.
MCPD Compliance Support from 2EA
2EA can support your organisation with all aspects of Medium Combustion Plant Directive compliance, from initial assessment through to ongoing reporting. We help you identify in-scope plant, manage registration and permitting, and ensure you meet emission limit values and regulatory deadlines. Our team works closely with you to simplify complex requirements and deliver a clear, practical route to compliance, reducing risk and minimising disruption to your operations.
