Govt notifies revised environment standards for gensets

The ministry of environment, forest and climate change has notified new environment standards for gensets running on liquid petroleum gas (LPG) / natural gas (NG), diesel with LPG / NG and petrol with LPG / NG, being operated in various cities and towns in the country.

The new standards are based on the recommendations by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) after due consultations with industries and other stakeholders. The primary aim of the new standards for gensets is to control air and noise pollution emanating from the operation of gensets, an official release stated.

The standards for gensets running on LPG and natural gas (NG), or in combination with diesel and petrol have been notified for the first time. In all, the three fuel modes of operation a three-tier classification has been adopted. These standards will control the air and noise emission profile across different categories of gensets and would be revisited in 4-5 years once air and noise emission quality data and technological details pertaining to gensets are available.

The emission limit for gensets of up to 99 cc < 250 cc displacement, the emission limit (a combination of CO (g/kWh) NOX + THC/ NOX + NMHC /NOX + RHC g/kWh) has been set at < 12 while for gensets with engine displacement of >99 cc and up to 225 < 250 has been out at < 10 and for gensets of > 225 cc to < 400 cc to < 250 ccd, the exhaust limit has been set at < 8.

Dual-fuel engine operation would mean a two-fuel system having petrol as a primary combustion fuel and NG or LPG as supplementary fuel, both in a certain proportion, throughout the engine operating zone. Such dual-fuel genset engine may operate on petrol stand-alone mode in absence of gaseous fuel, ie, NG or LPG.

NMHC shall be equal to 0.3×THC in case of natural gas and RHC shall be equal to 0.5×THC in case of LPG.

These norms shall be applicable to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) built petrol and NG or petrol and LPG gensets (up to 19 kW) powered by SI engine (up to 400 cc displacement). Conversion or retrofitment of the existing petrol or Kerosene generator sets to run on petrol and NG or petrol and LPG shall not be permitted.

The emission limits shall be applicable for type approval and conformity of production (COP) undertaken by authorised agencies and shall be complied with petrol alone or petrol and NG or LPG fuel mode separately.

These standards have mandated certification for gensets in terms of 'type approval' and 'conformity of production' for air emission as well as noise emission. The manufacturers are required to obtain the certification for engine products by empanelled agencies which will help in regulating the unorganised sector thereby help in curbing the illegal import of gensets in the country, which were observed to have higher air and noise emission values.

The maximum permissible sound pressure level for genset, with rated capacity up to 800 kW shall be 75 dB(A) at 1 metre from the enclosure surface. Gensets should be provided with integral acoustic enclosure at the manufacturing stage itself. The noise norms shall be effective from the 1 January, 2017

Noise from gensets shall be controlled by providing an acoustic enclosure designed for minimum 25 dB(A) insertion loss or for complying with the ambient noise standards, whichever is on the higher side or by treating the room acoustically, at the users end.

The performance of the acoustic enclosure may be checked for noise reduction up to actual ambient noise level, preferably, in the night time between 10 pm and 6.00 am. The measurement for insertion loss may be done at different points at 0.5m from the acoustic enclosure or room, and then averaged.

The genset shall be provided with proper exhaust muffler with insertion loss of minimum 25 dB(A).

These limits will be regulated by the State Pollution Control Boards and the State Pollution Control Committees.

The manufacturer shall offer to the user a standard acoustic enclosure of 25 dB(A) insertion loss and also a suitable exhaust muffler with insertion loss of 25 dB(A).

The user shall make efforts to bring down the noise levels due to the genset, outside his premises, within the ambient noise requirements by proper siting and control measures.

Installation of a genset shall be strictly in compliance with the recommendation of the genset manufacturer.

A proper routine and preventive maintenance procedure for the genset shall be set and followed in consultation with the genset manufacturer.

The gensets have to be approved and certified by any of the following institutions for verification of conformity of production for noise norms for dedicated NG or LPG gensets for compliance of the prescribed norms:

• Automotive Research Association of India, Pune (Maharashtra);
• International Centre for Automotive Technology, Manesar (Haryana);
• Fluid Control Research Institute, Palghat (Kerala);
• National Test House, Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh);
• National Aerospace Laboratory, Bangaluru (Karnataka); and
• Naval Science and Technology Laboratory, Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).

Every manufacturer, importer or assembler of the dedicated NG or LPG engine for genset application manufactured or imported into India or dedicated NG or LPG genset assembled or imported into India shall obtain type approval and comply with the COP of their products for the emission limits which shall be valid for the next COP year or, the date of implementation of the specified norms.

Thereafter, the manufacturer shall obtain COP approval every COP year. NG or LPG kit shall also have independent type approval and shall independently comply with COP requirement, as and when notified.

These conditions shall apply to all new engines for genset application and products manufactured, assembled or imported into India, as the case may be.

The draft Standards were uploaded on the ministry website on 20 July 2015 for seeking views / comments of stakeholders, including general public for extensive consultations.