Emissions of pollutants into the air

The term emission means the process of emitting i.e. inserting pollutants into the air. In Croatian legislation, emission is presented as the mass of pollutants in milligrams (mg) per cubic meter of standardized air (m_n³), i.e. mg/ m_n³.

Compared to 2018, there was an increase in emissions of polluting NO_X, CO and particles into the air in line with an increase in electricity production from thermal power plants and thermal power plants and a decrease in SO₂ emissions due to reduced liquid fuel and increased natural gas consumption.

Emissions of all pollutants from HEP's bioenergy plants to forest biomass were higher due to the application of the emission calculation methodology based on the fuel consumption balance and periodic emission measurements prescribed for medium combustion plants.

Emissions from urban heating boilers are also calculated on the basis of the fuel consumption balance and periodic emission measurements prescribed for medium combustion plants.

Emissions of pollutants into the air – CO, SO₂, NO_x and solid particles from thermal power plants and thermal power plants for heat production

year	CO t/y	SO₂ t/y	NO_x t/y	Solid particles t/y
2019	199	248	1.517	103
2018	162	386	1.391	39
2019/2018 (%)	+22.8	-35.8	+9.1	+164.1

Emissions of pollutants into the air – CO, SO₂, NO_x and solid particles from biomass fired power plants – BE-TO Osijek CHP and BE-TO Sisak CHP:

year	CO t/y	SO₂ t/y	NO_x t/y	Solid particles t/y
2019	14.36	0.84	54.79	27.88
2018	5.2	0.27	26.87	9.54
2019/2018 (%)	+176.2	+211.1	+103.9	+192.2

Emissions of pollutants into the air – CO, SO_2, NO_x and solid particles from boilers for city heating:

year	CO t/y	SO₂ t/y	NO_x t/y	Solid particles t/y
2019	8.63	8.40	9.12	NA*
2018	5.20	5.30	43.27	NA*
2019/2018 (%)	+66.0	+58.5	-78.9

_{*NA - Below the level of emissions obligatory to report to the Environmental Pollution Register}

Measuring emissions

Measuring of pollutant emissions into the air is carried out by initial, intermittent, continuous and special measurements at the outlet/stack. The frequency of measuring pollutant emissions into the air from an individual outlet/stack is regulated by law.

Pollutant emissions into the air from HEP's thermal power plants and combined heat and power plants are measured continuously by automatic metering systems (AMS), and data are transmitted via a computer network to the Information system for monitoring pollutant emissions from stationary sources, maintained by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. Emissions from city heating boiler facilities are measured periodically.

Supervision and reporting

If pollutant emissions at site exceed threshold values, information on the types and quantities of pollutants in the air and the type and characteristics of fuel used to generate electricity and heat and process steam from HEP's sources (with the capacity exceeding 100 kW), are entered once a year into the Environmental Pollution Register (ROO) kept by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (HAOP).