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Mr. Frank DeMaris <br /> October 18, 2010 <br /> Page 2 of 7 <br /> • Ameresco proposes to revise the carbon monoxide(CO) emission factor based in part on Bay Area <br /> Air Quality Management District's(BAAQMD) "Revisiting BACT for Lean Burn Landfill Gas <br /> Fired Internal Combustion Engines"(2009). This document states that improved lean-burn low- <br /> NOx combustion design can maintain low NOx emission rates during operation,but under these <br /> conditions,the engine CO will increase("creep")over time up to a Not to Exceed(NTE) limit. <br /> The upper end of the range of the uncontrolled CO emission factor for an engine that can achieve a <br /> 0.6 g/bhp NOx emission rate is 3.6 g/bhp-hr. This NTE level was established by the BAAQMD in <br /> an effort to allow flexibility for variable CO levels while achieving low NOx levels. <br /> Ameresco's experience at Ox Mountain indicated that a CO Catalyst is required in order for the <br /> SCR to sustain its reduction efficiency for NOx emissions. The manufacturer, Miratech, has <br /> verified this(the CO Catalyst operates upstream of the SCR in the engine exhaust path). However, <br /> with approximately 12,000 hours of operating experience at the Ameresco Ox Mountain facility, it <br /> has been shown that the oxidation catalysts were unable to sustain 75%design for CO reduction <br /> efficiency,the level posed in the initial permit to construct. Their efficiency continues to be <br /> slightly better than 50%at this time(on a sustainable basis), and Ameresco is proposing that this <br /> reduction level be applied to the BAAQMD NTE level,resulting in an emission rate of 1.8 g/bhp <br /> of CO. <br /> Ameresco has been and continues to look for ways to improve the CO Catalyst reduction <br /> efficiency at Ox Mountain by looking at changes with the fuel pretreatment system, engine <br /> operation and catalyst design and operation. However, any changes toward that end must not <br /> negatively impact operation of the SCR. <br /> From all this,we are proposing a controlled CO emission level that assumes a minimum 50% <br /> reduction efficiency of the catalyst is sustainable and accounts for the natural CO drift that will <br /> occur on the uncontrolled emissions up to the NTE level. Also for these reasons,we are proposing <br /> this same emission rate Ameresco believes to be sustainable at Ox Mountain. This emission level <br /> is more stringent than the BAAQMD CO BACT for LFG engines. Results of the testing at the <br /> Ameresco Ox Mountain facility can be found in Appendix B. <br /> By including a CO Catalyst, which will operate ahead of the SCR in the engine exhaust path in <br /> order to protect the SCR,the CO emissions will be reduced from the original estimate of 145.42 <br /> tpy to 104.70 tpy for the two engines. <br /> • The volatile organic compound(VOC)emissions will remain the same as the original application. <br /> The emissions using 20 parts per million by volume(ppmv) @ 3%oxygen as hexane(outlet) and <br /> maximum exhaust flow at 10%oxygen(converted to 3%oxygen)will be used because that is <br /> considered the lowest emission level achievable based on discussions with GE Jenbacher,the <br /> engine manufacturer. It is based on the maximum exhaust flow rate provided by GE Jenbacher. <br /> The 20 ppmv outlet limit is also considered BACT/Lowest Achievable Emission Rates(LAER) in <br /> other Districts including Ventura County Air Pollution Control District(VCAPCD), South Coast <br /> Air Quality Management District(SCAQMD), BAAQMD, San Diego County Air Pollution <br /> Control District(SDCAPCD), in addition to the limit under the landfill New Source Performance <br /> Standards(NSPS). <br />