For those of you following EPA’s proposal to allow increased use of backup generators used in demand response programs, NESCAUM has now joined the fray. In a report released yesterday and available on its website, NESCAUM stated that:
"Preliminary screening analyses indicate that uncontrolled diesel backup generators operating under the exemption included in EPA’s recent proposal could by themselves create hotspots exceeding the national health-based 1-hour NO2 air standard."
As a result, NESCAUM makes a number of recommendations to improve the information base regarding backup generators and their emissions. NESCAUM also recommends that EPA require use of ultra-low sulfur diesel in backup diesel generators used in demand response programs.
Stay tuned. This promises to continue to be an interesting debate.
