Check EPA Emissions Compliance
Automatically monitor generator emissions data against EPA standards, trigger compliance alerts, and generate regulatory reports without manual tracking or spreadsheet updates.
When
Emissions data received from monitoring system
Then
Compliance status updated and alerts sent
15 hours per week
Time Saved
Avoid $50K+ violation penalties
ROI Impact
EPA emissions compliance monitoring automation continuously tracks generator emissions data against regulatory limits, instantly alerts operators when readings approach thresholds, and automatically generates required compliance reports. This eliminates manual spreadsheet tracking and reduces violation risk by ensuring real-time visibility into emissions performance against permit requirements.
How This Automation Works
Emissions data received from monitoring system → Compliance status updated and alerts sent
Connect Emissions Data Sources
Integrate your continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS), SCADA platforms, or manual data entry systems with the automation. Configure data collection intervals based on your permit requirements—hourly readings for Title V facilities, daily averages for emergency generators, or real-time monitoring for critical units. Map emissions parameters (NOx, SO2, CO, PM, CO2) to corresponding EPA regulatory standards and your facility-specific permit limits.
Set Compliance Thresholds and Alert Rules
Define your EPA permit limits for each monitored pollutant, including hourly maximums, rolling 30-day averages, quarterly totals, and annual caps. Configure multi-tier alert thresholds—warnings at 80% of limit, critical alerts at 95%, and emergency notifications at 100%. Specify which personnel receive alerts based on severity levels and establish escalation protocols for unresolved exceedances. Include time-of-day rules for staffed versus unstaffed operations.
Automate Data Validation and Calculations
The system continuously validates incoming emissions data for completeness, reasonability, and quality assurance criteria. It automatically flags suspect readings, missing data periods, and calibration errors. Perform required calculations including rolling averages, emission rates (lb/MMBtu or lb/hr), fuel consumption correlations, and capacity utilization factors. Apply correction factors for temperature, pressure, and oxygen content as specified in your monitoring protocols.
Generate Compliance Reports and Notifications
Automatically produce required EPA reports on scheduled intervals—monthly summaries, quarterly emissions reports, semi-annual monitoring reports, and annual compliance certifications. Format data according to EPA specifications for electronic submission through CEDRI, state portals, or tribal systems. When emissions approach or exceed limits, instantly notify environmental managers with exceedance details, potential causes, and recommended corrective actions. Maintain comprehensive audit logs documenting all monitoring data, alerts issued, and actions taken.
How It Works
Power generation facilities face stringent EPA emissions monitoring requirements with complex reporting deadlines and severe penalties for non-compliance. This automation continuously monitors emissions data from generator systems, compares readings against applicable EPA thresholds (including NOx, SO2, CO2, and particulate matter limits), and instantly flags potential violations. The system automatically calculates rolling averages, tracks permit limits, generates compliance reports, and sends alerts to environmental managers when readings approach regulatory thresholds. By eliminating manual data entry and spreadsheet tracking, facilities maintain continuous compliance visibility, reduce reporting errors, and ensure timely submission of required EPA documentation. The automation integrates with CEMS (Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems), SCADA platforms, and environmental management software to create a seamless compliance workflow that protects your facility from costly violations while reducing administrative burden on environmental staff.
The Trigger
The automation activates when new emissions readings are logged from your continuous monitoring equipment, scheduled compliance check intervals occur, or when manual data entry is submitted. It can monitor multiple data sources including CEMS outputs, SCADA systems, hourly readings, daily averages, or quarterly summaries depending on your permit requirements.
The Action
The system instantly compares emissions data against your specific EPA permit limits and applicable standards (CAA Title V, NSPS, NESHAP, or state implementation plans). When readings approach or exceed thresholds, it automatically sends priority alerts to designated environmental managers via email, SMS, or mobile notifications. The automation generates compliance summary reports, calculates rolling 30-day averages, updates compliance dashboards, and prepares formatted data for EPA reporting portals. All actions are logged with timestamps for audit trails and regulatory inspections.
Common Use Cases in Generator
- Emergency standby generators monitoring runtime hours and NOx emissions to maintain NESHAP compliance under 40 CFR Part 63 Subpart ZZZZ, with automated tracking of the 100-hour annual limit for non-emergency operation and instant alerts when approaching capacity to prevent permit violations
- Combined heat and power (CHP) facilities tracking continuous emissions from natural gas turbines against Title V permit limits, calculating rolling 30-day NOx averages, monitoring CO2 rates for greenhouse gas reporting, and generating quarterly compliance reports for state environmental agencies
- Diesel generator farms managing multiple units under a facility-wide emissions cap, automatically allocating emissions across units, optimizing dispatch to stay under quarterly limits, and triggering load reductions when facility-wide totals approach permitted maximums
- University campuses with multiple emergency generators tracking aggregate emissions across all units, ensuring building-specific generators remain under de minimis thresholds to avoid major source classification, and coordinating testing schedules to distribute emissions throughout the year
- Hospital critical power systems monitoring emissions from backup generators during mandatory monthly testing, tracking particulate matter and NOx against local air district limits, documenting test durations to distinguish emergency versus non-emergency operation for regulatory purposes
- Data center UPS systems with diesel backup generators calculating opacity during startup and shutdown events, monitoring visible emissions during black start testing, and automatically scheduling preventive maintenance when emissions trends indicate degrading combustion efficiency
- Industrial facilities with peak shaving generators tracking emissions during grid-independent operation, managing annual hour limitations under air permits, optimizing generator dispatch to minimize per-hour emission rates, and coordinating with utility demand response programs
- Remote telecommunications towers with propane generators monitoring CO emissions in enclosed spaces, ensuring ventilation systems activate during generator operation, tracking fuel quality variations that affect emissions, and scheduling service before emissions approach permit limits
Results You Can Expect
Eliminate Compliance Violations
Real-time monitoring and instant alerts enable operators to identify and correct emissions issues before they become reportable violations. By catching problems within minutes rather than days or weeks, facilities can adjust operations, switch fuels, or reduce loads to maintain compliance. This proactive approach has helped facilities reduce reportable deviations by 95% and completely avoid the $25,000-$50,000+ penalties associated with Clean Air Act violations.
Reduce Administrative Burden
Eliminate manual data collection from multiple monitoring systems, spreadsheet calculations of rolling averages, and time-consuming report formatting. Environmental staff save 15+ hours per week previously spent on data entry, calculations, and report preparation. This allows compliance personnel to focus on strategic initiatives like emissions reduction projects, permit optimization, and proactive environmental management rather than administrative paperwork.
Ensure Reporting Accuracy
Automated calculations eliminate the human errors that plague manual compliance tracking—misplaced decimals, incorrect averaging periods, wrong conversion factors, and transcription mistakes. The system applies the exact formulas specified in EPA regulations and your permit conditions consistently every time. This accuracy protects facilities during regulatory inspections and eliminates the costly amendments and corrections that result from reporting errors.
Maintain Complete Audit Trails
Automatically create and organize comprehensive documentation meeting EPA's 5-year minimum recordkeeping requirements (with 7-year retention for Title V facilities). Every emissions reading, calculation, alert, and corrective action is timestamped and stored in tamper-proof audit logs. During regulatory inspections or third-party audits, instantly retrieve historical data, demonstrate due diligence, and prove systematic compliance management. This documentation has proven invaluable in defending against EPA enforcement actions.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Automation
Generators must monitor emissions based on their size, fuel type, and operating hours. Common regulated pollutants include nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and greenhouse gases (CO2). Emergency generators over 100 HP typically fall under NESHAP requirements, while larger utility generators must comply with Title V permits, NSPS standards, and state-specific limits. Diesel generators face stricter monito
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