Emission of pollutants in flue gases from Polish district heating sources

• We compare emission loads from different heating sources.
• Emission loads were measured using method FTIR spectroscopy.
• The EU climate and energy package discriminates among heat producers.
• HCl and HF emission standards cover only installations that burn municipal waste.
• The emission of flue gases from individual sources can be harmful to humans.

Poland is one of the heaviest users of district heating systems in Europe, and those district heating systems are mainly coal-fired. A series of experimental studies has been carried out in various district heating plants to show that these heat sources require upgrading to make energy production more environmentally friendly. The emission of air pollutants from these coal-fired sources differs significantly from the standards of other sources. The negative impact of compounds such as HCl, HF, and NH3 in emission standards for various heat sources has been noted, along with the need to bring existing installations into line with EU laws.Final analysis and conclusions from this research will contribute to the development of uniform standards of emissions for different heat sources, including individual heating sources, to produce energy in a more environmentally friendly fashion.Three main issues are dealt with: individual heat sources lack emission limits, waste incineration plants are currently the only environmentally friendly heat sources, and power plants have much lower emissions in comparison with individual sources.