EN
L 188/24
Official Journal of the European Union
15.7.2022
Technical screening criteria
Substantial contribution to climate change mitigation 1.
The activity meets either of the following criteria: (a) Life-cycle GHG emissions from the generation of heat/cool from gaseous fuels are lower than 100 g CO2e/kWh.
Life-cycle GHG emission savings are calculated using Recommendation 2013/179/EU or, alternatively, using ISO 14067:2018 or ISO 14064-1:2018.
Quantified life-cycle GHG emissions are verified by an independent third party.
Where facilities incorporate any form of abatement, including carbon capture or use of renewable or low-carbon gases, that abatement activity complies with the relevant Sections of this Annex, where applicable.
Where the CO2 emitted from the electricity generation is captured, the CO2 shall meet the emissions limit set out in point 1 of this Section and shall be transported and stored underground in a way that meets the technical screening criteria for transport of CO2 and storage of CO2 set out in Sections 5.11 and 5.12, respectively of this Annex.
(b) facilities for which the construction permit is granted by 31 December 2030 comply with all of the following: (i)
the thermal energy generated by the activity is used in an efficient district heating and cooling system as defined in Directive 2012/27/EU;
(ii)
the direct GHG emissions of the activity are lower than 270 g CO2e/kWh of the output energy;
(iii)
the heat/cool to be replaced cannot be generated from renewable energy sources, based on a comparative assessment with the most cost-effective and technically feasible renewable alternative for the same capacity identified; the result of this comparative assessment is published and is subject to a stakeholder consultation;
(iv)
the activity replaces an existing high emitting heating/cooling activity using solid or liquid fossil fuel;
(v)
the newly installed production capacity does not exceed the capacity of the replaced facility;
(vi)
the facility is designed and constructed to use renewable and/or low-carbon gaseous fuels and the switch to full use of renewable and/or low-carbon gaseous fuels takes place by 31 December 2035, with a commitment and verifiable plan approved by the management body of the undertaking;
(vii) the replacement leads to a reduction in emissions of at least 55 % GHG per kWh of output energy; (viii) the refurbishment of the facility does not increase production capacity of the facility; (ix)
where the activity takes place on the territory of a Member State in which coal is used for energy generation, that Member State has committed to phase-out the use of energy generation from coal and has reported this in its integrated national energy and climate plan referred to in Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 or in another instrument.
Compliance with the criteria referred to in point 1(b) is verified by an independent third party.
The independent third-party verifier has the necessary resources and expertise to perform such verification.
The independent third party verifier does not have any conflict of interest with the owner or the funder, and is not be involved in the development or operation of the activity.
The independent third party verifier carries out diligently the verification of compliance with the technical screening criteria.
In particular, every year the independent third party publishes and transmits to the Commission a report: (a) certifying the level of direct GHG emissions referred to in point 1(b)(ii); (b) assessing whether the activity is on a credible trajectory to comply with point 1(b)(vi).
On the basis of the reports transmitted to it, the Commission may address an opinion to the operators concerned.
The Commission shall take those reports into account when performing the review referred to in Article 19(5) of Regulation (EU) 2020/852.