Policy proposal for stationary electric engine compressors in Lebanon.

Abstract

Generators within the country of Lebanon have a unique relationship and role within the country. The internal utility infrastructure of the country was severely weakened and degraded after the Civil War, which lasted anywhere from fifteen to twenty years. The lack of available state derived electricity forced consumer to supply their own via private generators. This trend has continued till now as the state has not been able to keep up with the growing population and rising demand. The combination of the quantity of generators and their placement have led to intense debate to curb their impact on air quality and public health. The resulting air toxins and their impacts warrant the application of regulatory oversight and standards to limit their impact. Oversight is further emphasized due to the current proximity of generators to receptors as a result of available space and connections to their intended consumers. Specifically relating to generators, policy involving an emissions template, emission limit values (ELVs) and monitoring requirements remain absent although they have been identified. The main question addressed in this thesis is: To what extent can policy measures in the United States (US) be applied to the state of Lebanon? Compliance to US requirements involve adherence to standardized methodology for air emission calculations, compliance with emission standards and thresholds, and demonstrated compliance via maintenance, recordkeeping and reporting. These elements lead to two corollary questions that compare current generators in Lebanon to current US operating authorizations. First: could generators meet emission standards? And second: Could they meet the addition requirements for authorization? This thesis is based on generator specific data gathered from currently operating generators (and their owners) in the northern city of Al-Mina, a review of the policy structure of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and research on the historical and sociopolitical implications within Leb