U.S. Code of Federal Regulations
Regulations most recently checked for updates: Jan 21, 2026
As used in this subpart, all terms not defined herein will have the meaning given them in the Clean Air Act and in subpart A (General Provisions) of this part.
Biogas means gas produced by the anaerobic digestion or fermentation of organic matter including manure, sewage sludge, municipal solid waste, biodegradable waste, or any other biodegradable feedstock, under anaerobic conditions. Biogas is comprised primarily of methane and CO
Byproduct means any liquid or gaseous substance produced at chemical manufacturing plants, petroleum refineries, pulp and paper mills, or other industrial facilities (except natural gas and fuel oil).
Combined cycle combustion turbine means any stationary combustion turbine which recovers heat from the combustion turbine exhaust gases to generate steam that is only used to create additional power output in a steam turbine.
Combined heat and power combustion turbine means any stationary combustion turbine which recovers heat from the exhaust gases to heat water or another medium, generate steam for useful purposes other than additional electric generation, or directly uses the heat in the exhaust gases for a useful purpose.
Combustion turbine model means a group of combustion turbines having the same nominal air flow, combustor inlet pressure, combustor inlet temperature, firing temperature, turbine inlet temperature and turbine inlet pressure.
Combustion turbine test cell/stand means any apparatus used for testing uninstalled stationary or uninstalled mobile (motive) combustion turbines.
Diffusion flame stationary combustion turbine means any stationary combustion turbine where fuel and air are injected at the combustor and are mixed only by diffusion prior to ignition.
Duct burner means a device that combusts fuel and that is placed in the exhaust duct from another source, such as a stationary combustion turbine, internal combustion engine, kiln, etc., to allow the firing of additional fuel to heat the exhaust gases.
Efficiency means the combustion turbine manufacturer's rated heat rate at peak load in terms of heat input per unit of power output—based on the higher heating value of the fuel.
Emergency combustion turbine means any stationary combustion turbine which operates in an emergency situation. Examples include stationary combustion turbines used to produce power for critical networks or equipment, including power supplied to portions of a facility, when electric power from the local utility is interrupted, or stationary combustion turbines used to pump water in the case of fire (e.g., firefighting turbine) or flood, etc. Emergency combustion turbines may be operated for the purpose of maintenance checks and readiness testing, provided that the tests are recommended by Federal, State, or local government, agencies, or departments, voluntary consensus standards, the manufacturer, the vendor, the regional transmission organization or equivalent balancing authority and transmission operator, or the insurance company associated with the combustion turbine. Required testing of such units should be minimized, but there is no time limit on the use of emergency combustion turbines. Emergency combustion turbines do not include combustion turbines used as peaking units at electric utilities or stationary combustion turbines at industrial facilities that typically operate at low capacity factors.
Excess emissions means a specified averaging period over which either (1) the NO
Firefighting turbine means any stationary combustion turbine that is used solely to pump water for extinguishing fires.
Garrison facility means any permanent military installation.
Gross useful output means the gross useful work performed by the stationary combustion turbine system. For units using the mechanical energy directly or generating only electricity, the gross useful work performed is the gross electrical or mechanical output from the turbine/generator set. For combined heat and power units, the gross useful work performed is the gross electrical or mechanical output plus the useful thermal output (i.e., thermal energy delivered to a process).
Heat recovery steam generating unit means a unit where the hot exhaust gases from the combustion turbine are routed in order to extract heat from the gases and generate steam, for use in a steam turbine or other device that utilizes steam. Heat recovery steam generating units can be used with or without duct burners.
Integrated gasification combined cycle electric utility steam generating unit means a coal-fired electric utility steam generating unit that burns a synthetic gas derived from coal in a combined-cycle gas turbine. No solid coal is directly burned in the unit during operation.
ISO conditions means 288 Kelvin, 60 percent relative humidity and 101.3 kilopascals pressure.
Lean premix stationary combustion turbine means any stationary combustion turbine where the air and fuel are thoroughly mixed to form a lean mixture before delivery to the combustor. Mixing may occur before or in the combustion chamber. A lean premixed turbine may operate in diffusion flame mode during operating conditions such as startup and shutdown, extreme ambient temperature, or low or transient load.
Low-Btu gas means any gaseous fuels that have heating values less than 26 megajoules per standard cubic meter (MJ/scm) (700 Btu/scf).
Natural gas means a fluid mixture of hydrocarbons (e.g., methane, ethane, or propane) that maintains a gaseous state at standard atmospheric temperature and pressure under ordinary conditions. Additionally, natural gas must be composed of at least 70 percent methane by volume and have a gross calorific value between 950 and 1,100 British thermal units (Btu) per standard cubic foot. Unless refined to meet this definition of natural gas, natural gas does not include the following gaseous fuels: landfill gas, digester gas, refinery gas, sour gas, blast furnace gas, coal-derived gas, producer gas, coke oven gas, or any gaseous fuel produced in a process which might result in highly variable sulfur content or heating value.
Noncontinental area means the State of Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, or offshore turbines.
Offshore turbine means a stationary combustion turbine located on a platform or facility in an ocean, territorial sea, the outer continental shelf, or the Great Lakes of North America and stationary combustion turbines located in a coastal management zone and elevated on a platform.
Peak load means 100 percent of the manufacturer's design capacity of the combustion turbine at ISO conditions.
Regenerative cycle combustion turbine means any stationary combustion turbine which recovers heat from the combustion turbine exhaust gases to preheat the inlet combustion air to the combustion turbine.
Simple cycle combustion turbine means any stationary combustion turbine which does not recover heat from the combustion turbine exhaust gases to preheat the inlet combustion air to the combustion turbine, or which does not recover heat from the combustion turbine exhaust gases for purposes other than enhancing the performance of the combustion turbine itself.
Stationary combustion turbine means all equipment, including but not limited to the turbine, the fuel, air, lubrication and exhaust gas systems, control systems (except emissions control equipment), heat recovery system, and any ancillary components and sub-components comprising any simple cycle stationary combustion turbine, any regenerative/recuperative cycle stationary combustion turbine, any combined cycle combustion turbine, and any combined heat and power combustion turbine based system. Stationary means that the combustion turbine is not self-propelled or intended to be propelled while performing its function. It may, however, be mounted on a vehicle for portability. Portable combustion turbines are excluded from the definition of “stationary combustion turbine,” and not regulated under this part, if the turbine meets the definition of “nonroad engine” under title II of the Clean Air Act and applicable regulations and is certified to meet emission standards promulgated pursuant to title II of the Clean Air Act, along with all related requirements.
Temporary combustion turbine means a combustion turbine that is intended to and remains at a single stationary source (or group of stationary sources located within a contiguous area and under common control) for 24 consecutive months or less.
Unit operating day means a 24-hour period between 12 midnight and the following midnight during which any fuel is combusted at any time in the unit. It is not necessary for fuel to be combusted continuously for the entire 24-hour period.
Unit operating hour means a clock hour during which any fuel is combusted in the affected unit. If the unit combusts fuel for the entire clock hour, it is considered to be a full unit operating hour. If the unit combusts fuel for only part of the clock hour, it is considered to be a partial unit operating hour.
Useful thermal output means the thermal energy made available for use in any industrial or commercial process, or used in any heating or cooling application, i.e., total thermal energy made available for processes and applications other than electrical or mechanical generation. Thermal output for this subpart means the energy in recovered thermal output measured against the energy in the thermal output at 15 degrees Celsius and 101.325 kilopascals of pressure.
