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Potential to Emit (PTE) Calculator

Local source-level PTE rows with AP-42, Title V, PSD/NSR, HAP, permit, and agency-review gaps visible

Free screening-level PTE calculator for boilers, engines, turbines, and other combustion sources. The app applies local emission-factor rows to entered capacity and hours, then shows uncontrolled and controlled row totals for NOx, CO, SOx, PM10, PM2.5, VOC, and CO2. Treat the output as a review worksheet before current AP-42 row selection, source testing, CEMS, HAP speciation, facility-wide aggregation, enforceable-limit review, state program rules, and agency or qualified environmental/legal review.

Pro Tip: Use 8,760 hours only when that is the appropriate potential-to-emit basis for the source. Federally enforceable hour, fuel, production, or control limits may change the review basis, but those limits must be documented in permit or agency terms before they reduce PTE.

Aggregate reviewed source rows before facility inventory review

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Potential to Emit (PTE) Calculator
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How It Works

  1. Select Source Prompt

    Choose the closest local source row, then verify the current AP-42 chapter, section, table row, factor rating, source category, fuel data, and agency method outside the app.

  2. Enter Rated Capacity

    Input a source-supported maximum rated capacity in MMBtu/hr for boilers and turbines, or HP for engines. Manufacturer fuel curves and permit capacity bases remain separate review items.

  3. Set Operating Hours

    Use the annual-hours basis supported by current PTE rules, permit terms, and agency direction. The app does not decide whether a limit is federally enforceable.

  4. Add Control Prompts

    Select a local control-efficiency prompt only when you have source-specific control, capture, monitoring, recordkeeping, and enforceable-limit support.

  5. Review Source Gaps

    Use local threshold prompts as review flags before facility-wide aggregation, HAP speciation, nonattainment/PSD/NSR review, permit terms, and qualified environmental/legal review.

Built For

  • Plant engineers organizing source-level inputs before permit or agency review
  • Environmental managers checking local PTE row sensitivity before source-supported calculations
  • Consultants preparing a preliminary review worksheet before formal emissions-method selection
  • Operations staff documenting backup-generator or boiler assumptions for environmental follow-up
  • Corporate environmental teams comparing source prompts before facility-wide inventory review

Assumptions

  • Emission-factor rows are local prompts and must be checked against current AP-42, source-test, CEMS, material-balance, permit-factor, or agency methods.
  • Equipment capacity, heat-rate, fuel, and annual-hour inputs are source-supported entries supplied by the user.
  • Control reductions require enforceable permit terms, capture/control support, monitoring, recordkeeping, and testing before permitting use.
  • Fuel composition, sulfur, HAP speciation, startup/shutdown/malfunction, and source category remain outside the local rows.

Limitations

  • Does not select current AP-42 chapter/table rows or factor ratings.
  • Does not calculate HAP, GHG reporting, Title V, PSD, NSR, NNSR, synthetic-minor, or state permit applicability.
  • Does not perform facility-wide source aggregation, fugitive-emissions review, insignificant/de minimis screening, or common-control analysis.
  • Does not replace state/local SIP rules, permit terms, agency guidance, source testing, CEMS, or qualified environmental/legal review.

References

  • EPA AP-42 source pointers and current chapter review
  • 40 CFR 70.2 - Part 70 definitions
  • 40 CFR 51.165 and 51.166 - NNSR and PSD source pointers
  • 40 CFR 52.21 - PSD federal plan source pointer

Frequently Asked Questions

It multiplies local emission-factor prompts by entered heat input and hours, then applies enforceable-control prompts when selected. It does not choose AP-42 rows, determine facility-wide PTE, classify a source, or prepare a permit application.
No. Title V review depends on current 40 CFR Part 70 definitions, pollutant treatment, HAP totals, federally enforceable limits, facility boundary, state program terms, permit facts, and agency review. The local threshold rows are review prompts only.
The app reduces the local controlled row only when the control is marked enforceable. Actual credit requires enforceable permit terms plus source-specific capture, control, monitoring, recordkeeping, and test support.
Only use reduced hours when current rules, permits, and agency direction support that basis for the source. Voluntary or unsupported limits should not be treated as PTE limits without qualified review.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides preliminary screening-level arithmetic and source pointers only. It is not a Title V, PSD, NSR, NNSR, HAP, GHG, synthetic-minor, permit, AP-42 row-selection, source-test, CEMS, or agency applicability determination.

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