Tag Archives: black liquor

The Government of Canada has made $41.9 million in funding announcements through their Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program.

• West Fraser Mills Ltd. of Quesnel, British Columbia is receiving $2 million for its Quesnel River Pulp mill Waste Water Heat Exchanger Upgrade Project to improve the mill’s energy efficiency through the installation of four heat exchangers.
• Cariboo Pulp & Paper Company of Quesnel, British Columbia is receiving $5.5 million to make the facility’s processes more green and lower its environmental footprint by reducing the amount of chemicals that are delivered to the mill.
• West Fraser Mills Ltd. of Slave Lake, Alberta is receiving $5.1 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the mill’s energy efficiency.
• Tolko Industries Ltd. of The Pas, Manitoba will be receiving $2.5 million
• Domtar Inc. in Windsor, Quebec is receiving $5.5 million for two projects that together are expected to reduce the mill’s water use and energy consumption while improving energy efficiency and increasing production of renewable electricity.
• Fibrek S.E.N.C. in Saint-Félicien, Quebec is receiving $5.1 million to increase the mill’s energy efficiency and environmental performance.
• Kruger Wayagamack Inc. in Trois-Rivières, Quebec is receiving $6.3 million for five projects to improve environmental performance through upgrades to mill processes.
• Fortress Specialty Cellulose Inc. in Thurso, Quebec is receiving $9.9 million to generate more renewable thermal energy and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Collectively, these 15 projects are expected to generate enough renewable energy to power nearly 5,600 homes. They are also expected to save enough energy to heat an additional 18,000 homes while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 49,000 tonnes per year. This quantity of greenhouse gas is equivalent to the emissions produced annually by 13,500 cars.

The Government of Canada announced the creation of this Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program in June 2009. Canadian pulp and paper companies that produced black liquor — a byproduct of the pulping process — were eligible to access $1 billion in funding to improve their energy efficiency, their capacity to generate renewable energy, and the overall environmental performance of their pulp and paper facilities.

Source: Government of Canada

Smurfit-Stone will receive $24 million from the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program to substantially improve the environmental performance of its mill in La Tuque, Quebec.

“Our Government’s top priority remains the economy,” said the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec. “With the economic recovery still fragile, we will continue to take action to protect and create jobs in Canada, including the important forestry jobs in La Tuque.”

The project announced today will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by close to 80,000 tonnes annually — equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions of almost 22,000 cars.

Source: Government of Canada

Tembec will receive $975,000 for its mill in Témiscaming, Quebec under the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program to substantially improve the environmental performance of the mill.

Despite signs of recovery in some segments of the forest sector, there remains a need to find new and more efficient ways of using wood, wood fibre and its byproducts. The project announced today is expected to generate enough renewable thermal energy to heat over 1,400 homes. It is also expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with reductions equivalent to the emissions of over 1,200 cars.

This initiative is part of the federal government’s plan to improve the environmental performance and competitiveness of Canada’s forest industry by focusing on innovation and new product development that will ultimately expand market opportunities for both traditional and novel Canadian wood, pulp and paper products.

“With this investment in Témiscaming, our Government is continuing to implement our plan that supports the transformation of Canada’s forest sector for the benefit of all Canadians,” said Minister Christian Paradis, Minister of Natural Resources. “Our investments are supporting expansion of market opportunities for Canadian forest products, reducing our environmental footprint, improving the competitiveness of the forest industry and helping protect the jobs of the families who depend on our forest sector for their livelihood.”

Source: Government of Canada

Cascades‘ East Angus mill in Kingsey Falls, Quebec will receive $3.1 million under the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program to build a modern pulp recycling facility, substantially improving the environmental performance of the mill.

“The East Angus mill is one of the oldest in Canada, and the federal government’s support provides real help for upgrading the equipment, but most of all for maintaining quality jobs locally,” said Mario Plourde, Chief Operating Officer of Cascades.

Today’s project announcement is expected to save the mill nearly 600,000 gigajoules of energy a year — enough to power almost 14,000 homes.

Source: Government of Canada

Nanaimo Forest Products‘ Harmac Pacific Mill will receive $9 million under the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program for three capital improvement projects to substantially improve the environmental performance of the mill.

“As a company, we have nothing but good things to say about the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program,” said Levi Sampson, Director and President of Harmac Pulp Operations. “The program has allowed us to become more productive and efficient. Further to that, we have become more environmentally friendly — something that’s not only important us but also to the community we operate in.”

Today’s project announcement is expected to save over 25,000 gigajoules of energy per year — enough to power approximately 600 homes.

Source: Government of Canada

Catalyst Paper‘s Powell River mill has received $13.3 million under the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program to substantially improve the environmental performance of the mill.

“We appreciate the support of the Natural Resources Canada program, which enables this investment at our Powell River mill,” said Catalyst President and CEO Kevin J. Clarke. “The approval process was rigorous, and the support and enthusiasm from John Weston, M.P., in our project is also appreciated. The equipment upgrade will increase our capacity to generate low-carbon electricity from biomass. This enhances the mill’s overall competitiveness, which, in turn, supports local jobs and community development — the shared benefits made possible through leadership.”

This project is expected to increase the mill’s production of renewable electricity by 130,000 MWh/year, enough to power almost 11,000 homes.

Source: Government of Canada

The Cascades’ Norampac-Cabano mill in Cabano, Quebec will receive $3 million under the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program to substantially improve the environmental performance of the mill.

“The Norampac-Cabano mill is pleased with the support from Natural Resources Canada,” said Luc Pelletier, the mill’s director. “With this contribution, the mill will be able to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and the particulate matter emissions from its two biomass boilers.”

Despite signs of recovery in some segments of the forest sector, there remains a need to find new and more efficient ways of using wood, wood fibre and its byproducts. Today’s announcement will reduce greenhouse gas emissions while substantially shifting energy use to renewable sources. This initiative is part of the Government of Canada’s plan to improve the environmental performance and competitiveness of Canada’s forest industry.

“With this investment in Cabano, our Government is continuing to implement our plan that supports the transformation of Canada’s forest sector for the benefit of all Canadians,” said MP Généreux. “Our investments are supporting expansion of market opportunities for Canadian forest products, reducing our environmental footprint, improving the competitiveness of the forest industry and helping protect the jobs of the families who depend on our forest sector for their livelihood.”

Source: Government of Canada

Catalyst Paper‘s Port Alberni mill in British Columbia will be receiving $4.7 million under the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program to substantially improve the environmental performance of the mill.

“We appreciate the support of the Natural Resources Canada program, which enables this investment at our Port Alberni mill,” said Catalyst President and CEO Kevin J. Clarke. “Energy efficiency, environmental improvements and cost savings in fuel consumption, operations and maintenance are triple benefits expected from this boiler upgrade.”

Despite signs of recovery in some segments of the forest sector, there remains a need to find new and more efficient ways of using wood, wood fibre and its byproducts. This project will increase efficiency and is expected to allow the mill to save nearly 65,000 GJ of energy a year — enough to power more than 1,500 homes.

This initiative is part of the Government of Canada’s plan to improve the environmental performance and competitiveness of Canada’s forest industry by focusing on innovation and new product development that will ultimately expand market opportunities for both traditional and novel Canadian wood, pulp and paper products.

Source: Government of Canada

Tembec has announced a capital investment totalling $25.7 million for its high-yield pulp mill located in Matane, Quebec.

The investment will result in “energy, environmental and economic benefits”. Funding will come mainly from the Federal Government and the Province of Quebec, with $18.9 million related to black liquor credits earned by the Company under the Federal Green Transformation Program and $6.3 million from the Agence de l’efficacité énergétique’s Heavy Oil Consumption Reduction Program.

The project has two main components. The first is a new anaerobic treatment facility. Estimated to cost $23.9 million, this system treats effluent and collects the methane gas produced in the treatment process, allowing it to be used as a bio-fuel for drying the pulp produced at the site. With an estimated cost of $1.8 million, the second component involves the installation of an electric boiler that will replace the current heavy oil fueled boiler. The combined effect of the two components will result in the elimination of all heavy oils and the vast majority of the light oils currently used as a fuel source for the generation of the mill’s various process steam and drying requirements. They will also result in a significant improvement in the mill’s cost structure, with EBITDA projected to increase by $6 million on an annual basis, beginning when the project is completed in mid-2012.

“This investment will result in a significant reduction in costs for Matane and will allow the mill to be competitive in global markets for years to come,” said Yvon Pelletier, Executive Vice President and President, Specialty Cellulose and Chemical Group. “The environmental benefits will also provide an appealing attribute in the marketplace.”

“The investments announced today will improve the position of the Matane mill in environmental, energy and economic terms. This initiative is consistent with the Company’s stated objectives of investing in its core businesses, pursuing opportunities related to green energy projects, and moving all of its facilities into the first or second quartile of their respective cost curves,” said James Lopez, President and CEO of Tembec.

“Tembec is grateful for the support shown by the Province of Quebec and by the Federal Government. Minister Normandeau and Minister Paradis saw the potential offered by these projects and were diligent and effective advocates on behalf of the mill and the region. We thank them for their efforts,” concluded Mr. Lopez.

Source: Tembec

The Cariboo pulp mill in Quesnel, British Columbia will receive an investment of $41.5 million under the federal government’s Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program.

The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State for Sport, and Dick Harris, Member of Parliament for Cariboo–Prince George co-announced the investment.

As part of the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program, the Cariboo mill will receive $41.5 million to be used for upgrades that will help improve the mill’s environmental performance — leading to a reduced reliance on natural gas and power consumption.

Today’s announcement in Quesnel was one of 6 similar announcements made at mills across the country. The federal government is promoting the investment as part of their plan to improve the environmental performance and competitiveness of Canada’s forest industry by focusing on innovation and new product development that will ultimately expand market opportunities for Canadian pulp and paper related products.

Source: Government of Canada