Tag Archives: Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program

The Honourable Joe Oliver, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, today toured facilities at Irving Paper Limited where he observed the positive impact of the Government’s funding on the region’s pulp and paper industry and jobs in New Brunswick.

Irving Paper Limited received $8.3 million through the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program (PPGTP) in 2011 for a project to increase the energy efficiency of its operations.

“Our positive investments are helping Canada’s forest industry increase their energy efficiency and global competitiveness,” said Minister Oliver. “Projects like this in Saint John serve as evidence that our Government is contributing to lasting environmental and economic benefits in our communities.”

“The federal Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program has delivered proven positive results in terms of cleaner air, fuel efficiency, competitiveness and impact on local businesses,” said Mark Mosher, Vice President of Pulp & Paper Operations for J.D. Irving, Limited. “Specifically, this program contributed significantly toward a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gases, a 50 percent reduction in energy costs, $30 million spent with local subcontractors and $25 million invested in the purchase of materials from local suppliers.”

Under the PPGTP, J.D. Irving, Limited received $33.4 million to help improve the energy efficiency and environmental performance of its pulp and paper facilities in Lake Utopia and Saint John, New Brunswick. Of this total, $9.5 million was invested in Irving’s two Saint John mills – $8.3 million for Irving Paper and $1.2 million for Irving Pulp and Paper – and $23.9 million was invested in its Lake Utopia mill.

Together, Irving’s Saint John projects are saving enough energy to heat over 10,000 homes on an ongoing basis while reducing greenhouse gas emissions from these mills by approximately 30,000 tonnes annually.

Three years after its launch, the PPGTP has significantly improved the environmental performance of Canada’s pulp and paper industry through a record level of investment in green technologies. The 98 projects supported by the PPGTP are having direct positive environmental, economic and social impacts on recipient mills and the communities they sustain. These benefits include support for approximately 14,000 mill jobs, improved air quality, and lower fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

While in Saint John, Minister Oliver also toured the Irving Refinery and addressed the Saint John Board of Trade where he discussed the importance of natural resources in Atlantic Canada and highlighted the federal government’s priority of supporting jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity.

Source: Government of Canada

Sulphur levels in the air around Hinton, Alberta have been increasing over the past 5 years according to air monitoring conducted by the West Central Airshed Society.

The majority of the sulphur in the air comes from West Fraser Timber’s Hinton Pulp mill.  Brian Grantham, the mill’s general manager, said they aren’t sure why the level of sulphur has been gradually increasing.

Grantham said they are “undertaking a study right now to ascertain that,” and are working with a privately contracted environmental modelling company.

The mill spent $15 million last year on a a pressure diffuser with funds granted by the federal government’s Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program. The pressure diffuser could lower total reduced sulphur emissions, but indirectly. The pressure diffuser cleans the effluent, resulting in less gas floating off the treatment ponds.

The year-to-date average average total reduced sulphur levels in Hinton is 1.44 ppb (parts per billion). Levels in 2011 and 2010 were 1.37 and 1.39, respectively.

Read more:
Monitoring data shows air quality declining (Hinton Parklander)

The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) would like to congratulate the Government of Canada for the unprecedented success of its $1 billion Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program (PPGTP) and for its continued commitment to the ongoing transformation of the forest products sector.

The “Report on Results” on this phase of the government’s ongoing strategic support for the industry has just been released.  It shows the 98 projects that received funds from PPGTP supported 14,000 jobs, improved air quality, lowered fossil fuel consumption and reduced greenhouse gas emissions with some mills adding sufficient renewable electrical capacity to export green power to the grid.  About two thirds of the funding went to member companies of FPAC.

“The investments from this program truly improved the environmental performance of Canada’s pulp and paper sector and had extraordinary social and economic benefits for forest communities as well,” says David Lindsay the President and CEO of FPAC. “This was a shining example of smart government policy that continues to pay dividends today.”

This made-in-Canada program was aimed at helping pulp and paper mills that agreed to use targeted capital investments to support Canadian jobs and improve their environmental performance and green technologies. It was in response to a multi-billion dollar subsidy enjoyed by pulp and paper mills in the United States under the black liquor tax credit —a handout widely decried as distorting world markets― that unfairly hit Canadian mills already reeling from the global recession and a high Canadian dollar.

“Canada got it right.  Canada used a strategic approach.  The Canadian government found a considered way to support the transformation of the country’s forest products industry,” says Lindsay. “The program has helped drive environmental improvements and allowed the Canadian industry to leverage its strong green credentials in the international marketplace.”

FPAC is also grateful that in the report the Minister of Natural Resources Joe Oliver pledged to continue “to support innovation and renewal in the forest sector”, demonstrated by the commitment of $105 million in the 2012 budget to help the industry further diversify and increase sales abroad. Oliver also acknowledged that the industry is “playing a key role in its own renewal” and he acknowledged Vision2020―an ambitious plan for the industry to reach its full potential by focusing on product innovations, further improving its environmental footprint and revitalizing its workforce.

FPAC provides a voice for Canada’s wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. The $57-billion-a-year forest products industry represents 2% of Canada’s GDP and is one of Canada’s largest employers operating in hundreds of communities and providing 230,000 direct jobs across the country.

Nanaimo Forest Products, owner of the Harmac pulp mill in British Columbia, is building an electrical generation plant at the mill.

The company reached a 15 year deal with B.C. Hydro to produce 25 megawatts of power at the mill. That is enough electricity to light up 17,000 homes.

Wood biomass will be used to generate steam that will power the generator. The power generation plant is expected to cost $45 million and take 18 months to build.

Levi Sampson, president of Nanaimo Forest Products, said they plan to start construction of the new generation plant immediately. The company will cover all the costs of the project, and will use $27 million in federal funding they received under the federal Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program that was intended for projects that improve energy efficiency and environmental performance.

It is expected that 85 construction and technical jobs will be created during the construction.

Sources:
Harmac owners to build $45-million electrical generation plant – Nanaimo Forest Products reaches 15-year agreement with B.C. Hydro (Daily News)
Harmac owners back $45M plant – Nanaimo Forest Products strikes 15-year pact to sell electricity to B.C. Hydro (Daily News)
Hydro project a good move for Harmac (Daily News)

Northern Pulp will wrap up its scheduled maintenance shutdown on Monday.

Starting on October 16, the mill has been busy working on three major Green Transformation projects during this shutdown:

• A boiler upgrade that will reduce oil use by 2.5 million litres per year
• A recovery cycle project that will reduce the amount of chemical used in the pulp process
• An odour reduction project that will cut the mill’s odour emissions by 70%

These projects are seeing an average of over 600 contractors, 145 term employees, and over 200 Northern Pulp employees onsite every day during the shutdown.

This shutdown is a $20 million investment including $8 million for the maintenance work and $12 million for work on the environmental improvement projects which are scheduled to be completed by end of this year.

“This is a huge undertaking to move our Green Transformation projects forward in addition to completing the usual maintenance that is required,” said Don Breen, Vice President, Business Development & Environmental Affairs. “We have a small window of time to get this work done so we can get the Mill up and running again. The contractors, term and full-time employees are doing a fantastic job to safely deliver on our commitment to operational and environmental improvements.”

“This shutdown is critical to improve the Mill’s efficiency and long-term viability while helping Northern Pulp reduce odour emissions, increase renewable energy production and improve our environmental performance,” said Breen. “As a part of this community, it’s great to see that the local economy is benefiting from the activities at the Mill.”

Source: Northern Pulp

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

Two pulp and paper mills in New Brunswick, AV Nackawic and Twin Rivers, received funding for three projects through the Canadian Government’s $1-billion Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program.

The improved environmental performance of these mills will benefit the communities of Nackawic and Edmundston as these projects reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency and increase renewable energy.

“This is the second project approved for AV Nackawic under the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program,” said Mike Allen, Member of Parliament for Tobique—Mactaquac. “I am pleased that our Government responded to the needs of this industry by developing a program that encourages pulp and paper mills to improve the environmental sustainability of their operations. This is the best way to help secure the long term economic future of these facilities and the resulting employment.”

“The Twin Rivers mill in Edmundston plays a critical role in the continued economic health of our community,” said the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. “I am pleased that our Government will assist this mill to become more efficient. It is one more step in ensuring its long-term viability. Announcements such as this will help us sustain our economic recovery and generate prosperity in our regions.”

Combined, these projects are expected to generate enough renewable energy annually to heat more than 280 homes, while saving enough energy to heat an additional 1,100 homes. The greenhouse gas emissions of these mills will be reduced by nearly 2,800 tonnes annually — equivalent to the emissions produced by nearly 760 cars.

Source: Government of Canada

Howe Sound Pulp and Paper is notifying the town of Gibsons, British Columbia, that there is a chance they may catch a whiff of rotten eggs next week when the mill’s wood waste boiler undergoes updates.

The mill’s wood waste boiler will be receiving a $37 million upgrade that is scheduled to begin on May 31 and is expected to take 42 days to complete.

During the upgrade, the bottom one-third of the boiler will be removed and replaced with new advanced technology that uses a fluidized sand bed to burn waste bark. As well, a heat recovery device will be installed to capture heat in the boiler for use in other parts of the mill.

While the upgrades are being preformed, the gases that smell like rotten egss, that are normally incinerated in the boiler, will need to be released. The smell may be slightly offensive, but it is not a health concern.

The boiler upgrade is being funded by the federal Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program.

Read more:
Mill to start boiler upgrade (CoastReporter)

Fibrek‘s mill in Saint-Félicien, Quebec will be receiving $6.1 million from the Federal Government under the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program.

This funding will allow Fibrek to install five electrical motors that will increase its green energy production capacity by approximately six megawatts. It is expected that this project will also help save enough energy to power over 1,700 homes.

“This timely help from the federal government is an incentive toward the completion of a very important project for Fibrek’s cogeneration facilities in Saint-Félicien,” said Pierre Gabriel Côté, President and CEO of Fibrek. “This project will allow us, not only to increase our leadership in the production of green energy, but also to improve our mill’s competitiveness.”

Fibrek is one of 24 pulp and paper companies across Canada that qualified for credits under the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program. Fibrek has generated a total of $20.9 million in credits.

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