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Domtar Windsor spends Green Transformation funds on biomass boiler

Domtar will upgrade its biomass boiler and reduce steam demand for two paper machines with the $24.8 million in federal funding being provided for its Windsor Pulp Mill under the Pulp and Ppaer Green Transformation Program (PPGTP).

The boiler upgrade includes improving the lower furnace combustion to enable the boiler to operate at increased steam flow by replacing the lower furnace arches; upgrading the wood residue grinder and adding two new hog grinders.

Lowering the steam demand for two paper machines will be accomplished by installing new steam boxes to better control moisture content of the papers, produce a more uniform product, and save on steam to dry sheets; installing a stock screening system; and dedicating an existing pulp storage tank for recycled pulp storage.

These upgrades will result in a higher volume of alternative fuels being used at the mill to generate renewable energy and a reduction of 8,400 tonnes per year in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In addition, the projects will lead to the elimination of approximately 25,000 tonnes of solid waste a year through the use of wood waste and other alternative fuels. As well, the mill will use less steam to produce more paper with recycled content

The Windsor mill has been in operation since 1865 and was acquired by Domtar in 1961. The mill produces uncoated freesheet paper, digital paper, copy paper, laser forms bond, envelopes and recycled paper. It also produces bleached hardwood wet-lap market pulp.

The investment in Domtar’s Windsor mill is just one of several announcements related to the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program made across the country on Jan. 6. The investments totalled $278 million.

The Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program provides companies with credits based on their production of black liquor ($0.16/litre) in 2009. Black liquor is a liquid by-product of the pulping process used to generate heat and power.

Firms then have until March 31, 2012, to draw on these credits to finance approved capital projects that offer demonstrable environmental benefits, such as improvements to their energy efficiency or their capacity to produce alternative energy.