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Eight mills share $42 million in Green Transformation funds

Forty-two million dollars in federal funding for the pulp and paper industry’s “green transformation” was announced in early October. These 15 projects will be among the last to receive funding from the $1-billion Pulp and Paper Green…

Forty-two million dollars in federal funding for the pulp and paper industry’s “green transformation” was announced in early October. These 15 projects will be among the last to receive funding from the $1-billion Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program, which was established in 2009 by the federal government and concludes in March 2012.

In the west, Cariboo Pulp & Paper Company in Quesnel, B.C., 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., also in Quesnel, 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.

West Fraser Mills is also receiving $5.1 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the energy efficiency of its Slave Lake Pulp mill, in Slave Lake, Alta.

Tolko Industries Ltd. in The Pas, Man., is receiving $2.5 million for three projects to reduce steam consumption and fossil fuel use.

Four companies in Quebec will also proceed with PPGTP projects.

Fortress Specialty Cellulose Inc. in Thurso is receiving $9.9 million to generate more renewable thermal energy and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Kruger Wayagamack Inc. in Trois-Rivières is receiving $6.3 million for five projects to improve environmental performance through upgrades to mill processes.

Domtar Inc. in Windsor 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 is receiving $5.1 million to increase the mill’s energy efficiency and environmental performance.

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.