The Township of Opasatika and Products Forestier Cyclofor are looking to convert Tembec’s former Excel softwood lum…
The Township of Opasatika and Products Forestier Cyclofor are looking to convert Tembec’s former Excel softwood lumber sawmill into a biomass plant, according to Northern Ontario Business. The plant, which Tembec closed in June 2005, would produce wood chips for the pulp and paper industry, and hog fuel for co-generation plants.
According to the report, Cyclofor company officials visited the mill in October, at which point they signed a letter of agreement with the municipality for tentative plans to construct a plant in 2006.
Northern Ontario Business confirmed that according to the business plan proposed by the company, 40% of the wood chips will be used by surrounding paper mills. The remainder would be employed in co-generation plants and other heating applications.
No official timelines have been set for the construction.
“There’s no problem finding (wood waste) but we need authorization from (Natural Resources Minister David) Ramsay and we are awaiting his decision about that,” Northern Business Ontario reported Cyclofor’s manager of forestry operations, Alain Brodeur as saying.
Tembec will likely be an active player in the project, as the wood residue would in all likelihood, come from the company’s cutting sites.
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