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Nova Scotia Grants Timber Rights For NewPage’s Biomass Electricity Project

NewPage Port Hawkesbury’s plan for a biomass-fueled electrical facility has cleared another hurdle. The company has received permission from the provincial government to sell harvested Crown- land tim…

NewPage Port Hawkesbury’s plan for a biomass-fueled electrical facility has cleared another hurdle. The company has received permission from the provincial government to sell harvested Crown- land timber to a proposed biomass-fueled electrical generation facility.

NewPage is only to use stem wood for the fuel supply, and is not permitted whole-tree harvesting for the biomass facility. Tree tops and limbs are to be left on the forest floor.

“This consent recognizes the important role that biomass can play in helping the province meet its goal of reduced greenhouse-gas emissions,” says Tor Suther, president and general manager of NewPage Port Hawkesbury Corp.

The proposed project would involve installing a steam turbine to provide about 60 megawatts of electrical generating capacity to Nova Scotia Power, and use low-pressure steam to manufacture paper.

The company estimates the project could support 150 potential new jobs from harvesting, transporting and handling the biomass.