News
Nova Scotia Power board approves biomass deal with NewPage
June 25, 2009 By Pulp & Paper Canada
A proposed biomass-fuelled generating facility to be constructed on the site of the NewPage Port Hawkesbury mill is…
A proposed biomass-fuelled generating facility to be constructed on the site of the NewPage Port Hawkesbury mill is moving ahead, with the approval earlier this week of Nova Scotia Power’s board of directors.
CBC News reports that the board of directors approved a resolution to proceed with the biomass-to-energy project, but the utility and NewPage are still seeking the approval of the province’s review board. The power company doesn’t need permission to sign a contract to buy green power, but given the scale of this project, it is seeking approval so that the power can qualify as renewable energy under provincial regulations.
The project is expected to produce 60 megawatts of power, and would require significantly more wood material than the mill currently consumes. According to the Cape Breton Post, NewPage’s current papermaking operations at Port Hawkesbury require 250,000 to 300,000 tones of wood a year. The new facility would require 600,000 to 700,000 tonnes of biomass annually.
The Post says the fuel would include bark from NewPage’s wood room, waste material from sawmills, and wood not usable for other purposes, such as low-grade hardwood.
Print this page
