Pulp Mills Invest in Energy-Efficiency, Biorefinery Projects

Aditya Birla Group, the India-based parent of AV Group, plans to accelerate plans to make two New Brunswick pulp mills — AV Nackawic and AV Cell — more cost and energy efficient, reports the New Brunswick Business Journal.

Funding for the energy-efficient projects will primarily come from provincial and federal programs, including $36 million received under the Canadian government’s green transformation program, according to the article.

AV Nackawic received a $10-million loan from the province in 2009 to help it survive the recession. The mill is now considering a new biorefinery that would produce materials used in fuels and plastics from hemicellulose, a compound found in dissolving pulp, reports the business newspaper.

Similarly, Metso, Stora Enso and Domtar are partnering on a long-term project to develop a future pulp mill biorefinery based on new pulping technology, which is expected to deliver higher energy efficiency, reduced process cost, lower initial capital investment costs, and reduced fiber usage while maintaining or even improving fiber properties, according to a press release.

The technology is expected to strengthen Metso’s position as a supplier of sustainable technology to the pulp and paper industry. The project will leverage Stora Enso’s expertise as a manufacturer of pulp, paper, board, bio energy and other wood based materials, and Domtar’s manufacturing know-how in the use of chemical pulp in paper making.

The project meets strategic targets set by Finnish, Swedish and North American forest clusters for their research and development work to renew the industry, to efficiently use bio raw materials, to protect the environment, and to improve cost efficiency, according to Metso.