Pulp and Paper Manufacturing

See how Natural Resources Canada is helping pulp and paper manufacturers become more energy efficient and kinder to the environment.

Transcript

Narrator:

There's something new under the sun at Tembec, one of Canada's biggest pulp and paper makers. It's called a stronger commitment to energy efficiency.

Paul Dottori, Vice President, Tembec :

"We use so much energy in converting trees into pulp or paper, it's really an economic no-brainer to cut back on our energy consumption in order to reduce our costs."

Narrator:

Waste not, want not, so every bit of the tree –even bark-- gets the heave ho. After chipping and sorting, bark and sawdust are burned to generate power and steam for the plant's use. Tembec has cut back its need for fossil fuels with help from the Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation, a partnership between industry and Natural Resources Canada.

Over the past two years, the corporate results of Tembec's energy innovations have saved 30 million dollars and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by more than 90 thousand tons.

Paul Dottori, Vice President, Tembec:

"We have very aggressive policies of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Cost reduction involves energy conservation. We believe that reducing greenhouse gas emissions are also a good way to drive better economics for the mills."

Narrator:

A new, more efficient pulp dryer that uses hot air has replaced two older machines, reducing consumption of steam. After washing and bleaching, sugar is extracted from cooking liquors which are fermented into ethanol and re-used as fuel.

Even liquid waste is put to work. Tembec's new anaerobic plant converts effluent into methane, replacing natural gas at the mill. Good for the bottom line and helping Canada meet its clean air objectives.

To learn more about energy conservation in industry, go to nrcan.gc.ca - slash - cleantech.

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