The Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, announced a Government of Canada investment of over $2.8 million toward the development and commercialization of world leading Canadian bio-energy technologies.
"This innovative technology-based system will increase productivity in pulp and paper mills by reducing energy costs," said Minister of State Yelich. "It will also generate new economic opportunities and improve competitiveness."
Western Economic Diversification Canada funding of almost $1.2 million will allow FPInnovations to conduct commercial demonstrations of a biomass gasification system at mills across Western Canada. Currently boilers in the pulp and paper sector, as well as the wider forestry industry, use natural gas to produce the steam and water necessary to make paper products. The proposed gasification system would be the first anywhere in the world to demonstrate the operation of an industrial boiler using a synthetic gas to produce paper.
"We are pleased to support promising clean renewable technologies like this one to reduce the environmental and economic impact of using conventional energy resources" said the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Natural Resources. "This initiative proposes new and exciting opportunities for innovation and diversification in the forest sector."
This project builds upon ongoing federal investments in forest and energy research and development. Natural Resources Canada has provided $1.7 million in funding toward phase one of this first-in-Canada demonstration of this biomass gasification system for application in the pulp and paper industry. Following successful completion of construction, system optimization and performance testing over the next year, FPInnovations will engage in a strategy to share the results of its research. They will also use the project findings to look at ways to utilize this new technology in mills across Western Canada.
"We are very pleased with the support for this project," said Jim Dangerfield, Executive Vice President, FPInnovations. "It will allow us to gather real-world numbers on the economics of substituting biomass for fossil fuels and, more importantly, gather life-cycle carbon emission reduction data. The Nexterra direct-fired gasification system selected for this project is a platform technology that can be used in many industrial applications. We estimate that replicating this technology at industrial sites in BC could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 200,000 tons annually by 2010."
FPInnovations is a world leader in creating science-based solutions that support the global competitiveness of the Canadian forest sector. Created through the merger of Canada's primary forest sector research institutes, FPInnovations is a not-for-profit organization employing more than 600 staff, with research laboratories and technology transfer offices throughout the country.
Western Economic Diversification Canada is a department of the Government of Canada that works in partnership with the provinces, industry associations and communities to promote the development and diversification of the western economy as well as to represent the interests of the West in national decision-making.
For additional information, contact:
Lisa Hutniak
Senior Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Minister of State - Western Economic Diversification
Tel: (613) 952-9831
Cell: (613) 286-0807
Jim Dangerfield
Executive Vice-President
FPInnovations
(604) 222-5700
WD Toll-Free Number:1 888 338-WEST (9378)
Website: WD is online at www.wd-deo.gc.ca.
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