Millar Western Building Biogas Plant at Whitecourt Pulp Mill

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Millar Western Forest Products Ltd., Canada, this week reported that it will construct a $42 million bioenergy facility at its bleached chemi-thermomechanical pulp (BCTMP) mill at Whitecourt, Alberta, Canada. The project will involve integration of anaerobic hybrid digesters (AHDs) into the BCTMP mill's existing aerobic effluent treatment system.

The AHD units will recover organic material from the pulp mill's effluent stream and convert it to a biogas. After conditioning, the biogas will be used to fuel reciprocating engines, to generate 5.2 MW of renewable energy for use by the company's pulp operations. All required regulatory approvals are now in place, allowing the project to proceed immediately.

Construction for the project will begin this month, with startup slated for late 2013. The project will not disrupt pulp or lumber production at the company's Whitecourt facilities.