Biogas Profile Millar Western is powering its pulp process with biogas By Maria Church Digesting the bioeconomy t’s been two years since a pulp mill in northern Alberta cut the ribbon on what is likely the largest anaerobic treatment facility of its kind in the world. Now that the proverbial dust has settled, the real benefits of the facility are crystal clear: reduced environmental impact, higher pulp production and lower costs. Millar Western’s bioenergy facility at its pulp mill in Whitecourt, Alta., is using anaerobic hybrid digesters (AHDs) to remove organic material from the mill’s wastewater stream and convert it to biogas that is then used to generate power. Steam from the process is captured and used in the pulp drying process. I At its current capacity, after two years of running successfully, the bioenergy plant can generate 10 per cent of the mill’s electricity requirements – a significant offset for a facility that is a major power consumer. “The bioenergy project was an opportunity for Millar Western to utilize more of the energy that’s in the wood we harvest,” says Jeff Shipton, manager of corporate environmental services for Millar Western. “We’re able to take a waste stream from the mill and turn it into a green energy source that we can use to generate power and steam on our site and thereby reduce our utilization of power from the grid and natural gas consumption.” As the first application of this technology in a pulp mill setting, the project presented a steep learning curve for the Millar Western team, Shipton says. The scale of the facility and the northern Alberta climate were unique challenges. “We’re moving a lot of wastewater through the system, generating a lot of gas and removing a lot of hydrogen sulphide; and doing it in a northern climate has its own challenges,” he says. How was it done successfully? “First,” Shipton says, “we had a great group of people. Millar Western dedicated the right number of staff to this project and From left, Lindsay Boyce, environmental process specialist, and Jeff Shipton, manager of corporate environmental services, are key team members who help make Millar Western’s bioenergy facility at its Whitecourt, Alta., pulp mill a success. Photo courtesy Alberta Forest Products Association. 12 Canadian BIOMASS SUMMER 2019
Canadian Biomass Summer 2019: Page 12
