Like many companies, Domtar, whose Clermont mill produces 221,000 metric tonnes of newsprint annually, was seeking sustainable solutions to lower its costs.
It hit a home run by exploring a previously underestimated avenue: heat recovery to reduce electric use. With Hydro-Québec’s support, it transformed the mill’s approach from end to end, leading a $4 million project with spinoffs that are outpacing expectations.
The lightbulb moment
“In a mill like ours, energy accounts for a fair share of the costs,” explained Stéphane Gadbois, general manager of Clermont mill. “So the real challenge is to produce paper using less energy.”
It was Mario Girard, the newly appointed superintendent of energy, projects and engineering, who steered Domtar in the right direction. When he noticed steam rising from the basement drains, he wondered whether the waste heat could be recovered and used for another purpose.
It was a hunch that set the mill’s transformation in motion. A vital part of the paper manufacturing process, the steam is generated by a steam boiler, a biomass boiler and two 28-MW electric boilers. Reducing the use of the electric boilers provided an interesting solution to cut the mill’s energy costs.
Hydro-Québec: A key ally
Rising to the challenge, the mill used every means at its disposal and this included involving Hydro-Québec from the outset. Through this excellent course of action, Domtar benefitted from personalized technical support to carry out the most beneficial—and cost-effective—project possible.
The company also received $3 million in financial assistance, which amounts to 75% of the investment required to install heat exchangers to recover and reuse the energy from the thermal waste generated by the mill’s processes. Domtar even took the project one step further by integrating a heat pump system that serves the dual purpose of heating and cooling process water—a first in Québec’s pulp and paper industry.
“Heat pumps have been used in mills for a long time, but using them in this way was a first for Québec’s pulp and paper industry,” explained Bernard Bégin, commercial engineer at Hydro-Québec. “We knew there would be spinoffs, but because there was no reference in the pulp and paper sector, we had to accept some uncertainty as to the project’s actual benefits.”
Results that speak for themselves
Domtar’s bold move paid off:
- Reduction of 4 to 5 MW in winter power demand
- Annual savings of 15 million kilowatthours—enough to power 880 households for a year
- $800,000 in electricity savings every year
- 12% reduction in fresh water use in winter
“We couldn’t have done it without Hydro-Québec’s support,” said Mario Girard. “With the financial assistance we received through the Efficient Solutions Program, we were able to recoup our investment in less than 15 months. We achieved significant recurring savings, not to mention that we now have a model that can be replicated at other Domtar mills.”
A model for the pulp and paper industry
Transforming energy that would have been lost into a competitive edge, paying back the investment in record time, generating substantial recurring savings—every aspect of Domtar’s energy project makes it a reference for businesses that want to drive profitability. A visionary approach that will inspire others in the pulp and paper sector.
To find out more about the transformation, read the full story on Hydro-Québec’s website.
