Kruger to implement carbon capture demonstration project at its Wayagamack Mill
For this project, Kruger is partnering with the developers of the carbon capture technology, Mantel Capture Inc., a North American start-up founded by engineers and scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Together, they are investing a total of $6.1 million.
The technology has already proven successful at the laboratory scale and will be tested for the first time in an industrial setting at the Kruger Wayagamack Pulp and Paper Mill.
Among its many features is the use of an absorption fluid, molten borate salt, which can withstand extremely high temperatures, up to 600°C. This distinction allows for the direct integration of the capture system into a steam boiler.
It also enables the capture of carbon while producing clean steam, both of which can be reinjected into the papermaking process.
As part of the demonstration project, Kruger aims to capture up to 5 tons of high-quality CO2 per day.
This initiative was made possible by the support of the governments of Canada and Québec, with a contribution of $8.15 million through Natural Resources Canada’s Investments in Forest Industry Transformation Program (IFIT) and $9.5 million from the Technoclimat Program funded by the Ministry of Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks.
“We are thrilled to be at the forefront of testing this promising new technology, which has the potential to help us, as well as the entire manufacturing sector, achieve our goal of decarbonising our operations," said Justin Paillé, senior vice president, manufacturing, Kruger Pulp and Paper.
"This project underscores Kruger’s commitment to intensifying its efforts to improve its environmental footprint and promote more sustainable prosperity.”