Kruger Inc. to invest USD 23.75 million in an innovative demonstration project for carbon capture and reuse at its Wayagamack Mill in Trois-Rivières, Canada. As part of the demonstration project, Kruger aims to capture up to 5 tons of high-quality CO2 per day, achieving the company’s goal of decarbonization.
Nov 5, 2024
Kruger Inc. has announced an investment of USD 23.75 million in an innovative demonstration project for carbon capture and reuse at its Wayagamack Mill in Trois-Rivières in Canada for the same.
The R&D project was unveiled at a press event in the presence of the Mr. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry of Canada and Member of Parliament for Saint-Maurice -Champlain; Mr. Jean Boulet, Member of the National Assembly for Trois-Rivières, Minister of Labour of Québec, Minister responsible for the Mauricie Region and the Abitibi-Témiscamingue Region and the Nord-du-Québec Region; Mr. Gene Kruger, Director and Vice President, Business Development, Kruger Inc.; and Mr. Justin Paillé, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing, Kruger Pulp and Paper.
This initiative was supported by the governments of Canada and Québec, with a contribution of USD 8.15 million through Natural Resources Canada’s Investments in Forest Industry Transformation Program (IFIT) and USD 9.5 million from the Technoclimat Program funded by the Ministry of Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks.
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“Canada’s forest sector provides economic opportunity and secure livelihoods for Canadians in communities right across the country. By investing in the Kruger Wayagamack facility in Trois-Rivières, we are ensuring that local communities continue to reap the benefits of the sustainable use of Canada’s forest resources,” said Mr. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry of Canada and Member of Parliament for Saint-Maurice-Champlain.
For this project, Kruger is partnering with the developers of the carbon capture technology, Mantel Capture Inc., a pioneering North American start-up founded by engineers and scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Together, they are investing a total of USD 6.1 million.
The new 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 features is the use of a cutting-edge absorption fluid, molten borate salt, which can withstand extremely high temperatures, up to 600°C. This crucial distinction allows for the direct integration of the capture system into a steam boiler.
In addition to being more efficient and cost effective than other carbon capture methods, Mantel’s technology is also energy efficient and sustainable. It enables the capture of carbon while producing clean steam, both of which can be reinjected into the papermaking process. In fact, as part of the demonstration project, Kruger aims to capture up to 5 tons of high-quality CO2 per day.
Commenting on the new technology, Mr. Justin Paillé, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing, Kruger Pulp and Paper, said, “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 decarbonizing our operations. This project underscores Kruger’s commitment to intensifying its efforts to improve its environmental footprint and promote more sustainable prosperity.”
