Catalyst Paper No-Carb Strategy for GHG Reduction
Craig R. McClain, Jon Robinson · OakTrust (Texas A&M University Libraries) · 2008
The Catalyst Paper strategy to manage GHG exposure is a combination of energy reduction initiatives in manufacturing and the effective use of biomass and alternative fuels to produce mill steam and electricity from the powerhouse. The energy reduction initiative reduces waste and energy usage during both the manufacturing and consumption of their product. An example is the very thin carbon neutral “no carb” print paper targeted for magazines and other publications. For the mill, this thin paper is manufactured with minimal energy because of the low mass sheet in the forming and drying sections. For the consumer, the large sheet surface area with minimal mass permits printing onto a lighter weight low carbon document. The steam and electricity for manufacturing is generated by the powerhouse where 63% of thermal energy is now from biomass and alternative fuels. This strategy reduced gross energy usage by 22% and provided a direct reduction in Green House Gas (GHG) emissions by 71% from 1990 to 2005. This paper will address how the thermal and steam generation is optimized in the powerhouse using an Energy Management and Reporting System (EMRS). Given that virtually all the GHG generation is from fossil fuel usage, this fuel must be minimized with biomass wherever possible. The process units where the EMRS is applied are the boiler combustion systems, steam distribution, and electric generation.