Energy

West Fraser's Energy Intensity
  • We generate two-thirds (over 60%) of our energy needs with renewable, carbon-neutral biomass fuel sources co-located with our mills
  • Since 2012, we have installed 33 continuous kilns in our operations
  • Read more about our energy projects and iniatives

We are a large electricity consumer and our pulp, paper and MDF operations use substantially more than our lumber and plywood operations. Our energy reduction objectives are:

  • To further increase energy efficiency throughout our operations by investing capital; and
  • To continue to research and develop alternate ways to generate or procure renewable energy.

 

We have invested a significant amount in several projects to increase our energy efficiency and to generate electricity from our manufacturing by-products such as wood waste and pulp mill effluent. From 2000 to 2017, our energy initiatives have resulted in a decrease in the intensity of purchased energy of approximately 41% for our sawmill and panel operations and approximately 19% for our pulp and newsprint operations.

To put it in scale, bioenergy represents about 5% of Canada’s total primary energy resources. After hydro-electricity, biomass is the second most important renewable energy source in Canada, with the forest industry’s use accounting for the largest share. West Fraser currently generates two-thirds (over 60%) of our energy needs with renewable, carbon-neutral biomass fuel sources co-located with our mills.

Our biomass fuel sources include lower value woody materials such as bark, shavings and sawdust that are a by-product of our manufacturing processes. This biomass is used to fuel steam or electricity cogeneration facilities at our solid wood and pulp operations, particularly in equipment like our lumber drying kilns. We have increased our use of all of the wood fibre that enters our facilities to produce renewable, carbon-neutral energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. Today, 89% of our mills generate some form of renewable energy from residual biomass.

Our approach to energy is on our website under the Bioenergy section and within the Air & GHG’s page in the Responsibility section.

For all of our energy data below, facilities not wholly owned by West Fraser are calculated based on equity share of the energy inputs to the facility. To date, all partnerships are 50%.