{"id":4420,"date":"2018-06-08T15:26:46","date_gmt":"2018-06-08T15:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/informatech.energir.com\/?p=4420"},"modified":"2021-04-15T15:06:09","modified_gmt":"2021-04-15T20:06:09","slug":"cascades-chooses-solar-energy-for-its-sustainable-development-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.informatech.colpron.com\/?p=4420&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Cascades chooses solar energy for its sustainable development projects"},"content":{"rendered":"

Everyone knows that the sun is a limitless source of free energy. Each spring, we witness the beneficial effects of the sun’s rays on nature after a long, hard winter. So why not harness part of this energy to meet some of our needs? We have a number of different technologies for converting sunlight into either electricity or heat. Cascades, a local company that is committed to being a leader in sustainable development, installed solar thermal panels at three of its plants in 2016. Let’s look at how solar energy has become an integral part of the company’s sustainable development efforts.<\/span>
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\nCascades, a specialist in converting recycled fibres<\/span>
\nFor over 50 years, Cascades has been in the business of manufacturing, converting and marketing tissue and packaging products comprised mainly of recycled fibres. Nearly 11,000 people work for the company at its more than 90 units located in North America and Europe. The Canadian leader in paper recovery, Cascades conducts ongoing R&D to create innovative products for its clients.<\/span>
\nAt three plants (Vaudreuil, Candiac and Drummondville), Cascades decided to install solar walls to preheat the ventilation air and thereby generate significant energy savings. To optimize their performance, the walls were oriented toward the south-southeast and southwest, and there is nothing in front of them to block the sunlight.<\/span>
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\nThree Cascades solar projects generating major savings<\/span>
\nInstalling the solar walls has generated the following savings at Cascades’ three plants.<\/span>
\nReduction of over 100,000 m3<\/sup> at the Vaudreuil plant<\/span>
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\"v32_n2_3_vaudreuil_v2\"<\/a>
Cascades’s solar wall in Vaudreuil’s plant. (destratification ducts)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Vaudreuil plant produces corrugated boxes from recycled paper; it was constructed in 1976.<\/span>
\nThe aeraulics in one section of the plant were inadequate, and new ventilation units needed to be installed to produce a total airflow of 60,000 ft3<\/sup>\/min. To preheat the fresh air, an 870 m² (9,364 ft²) solar wall was installed. This wall comprises perforated aluminum collectors that are coloured green to preserve the building’s architectural features. Also, to maintain a comfortable environment for the workers, destratification ducts were installed to keep the warm air from accumulating at the plant’s ceiling.<\/span>
\nThe solar wall reduced the plant’s energy consumption for heating the ventilation air by more than 100,000 m³.<\/span>
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\nReduction of over 98,000 m3<\/sup> at the Candiac plant<\/span>
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\"v32_n2_3_candiac\"<\/a>
Cascades’s solar wall in Candiac’s plant.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe building at Candiac was constructed in 1963 but purchased by Cascades in 1995. This plant produces tissue products: toilet paper, table napkins and paper towel.<\/span>
\nSimilar to the situation at the Vaudreuil plant, two production systems were not adequately ventilated. To keep operating costs low, two solar walls were installed to preheat the air feeding the ventilation units, which produce airflow of 60,000 ft3<\/sup>\/min. Destratification ducts were also added.<\/span>
\nThe energy consumption for heating the two systems’ ventilation will be reduced by a little over 98,000 m³\/year as a result.<\/span>
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\nReduction of 44,815 m3<\/sup> at the Drummondville plant<\/span>
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\"v32_n2_3_drumondville\"<\/a>
Cascades’s solar wall in Drummondville’s plant.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Drummondville plant was built in 1985 and was purchased by Cascades in 1992. It is used to design and manufacture corrugated packaging products.<\/span>
\nSlightly over 371 m² (3,993 ft²) of solar collectors installed on a wall serve to preheat 40,000 ft3<\/sup>\/min. of fresh air feeding an existing ventilation system. As with the Candiac and Vaudreuil projects, destratification ducts were also integrated into the air distribution system.<\/span>
\nA total reduction of 44,815 m3<\/sup> in natural gas consumption was achieved by installing the solar wall.<\/span>
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\nFinancial assistance from Énergir for these projects<\/span>
\nFor each of these projects, financial assistance of $2 for every cubic metre of natural gas saved was provided under Énergir’s Solar Air Preheating program.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Solar air preheating projects<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Énergir financial assistance<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Vaudreuil<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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$209,232<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Candiac<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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$196,214<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Drummondville<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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$89,630<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

These grants shortened the return on investment (ROI) period, making the projects very attractive for Cascades, which demonstrate once again Cascades’ leadership in sustainable development and energy saving.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Close-up on producing electricity or heat with the sun<\/span>
\nThere are two types of solar panels like explained in an Énergir’s video<\/a>:<\/span>\n