On March 21, 2018, Resolute’s Calhoun (Tennessee) operation was named ‘Most Energy-Aware Mill’ by Tissue World. The honor is given to mills whose energy reduction efforts as well as overall sustainability initiatives stand out. Our Hialeah (Florida) tissue mill was recognized in the same category in 2016.
Resolute has invested significantly in recent years to make the Calhoun mill as energy efficient as possible and to reduce its carbon footprint. First and foremost, the operation is 100% coal-free (scope 1). The switch to lower carbon fuels, along with the enhanced energy efficiency, has considerably reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The mill also generates green energy from our on-site cogeneration facility, which has a total installed capacity of 64 MWh, allowing us to extract energy from biomass. In 2017, the Calhoun operation met 68% of its energy requirements using self-generated renewable power, including thermal and electrical energy.
Recent investments at Calhoun include $100 million to install a modern continuous pulp digester and wood chip processing equipment, as well as $295 million to build a state-of-the-art tissue facility.
This is not Calhoun’s first energy-related award. Last year, the mill received the first-ever Carbon Reduction/Leadership Circle Award from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for achieving the lowest carbon emission rates during the year. Our Grenada (Mississippi) paper mill was also honored by TVA in the same category.
Resolute recognizes the importance of improving energy efficiency, reducing our carbon footprint and increasing the use of lower-carbon fuels. And we are proud that our efforts are receiving regional and international recognition.
