Catalyst Paper Corporation

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“I was sure we could more than beat our mill’s goal of saving $2-million in electricity a year. And of course we did. The Crofton mill saved close to $5-million in the first year of Power Watchers.”

— Jack Vanier, Crofton Energy Manager

The situation

Catalyst Paper Corporation uses a lot of electricity to run its pulp, paper and recycling operations across the province. In fact, it’s BC Hydro’s biggest customer. It also happens to be one of Power Smart’s hugest success stories.

In March 2006, with the help of Power Smart’s programs for industrial customers, Catalyst launched its ambitious Sustainable Energy Management Program (SEMP), including a company-wide energy awareness initiative dubbed Power Watchers. The goal was to reduce the company’s energy costs by $5-million a year.

The solution

To keep expenditures to a minimum, Catalyst decided that all energy savings had to come through low-cost or no-cost measures. Fortunately, under the Employee Energy Awareness program, the company was able to access a wide range of free Power Smart resources, including expert staff to answer questions at kick-off events, handouts on various energy-saving subjects, content for newsletters and energy-smart giveaways for workers.

All of Catalyst’s on-site energy coordinators also attended a full-day workshop, customized by Power Smart to help lead them through the awareness strategies that would work best for the company.

As Catalyst’s Director of Energy Dennis Fitzgerald explains, employee awareness was always considered an indispensable part of the company’s conservation plans. “We recognized early on,” he says, “that everyone needed to be involved to reduce energy consumption, from the top on down. The people aspect is vital. We all need to think differently about how we use energy and make permanent changes.”

The results

By the end of the plan’s first year, Catalyst not only exceeded its conservation goals, but also firmly planted the seeds for an energy-efficient culture to take root throughout the organization.

Since March 2006, Power Watchers has generated more than 500 energy-saving ideas from Catalyst employees, most of them as simple and inexpensive as switching off underloaded equipment during certain shifts.

“We have a tradition of over-achieving at Crofton,” says Jack Vanier, the energy manager at Catalyst’s Crofton mill. “I was sure we could more than beat our mill’s goal of saving $2-million in electricity a year. And of course we did. The Crofton mill saved close to $5-million in the first year of Power Watchers.”

In 2009 and beyond, the company plans to concentrate on reducing waste in its compressed air and vacuum systems, exterior lighting, and water use, and will develop new tactics for educating and engaging their employees.

“I don’t doubt that the savings will continue,” says Dennis Fitzgerald. “You can actually feel the culture continuing to change as we incorporate energy management into every aspect of our business: it’s on our management agendas; it’s part of our training for new employees; it’s talked about at our mills every day.”

The benefits

Remarkable savings
Catalyst’s conservation initiatives have saved hundreds of gigawatt hours and millions of dollars in energy costs.

Future dividends
The company’s newfound culture of conservation will continue to uncover additional ways to save for years to come.

Smaller footprint
Catalyst’s energy smarts have brought them one step closer to their own long-term environmental goals.