Green Island Energy Ltd. (GIE) purchased the former Bowater Gold River BC, pulp and paper mill that was shutdown late in 1999.

GIE retained Ausenco Sandwell to study the feasibility of capitalising on the existing infrastructure, including a deep-sea port, material handling equipment, power transmission lines and existing power generation assets and preparing a plan to refurbish, reactivate and modify these assets to convert the plant to a 90 MWe green energy power plant that will deliver electrical power to the BC Hydro grid.

Two options were investigated. The first option was based on burning wood waste in the form of Demolition Wood Waste (DWW) and Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) and maximised the reuse of existing power generation and material handling asserts. The DWW fuel was to be burned in the refurbished existing wood waste boiler. The RDF was to be burned in the existing Black Liquor boiler which required extensive modifications to suit this new service.

The second option was based on burning RDF only in two new boilers designed specifically for RDF firing. For both options the steam generated was to be used in a new turbine generator unit to generate electricity that will be fed into the existing power transmission lines. Ausenco Sandwell’s responsibilities included:
• Conceptual block diagram for existing plant modifications
• Heat and material balances
• Flow diagrams
• Site general arrangement drawing
• Investigation of fuel delivery logistics
• Major equipment list
• Review of suitability of existing equipment and piping for reuse
• Inquiry specifications for new equipment
• Design of fuel receiving, handling and storage facilities (including port facilities)
• Environmental assessment and permitting assistance
• Capital cost estimate

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