Viridis Energy to upgrade Scotia Atlantic plant

Scotia Atlantic Biomass, a subsidiary of Viridis Energy, has received funding from the government of Nova Scotia in Canada to purchase new capital equipment to improve production facilities at its wood pellet production plant.

The investment, totalling C$517,520 (€340,000), was awarded under the Capital Investment Incentive. Additional proceeds from the incentive will be drawn over the next several months.

The capital will be used specifically to purchase a truck dumper with a 6,200 cubic ft. hopper and an Intalogix weigh scale designed to improve the unloading of fibre, increase the types of trucks and sources that can be utilised and increase the amount of fibre delivered per truck load by up to 40%. In addition, Viridis will purchase a de-stoner to improve the quality of material through the process, enhancing the Scotia plant's productivity and output quality while ensuring less downtime.

Commenting on the incentive award, Christopher Robertson, Viridis' CEO, says: 'Since restarting operations late last year in our Scotia plant, we have been implementing process efficiencies that should support full production by the second half of 2014. Considering the growing demand for wood pellets in Europe combined with Nova Scotia's access to transatlantic ports, we are committed to developing our Scotia operations into a key component of Nova Scotia's economy.
We are very appreciative of the ERDT's support.'

The Capital Investment Incentive programme, administered by Nova Scotia's Department of
Economic and Rural Development and Tourism, encourages Nova Scotia businesses to become more innovative and productive by reimbursing up to 20% of the cost of advanced equipment to a maximum of $1 million.