skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Opportunities to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. pulp and paper industry

Abstract

The pulp and paper industry accounts for over 12% of total manufacturing energy use in the U.S. (U.S. EIA 1997a), contributing 9% to total manufacturing carbon dioxide emissions. In the last twenty-five years primary energy intensity in the pulp and paper industry has declined by an average of 1% per year. However, opportunities still exist to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in the manufacture of paper in the U.S. This report analyzes the pulp and paper industry (Standard Industrial Code (SIC) 26) and includes a detailed description of the processes involved in the production of paper, providing typical energy use in each process step. We identify over 45 commercially available state-of-the-art technologies and measures to reduce energy use and calculate potential energy savings and carbon dioxide emissions reductions. Given the importance of paper recycling, our analysis examines two cases. Case A identifies potential primary energy savings without accounting for an increase in recycling, while Case B includes increasing paper recycling. In Case B the production volume of pulp is reduced to account for additional pulp recovered from recycling. We use a discount rate of 30% throughout our analysis to reflect the investment decisions taken in a business context.more » Our Case A results indicate that a total technical potential primary energy savings of 31% (1013 PJ) exists. For case A we identified a cost-effective savings potential of 16% (533 PJ). Carbon dioxide emission reductions from the energy savings in Case A are 25% (7.6 MtC) and 14% (4.4 MtC) for technical and cost-effective potential, respectively. When recycling is included in Case B, overall technical potential energy savings increase to 37% (1215 PJ) while cost-effective energy savings potential is 16%. Increasing paper recycling to high levels (Case B) is nearly cost-effective assuming a cut-off for cost-effectiveness of a simple payback period of 3 years. If this measure is included, then the cost-effective energy savings potential in case B increases to 22%.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
Environmental Protection Agency (US)
OSTI Identifier:
767608
Report Number(s):
LBNL-46141
R&D Project: 43AI01; TRN: AH200128%%770
DOE Contract Number:  
AC03-76SF00098
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 1 Jul 2000
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; BUSINESS; CARBON DIOXIDE; ENERGY EFFICIENCY; GREENHOUSE GASES; INTEREST RATE; MANUFACTURING; PAPER INDUSTRY; PAYBACK PERIOD; POTENTIAL ENERGY; PRODUCTION; RECYCLING; ENERGY EFFICIENCY PULP AND PAPER INDUSTRY

Citation Formats

Martin, Nathan, Anglani, N, Einstein, D, Khrushch, M, Worrell, E, and Price, L K. Opportunities to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. pulp and paper industry. United States: N. p., 2000. Web. doi:10.2172/767608.
Martin, Nathan, Anglani, N, Einstein, D, Khrushch, M, Worrell, E, & Price, L K. Opportunities to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. pulp and paper industry. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/767608
Martin, Nathan, Anglani, N, Einstein, D, Khrushch, M, Worrell, E, and Price, L K. 2000. "Opportunities to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. pulp and paper industry". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/767608. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/767608.
@article{osti_767608,
title = {Opportunities to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. pulp and paper industry},
author = {Martin, Nathan and Anglani, N and Einstein, D and Khrushch, M and Worrell, E and Price, L K},
abstractNote = {The pulp and paper industry accounts for over 12% of total manufacturing energy use in the U.S. (U.S. EIA 1997a), contributing 9% to total manufacturing carbon dioxide emissions. In the last twenty-five years primary energy intensity in the pulp and paper industry has declined by an average of 1% per year. However, opportunities still exist to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in the manufacture of paper in the U.S. This report analyzes the pulp and paper industry (Standard Industrial Code (SIC) 26) and includes a detailed description of the processes involved in the production of paper, providing typical energy use in each process step. We identify over 45 commercially available state-of-the-art technologies and measures to reduce energy use and calculate potential energy savings and carbon dioxide emissions reductions. Given the importance of paper recycling, our analysis examines two cases. Case A identifies potential primary energy savings without accounting for an increase in recycling, while Case B includes increasing paper recycling. In Case B the production volume of pulp is reduced to account for additional pulp recovered from recycling. We use a discount rate of 30% throughout our analysis to reflect the investment decisions taken in a business context. Our Case A results indicate that a total technical potential primary energy savings of 31% (1013 PJ) exists. For case A we identified a cost-effective savings potential of 16% (533 PJ). Carbon dioxide emission reductions from the energy savings in Case A are 25% (7.6 MtC) and 14% (4.4 MtC) for technical and cost-effective potential, respectively. When recycling is included in Case B, overall technical potential energy savings increase to 37% (1215 PJ) while cost-effective energy savings potential is 16%. Increasing paper recycling to high levels (Case B) is nearly cost-effective assuming a cut-off for cost-effectiveness of a simple payback period of 3 years. If this measure is included, then the cost-effective energy savings potential in case B increases to 22%.},
doi = {10.2172/767608},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/767608}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2000},
month = {Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2000}
}