Assessing pathways for Net zero emissions in a recycled paper mill

Abstract: It is known that the decarbonization of our economy is crucial for our quest to mitigate climate change and build a sustainable society. Governments are reviewing strategies to eliminate, or at least minimize, the release of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. These efforts are not limited to national energy networks, but also extended to industry and other carbon-intensive sectors. In general, the Pulp & Paper industry is regarded as bio-based and relatively sustainable since most of its raw materials are recycled or come from biogenic sources. However, this is an energy-intensive industry, and even though bioenergy covers most of the energy needs at pulp plants, recycled paper mills do not count on the same resources and rely heavily on fossil fuels to power their operations. This study was performed to assess and compare different decarbonization pathways available for a recycled paper mill. For this, operational data was gathered to characterize the thermal and electric demands and assess locally available resources. Simultaneously, scientific literature was consulted to assemble a technology portfolio, from which the most suitable technologies were selected. Carbon capture and storage, electrification, and hydrogen were chosen to be tested, under different scenarios, using an energy modelling software. Finally, the combinations were evaluated and compared. It was found that under ideal conditions it is possible to achieve an emissions reduction of almost 100% via electrification and hydrogen-based options. However, this would represent a significant increase in the operating cost of the energy system and would depend on the development of the necessary infrastructure. The most promising alternative for this site was a combination of electrification and green electricity purchase agreements. However, further work is needed to improve the efficiency of the energy use and generation, to achieve a carbon-neutral operation without incurring elevated costs.