Paper and biomass for energy? The impact of paper recycling on energy and CO2emissions

Jobien Laurijssen, Marc Marsidi, Annita Westenbroek, Ernst Worrell, Andre Faaij

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The pulp and paper industry is placed in a unique position as biomass used as feedstock is now in increasingly high demand from the energy sector. Increased demand for biomass increases pressure on the availability of this resource, which might strengthen the need for recycling of paper. In this study, we calculate the energy use and carbon dioxide emissions for paper production from three pulp types. Increased recycling enables an increase in biomass availability and reduces life-cycle energy use and carbon dioxide emissions. Recovered paper as feedstock leads to lowest energy use (22 GJ/t) and CO2emissions (-1100 kgCO2/t) when biomass not used for paper production is assumed to be converted into bio-energy. Large differences exist between paper grades in e.g. electricity and heat use during production, fibre furnish, filler content and recyclability. We found large variation in energy use over the life-cycle of different grades. However, in all paper grades, life-cycle energy use decreases with increased recycling rates and increased use of recovered fibres. The average life-cycle energy use of the paper mix produced in The Netherlands, where the recycling rate is approximately 75%, is about 14 GJ/t. This equals CO2savings of about 1 t CO2/t paper if no recycled fibres would be used. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1208-1218
Number of pages11
JournalResources, Conservation and Recycling
Volume54
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2010

Keywords

  • Biomass
  • CO2emissions
  • Energy
  • Life-cycle
  • Paper
  • Pulp
  • Recycling
  • System analysis
  • carbon dioxide
  • article
  • bioenergy
  • biomass
  • biomass conversion
  • energy conservation
  • energy expenditure
  • energy resource
  • paper industry
  • pulp mill
  • recycling

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