Energy efficiency and GHG emissions : prospective scenarios for the pulp and paper industry

This study analyses the role of technology innovation in the European pulp and paper industry from 2015 to 2050. The baseline scenario describes a decrease in energy consumption and GHG emissions by 14 % and 63 %, respectively, in a context in which the demand grows by 7 %. Without the technological improvement the respective variations would register an increase of 1 % and 5 %. Unlike the biorefineries concept, the carbon capture and storage technology does not become cost effective; although higher CO2 prices and rewarding the bio-CO2 captured could turn the industry into a carbon sink.