Resource conservation in the pulp and paper industries—rational-use-of-energy approach

Sharp rises in energy prices have generated an interest in the pulp and paper industries in cogeneration and heat pump applications. However, the institutional and industry-specific barriers to their implementation, despite economic viability, indicate the inadequacies of the energy conservation and energy saving approaches to minimise energy costs. A systems approach, referred to as rational-use-of-energy, is proposed to overcome some of the barriers and to highlight the conservation potential of other resources, such as chemicals and water at appreciably low effluent loads.