Abstract: | Corporate image, European Emission Trading System and Environmental
Regulations, encourage pulp industry to reduce carbon dioxide
(CO2) emissions. Kraft pulp mills produce
CO2 mainly in combustion processes. The largest sources
are the recovery boiler, the biomass boiler, and the lime kiln. Due to utilizing
mostly biomass-based fuels, the CO2 is largely biogenic.
Capture and storage of CO2 (CCS) could offer pulp and paper
industry the possibility to act as site for negative CO2
emissions. In addition, captured biogenic CO2 can be used as
a raw material for bioproducts. Possibilities for CO2
utilization include tall oil manufacturing, lignin extraction, and production of
precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), depending on local conditions and
mill-specific details. In this study, total biomass-based CO2
capture and storage potential (BECCS) and potential to implement capture and
utilization of biomass-based CO2 (BECCU) in kraft pulp mills
were estimated by analyzing the impacts of the processes on the operation of two
modern reference mills, a Nordic softwood kraft pulp mill with integrated paper
production and a Southern eucalyptus kraft pulp mill. CO2
capture is energy-intensive, and thus the effects on the energy balances of the
mills were estimated. When papermaking is integrated in the mill operations, energy
adequacy can be a limiting factor for carbon capture implementation. Global carbon
capture potential was estimated based on pulp production data. Kraft pulp mills have
notable CO2 capture potential, while the on-site utilization
potential using currently available technologies is lower. The future of these
processes depends on technology development, desire to reuse
CO2, and prospective changes in legislation. |