Just Published: Energy and Environmental Profile of the U.S. Pulp and Paper Industry

January 10, 2006

The Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) recently published the Energy and Environmental Profile of the U.S. Pulp and Paper Industry (PDF 1.9 MB).  The Profile summarizes key market trends, energy consumption, and environmental issues in one of the nation's most energy-intensive manufacturing industries. The Profile also provides an overview of manufacturing inputs and outputs, energy requirements, air emissions, effluents, solid wastes, and byproducts within the major manufacturing processes. Process operations covered in the report include wood preparation, pulping, chemical recovery, bleaching, papermaking, and supporting systems.

The report provides a concise synthesis of information heretofore available only in diverse formats found in a range of sources. Aggregated data for the entire industry as well as data at the process level are presented according to major unit operations.  The Profile provides a quantitative baseline that will help technology development programs assess progress in reducing industrial energy intensity.

ITP works with energy-intensive industries to develop technology partnerships and support collaborative R&D projects that enhance energy efficiency, economic competitiveness, and environmental performance.  The Pulp and Paper Profile is the ninth in a series of energy and environmental profiles produced by ITP on energy-intensive U.S. industries.  To date, energy and environmental profiles have been published for the aluminum, steel, chemicals, petroleum refining, metal casting, glass, mining, and supporting industries (e.g., welding, heat treating, powder metallurgy).