Biorefineries: New growth potential for the pulp and paper industry Paper Technology International 2025

PAPERTECHNOLOGYINTERNATIONAL
New growth potential Biorefineries: for the pulp and paper industry
Jori Ringman, Director General, Cepi
INTRODUCTION:
Biore昀椀neries represent a critical intersection of innovation, sustainability, and economic opportunity for the pulp and paper industry.
By expanding beyond traditional products and embracing the full value of biomass, the sector can help lead Europe—and potentially
the world—toward a more resilient, low-carbon, and circular
bioeconomy.
Advancements in biorefining have significantly expanded
the range of products that can be derived from trees—far beyond
traditional pulp and paper. Simultaneously, global demand
is growing for sustainable, bio-based alternatives to fossilderived products. The pulp and paper industry, with its scale,
infrastructure, and technical expertise, is uniquely positioned to
lead this transition.
A recent study commissioned by Cepi—the European
confederation representing pulp, paper and biorefinery sectors—
highlights the rapid evolution of Europe’s forest-based biorefinery
sector. This development opens pathways to replacing many
fossil-based products with renewable alternatives.
A Natural Complement to Pulp and Paper
Biorefineries produce a wide range of green alternatives,
encompassing materials, chemicals, fuels, energy, food and feed,
pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics—sectors traditionally dominated
by the petrochemical industry.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) defines biorefining
as “the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of biobased products (food, feed, chemicals, materials) and bioenergy
(biofuels, power and/or heat).” As industries—from aviation to
textiles—seek to reduce their reliance on fossil-based feedstocks,
the demand for these sustainable alternatives is increasing
rapidly.
Importantly, biore昀椀neries do not displace traditional
pulp and paper manufacturing. Rather, they complement it by
valorising biomass components that previously had limited or no
commercial application. This enables industry players to create new
revenue streams while improving the overall efficiency of biomass
use.
Climate Impact and CO2 Substitution
Biorefineries also contribute to climate change mitigation.
The Cepi-commissioned study quantifies a conservative “substitution
effect” of over 3.1 million tonnes (Mt) of CO2 equivalents, reflecting
the emissions avoided by replacing fossil-based products with biobased alternatives such as biodiesel, man-made cellulosic fibres
(MMCF), turpentine, and lignin oil.
This figure is based on a production volume of only 1.4 Mt
per annum of biodiesel, MMCF, turpentine, and lignin oil. When the
broader range of bio-based products—representing a total capacity
of 3.0 Mt/a—is included, the potential CO2 substitution could be
substantially higher. This offers significant potential for companies
aiming to reduce Scope 3 emissions across their value chains.
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Biorefineries represent a critical intersection of innovation,
sustainability, and economic opportunity for the pulp and
paper industry.
Technological Innovation and Economic Growth
Particularly in Europe, biorefineries represent a key area of
technological innovation and a technology-driven growth opportunity.
As economic growth becomes increasingly tied to sustainability, the
bioeconomy—and pulp and paper-based biorefineries in particular—
emerges as a strategic priority.
Because bio-based resources are renewable only at
the condition that they are used sustainably and efficiently, new
investments in biorefineries should be grounded in local availability
assessments and sustainable forest management practices,
ensuring both fair economic returns for biomass producers and longterm resource resilience.

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