PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, From by to bio: Bioenergy and the modern pulp and paper mill, Wilson Monteiro, Global Business Line Manager for Pulp, Paper and Fiber, ABB’s Process Industries Division

PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, From by to bio: Bioenergy and the modern pulp and paper mill, Wilson Monteiro, Global Business Line Manager for Pulp, Paper and Fiber, ABB’s Process Industries Division
INTRODUCTION:
The pulp and paper industry is an essential, if often understated, pillar of global industrial development. It is embedded in everyday
life, supplying packaging, hygiene products, board and 昀椀ber-based materials that underpin modern economies. Yet the industry is also one
of the most energy-intensive sectors, reliant on large and continuous 昀氀ows of steam, electricity, and heat to sustain production.
This reality places the industry squarely at the intersection
of three de昀椀ning pressures: decarbonization, cost competitiveness,
and energy security. Each of these pressures is intensifying, and
together they are reshaping how mills are designed, operated,
and evaluated. In this environment, bioenergy is moving from a
peripheral sustainability topic and internal ef昀椀ciency measure to a
strategic asset that will increasingly in昀氀uence resilience, long-term
viability, and competitive positioning.
The most Recent available data from the International
Energy Agency1 (IEA) underscores the scale and stakes. The IEA
notes that paper production is highly heat-intensive, with drying
accounting for around 70% of the sector’s energy use. Bioenergy
already supplies a substantial portion of that energy demand –
around 40% of the sector’s energy in 2022 – yet the IEA’s Net
Zero pathway implies the share must rise further through 2030. In
parallel, global production remains enormous: Statista2 reports that
the quantity of paper and paperboard produced worldwide in 2024
exceeded 423 million metric tons.
The industry has long possessed many of the ingredients
required for a low-carbon, circular energy model. What has changed
is the urgency and the potential consequences of inaction.
Why bioenergy matters: Energy instability meets mill-level
reality
The global energy system is experiencing a period of
heightened instability. Price volatility, global tensions, constrained
infrastructure, and accelerating policy intervention have combined
to expose vulnerabilities across industrial supply chains. For many
energy-intensive sectors, energy strategy has historically been
treated as a procurement challenge: secure supply, negotiate
contracts, hedge exposure. That model is being usurped by
unexpected, often unprecedented events.
Recent grid stresses and fuel price shocks have
demonstrated how quickly external dependencies can translate
into operational risk. Mills that rely heavily on purchased energy
have found themselves exposed not only to higher costs but also
to uncertainty around availability and reliability. In extreme cases,
energy constraints have directly limited production or accelerated
asset rationalization decisions.
Image 1: Aerial view of pulp mill. Image ABB
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