Adding biofuel/bioproduct capacity to existing U.S. mills. Part 1, Options : Agenda 2020 analysis charts a course.

Abstract

The chief technology officers of the American Forest & Paper Association’s Agenda 2020 Technology Alliance recently conducted an analysis of the most feasible and effective routes for forest products facilities in this country to add energy, biofuels and bio-based chemicals to their existing product streams. Considering that at least 21 billion gallons of the 36 billion gallons in the new federal Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) are to be obtained from cellulosic ethanol and other advanced biofuels, the forest products industry—and pulp and paper mills in particular—is in a unique position to help meet this national challenge while continuing its longstanding commitment to sustainability. By integrating biorefinery capacity with existing fiber processing operations, pulp and paper mills could extract far more value from wood than they currently do. In fact, Agenda 2020 members had concluded in 2004 that the integrated approach offered a much more capital attractive and operationally-feasible approach than a stand-alone biorefinery facility. They thus coined the term “Integrated Forest Products Biorefinery.” There are many approaches to the Integrated Forest Products Biorefinery, and the related operating and financial analyses are complex. The officers wanted to clarify key issues investors should take into account when considering integrating a thermochemical conversion process with an existing pulp and paper mill by providing an example of a possible phased approach and a summary of previously published financial studies. This article is presented in two parts—Part 1 is focused on the various technology, operating and investment options, while Part 2, which will appear in the May 2008 Paper360º, looks at the financial case from several critical perspectives.

Citation

Belin, Tom; Brown, Craig; Connor, Eric; Frederick, Jim; Ince, Peter; Katofsky, Ryan; Closset, Gerard. 2008. Adding biofuel/bioproduct capacity to existing U.S. mills. Part 1, Options : Agenda 2020 analysis charts a course. Paper 360. Vol. 3, no. 4 (Apr. 2008): pages 33-37.