Paper Industry Expanding its Biomass Energy Appetite

The global pulp and paper industry has substantially increased its use of woody biomass for energy during the past few years, which has consequently reduced dependence on fossil fuels, according to the Seattle-based Wood Resource Quarterly.

Since 2006, energy generated from biomass has risen more than 50 percent and in 2009 accounted for 18 percent of the energy consumed by the industry sector.

”Numerous pulp and paper plants have made the strategic decision to invest in the equipment needed to make the switch from fossil fuels to woody biomass fuels,” the Wood Resource Quarterly states in a news release.

Global consumption of biomass increased by 51 percent between 2006 and 2009, according to an analysis done using the FisherSolve platform by Fisher International, South Norwalk, Conn.

The annual consumption of biomass used for energy generation by the global pulp industry in 2009 was an estimated 75 million tons, according to the analysis. Mills in North America and Europe are the largest users of biomass material although the biggest increases in that time frame have occurred in Latin America and Asia.

As a percentage of total energy usage, the share of energy generated from biomass has, on a global basis, increased from 16 percent in 2006 to 18 percent in 2009.

According to the analysis, pulp mills have expanded their external sourcing of biomass feedstock material. In 2006, 53 percent of woody biomass was purchased in the open market; in 2009, this share had increased to 69 percent.

Global pulpwood and biomass market reporting is included in the 50-page publication, Wood Resource Quarterly. More information on that publication is available at www.woodprices.com.