The pulp and paper industry stands as one of the most energy-intensive sectors worldwide, accounting for approximately four percent of the industrial sector’s total energy consumption globally. Despite its critical importance, the industry has long faced challenges in objectively measuring and benchmarking energy efficiency across different mills and production facilities. This stems from the considerable variation in mill configurations, production processes, and operational scales, making direct comparisons historically unreliable. However, a groundbreaking development by researchers at Linköping University in Sweden, in collaboration with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, promises to revolutionize how energy consumption is quantified and compared within this vital industry.
Kristina Nyström, a PhD student at the Department of Management and Engineering at Linköping University, underlines the significance of even marginal improvements in energy efficiency. “Even if this would contribute to increasing efficiency by one or a few per cent only, this involves so much energy that it can make a huge difference,” she emphasizes. Given the enormous scale at which pulp and paper production operates, a slight percentage gain in energy performance could result in substantial environmental and economic benefits. The initiative arrives at a crucial moment, as the European Union’s Industrial Emissions Directive mandates industries to improve their environmental footprint by enhancing efficiency and reducing emissions.
Traditionally, efforts to benchmark energy consumption in the pulp and paper industry have been stymied by the heterogeneous nature of production facilities. Mills differ widely in the types of raw materials they process, the complexity of their machinery, and their production sequences. This diversity has made it almost impossible to develop a unified framework that fairly evaluates energy efficiency. Without such a framework, policymakers, regulators, and industry leaders have been left without reliable data to identify best practices, set performance targets, or incentivize meaningful improvements in energy usage.
The solution developed in this project pivots upon segmenting the entire paper production chain into standardized subprocesses. These subprocesses include actual pulp production, dissolution of purchased pulp, drying of pulp, and paper production itself. By breaking down the production into these modular, well-defined stages, the researchers created a common ground for comparison. This modular approach ensures that processes which are sufficiently universal across different mills can be benchmarked directly, enabling companies to discover specific areas where their energy efficiency lags behind peers. This clear spotlight on process-level efficiency offers actionable intelligence that mills can use to strategize improvements and investments.
Furthermore, this methodology extends beyond mere energy input measurements to incorporate the aspect of useful energy recovery, particularly in the form of residual heat. Many pulp and paper mills generate significant amounts of residual heat, which is frequently repurposed for community heating or greenhouse operations. The new benchmarking model credits companies for this beneficial reuse, providing a more nuanced and holistic picture of their total energy efficiency. Such considerations enable a shift towards industrial symbiosis, encouraging mills to more effectively integrate with surrounding ecosystems and contribute to broader sustainability goals.
This innovative benchmarking method, now published in the journal Applied Energy, has strong potential to be adopted EU-wide. Olof Åkesson, who initiated the project and formerly worked with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, notes the model’s capacity not only to encourage energy savings but also to foster a change in how regulatory bodies approach audits. “At present, public agencies’ demands for energy audits often focus on details, which risks significant efficiency measures being overlooked,” Åkesson explains. The model’s comprehensive, process-level approach allows for broader strategic planning and prioritization of interventions, moving away from piecemeal checks towards meaningful systemic improvements.
The impact of introducing such a methodology is multifaceted. Not only does it promise to reduce fossil fuel consumption within pulp and paper production, but it also frees up critical raw materials, biofuels, and electricity to be used in other sectors. This could dramatically augment the EU’s efforts towards decarbonization and resource efficiency. By optimizing energy use in one of the largest industrial consumers, the ripple effects can be significant, supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy and reinforcing industrial competitiveness.
Collaboration has been a cornerstone of the project’s success. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Linköping University, Chalmers Industriteknik, and the pulp and paper industry itself have worked in close partnership throughout the development process. This co-creation ensures that the methodology is not merely theoretical but firmly grounded in practical realities faced by industry operators. The involvement of diverse stakeholders from research, regulatory, and industry domains fosters a consensus-driven framework that balances rigor with applicability — a model that could inspire other industries grappling with similar benchmarking dilemmas.
Pilot tests of the method have garnered a positive response from companies that have applied it, underscoring the tool’s utility in revealing efficiency gaps and prioritizing improvements. These testimonials suggest a readiness in the industry for this new benchmarking approach, but widespread adoption remains a critical next step. Researchers emphasize the importance of scaling up testing and refining the model in cooperation with more mills, extending conversations beyond Sweden to include other countries such as Finland, pushing the initiative towards broader European integration.
The future trajectory of this benchmarking methodology could herald a paradigm shift in industrial energy efficiency practices. Instead of audits dictating isolated energy-saving actions narrowly targeted at components or equipment, the model encourages looking at the holistic process landscape. Such a systemic view opens avenues for innovation in process design, energy integration, and sustainability strategy, helping mills evolve into more resilient and environmentally responsible operations.
This research effort has been supported financially by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and Vinnova, with contributions from the state-owned research institute RISE. The combined expertise and sustained funding have been essential for developing a robust, scientifically validated approach capable of bridging the longstanding divide between academic research and practical policy application — a gap that has long hindered meaningful efficiency gains in complex industrial sectors.
In sum, this pioneering calculation method fills a critical void in energy benchmarking for the pulp and paper industry. By standardizing subprocess definitions and accounting for residual heat reuse, it provides transparent, fair, and actionable comparisons. The method’s adoption promises to make the industry more energy efficient, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and preserve vital resources — outcomes that resonate well beyond the paper mills themselves to society as a whole.
Media inquiries regarding this study and its implications can be directed to Jonas Roslund at Linköping University. As this model prepares to be tested on a wider scale, its progression will be keenly watched by environmental agencies, industrial stakeholders, and energy policy experts eager for scalable solutions that can shape the future of sustainable manufacturing.
Subject of Research: Not applicable
Article Title: A calculation method enabling energy benchmarking in the pulp and paper industry: Adopting a methodology that bridge the research-policy implementation gap
News Publication Date: 4-Sep-2025
Web References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.126685
Image Credits: Charlotte Perhammar
Keywords: pulp and paper industry, energy benchmarking, industrial energy efficiency, EU Industrial Emissions Directive, energy consumption comparison, residual heat recovery, process standardization, sustainability, environmental policy, energy audits, decarbonization, industrial emissions
