With a mature, operating infrastructure capable of delivering billions of gallons of biofuels, many pulp and paper mills around the world are only a one-step investment away from becoming major renewable energy producers. The potential serviceability of US paper mills will come under close scrutiny at this year’s international bioenergy conference.

The capability of the paper industry is the focus at the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) International bioenergy conference this year. TAPPI representatives said that they are continuously looking for new and emerging pathways, technologies, and operation issues to open and explore, but this year there is specifically a renewed interest in the capacity of the American commerce.

The pulp and paper industry is uniquely positioned to immediately produce significant amounts of biofuels, bioenergy and bioproducts. Two of the most exciting subjects poised for discussion at this year’s conference are the potential of pulp mills, inclusive of their serviceability as bio-refineries, and further previously unencumbered innovative pathways to Bioenergy.

Pulp mills have been posited as ideal sites for integrated bio-refinery under four basic principles. Primarily, they are already established to receive and process vast amounts of roundwood and wood chips which reach the mills by rail, truck and other barge operations. Secondly, these mills have both domestic and national existing infrastructures set up for distribution and warehousing. They also have a well-established and fixed administrative network that can be extended to serve a bio-refinery (at a corporate level) without incurring dramatic costs. The final encouraging factor is that pulp mills have operating utility support systems for process water, electricity, steam and waste treatment that can serve bio-refinery operations without major investments.

The second topic up for discussion at this year’s conference is the opportunity of using cellulosic biofuels – including ethanol and bio-diesel – to offset petroleum-based fuels being burned in the mill and the possibility of selling it as an alternative use for motor fuel.

The American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) recently conducted a detailed study of the most feasible routes to integrated biofuel production at pulp and paper mills as part of its Agenda 2020 program, and it successfully outlined 12 clear pathways into integrated biofuel production, detailed in a publication of TAPPI.
These issues, and specifically those raised by the AF&PA position paper study, will be explored in considerable detail at the TAPPI International Bioenergy and Bioproducts Conference (IBBC) held in late August in the US.

The 2008 Technical Conference Program features 14 sessions that will take its attendees through a strategic and deep seated analysis of where the industry currently is on the bio-refinery front to where it will be in the projected five years and beyond. However, a spokesman for the IBBC commented that underlying all sessions is the immediate need to attract investment community involvement on an on-going basis. And following this thirst for support, it is only after the conference and a thorough elicitation of all potentials that an opportunity for advancement may perhaps this year be adjourned on.

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