Paper Fact 4: Paper Production and Renewable Energy

Submitted by: The Two Sides Team October 29, 2020

Did you know? 60% of energy used to produce paper and paper packaging comes from renewable sources.

The European pulp and paper industry produces original biobased products using wood, a renewable material. It is also the largest single industrial user and producer of renewable energy in the EU. The industry’s primary on-site energy source (not including bought-in electricity) is biomass at 60%, followed by gas at 33%. The remaining 7% includes coal and other fossil fuels.

Biomass is biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms. For the pulp and paper industry, this is typically wood by-products, such as wood residue, bark, and
‘black liquor’ (a derivative from the pulping process).

The industry has consistently increased its use of biomass since 1991, rising by 67% from just over 413,000 tonnes in 1991 to 689,185 tonnes in 2018.

Download our Renewable Energy and Carbon Footprints Fact Sheet to find out more.

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