R Buitrago-Tello et al.
Original Article: Linerboard production and decarbonization
Materials and methods
economic analysis. Previous studies have examined individual technologies in isolation; however, this research quantified their relative carbon abatement potential and costs when implemented within an integrated kraft mill, accounting for complex interactions between steam, electricity, and material flows. The development of marginal abatement cost curves specifically for the pulp and paper sector also provided practical guidance for industry stakeholders seeking cost- effective decarbonization pathways. The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. The materials and methods section details the process simulation model, technology descriptions, and the methodologies for life cycle assessment and economic analysis. The results and discussion section presents the findings on carbon reduction potential, economic feasibility using marginal abatement cost curves, and sensitivity analyses of key parameters. The conclusions section offers recommendations for technology implementation and future research.
The simulation model for the base line linerboard production used in this study was described in detail in a previous study by the authors in which alternative fuels for lime-kiln operation were evaluated. 14 The present study focuses on evaluating specific energy-efficiency technologies rather than optimizing heat integration across the mill. Formal pinch analysis was not applied but the base case model incorporated standard heat integration practices typical of modern kraft mills, including multiple-effect evaporators, condensate recovery systems, and heat recovery from flue gases. This baseline heat integration was maintained consistently across all technology scenarios to enable direct comparison of their impacts. The mill had a production of 100 short tons per hour or 90.72 tonsh - 1 and the process is summarized briefly here. Figure 1 presents the main production areas. Softwood logs
Figure 1. Simplified process flow diagram of a linerboard mill. Units are per kg adt −1 (kilograms per air-dried tonne).
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© 2025 The Author(s). Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. | Biofuels, Bioprod. Bioref . (2025); DOI: 10.1002/bbb.2790
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