Sector Collaboration - Pulp and Paper Sector
68Introduction
The pulp and paper sector is highly promising for HTHPs, as its energy-intensive drying processes require continuous heat and steam at temperatures well suited to HTHP technology. Its value chain ranges from large, globally operating pulp and paper producers to smaller regional companies specialising in certain paper products, requiring collaboration at both global and local levels.
Key stakeholders include industrial end users, technology suppliers, engineering consultants, utilities, policymakers and research institutions. Conventional production commonly relies on fossil-fuel-based steam and combined heat and power systems to supply continuous process heat. Major barriers to HTHP adoption include high investment costs, electricity prices, limited grid capacity, demanding payback expectations and the need to avoid production downtime. At the same time, humid dryer exhaust air and condensate provide attractive sources of recoverable waste heat.
Promising integration concepts combine HTHPs with steam generation or mechanical vapour recompression. Demonstration projects in Germany and Korea show how heat from humid dryer exhaust air can be upgraded to supply steam at 120 to 160°C, reducing fossil-fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.
Next Activities
Further updates, new resources and opportunities for stakeholder engagement will be published on this page as they become available.
Contact
For further information on the Task 2 pulp and paper sector collaboration or the supporting documents, please contact Seon Tae Kim at Seon.Kim@dlr.de.
Dissemination
Explore Task 2 outputs on the application of HTHPs in the pulp and paper sector. The documents below provide stakeholder perspectives, sector-specific barriers and opportunities, and examples of potential heat pump integration concepts for pulp and paper production.
| Document | Description | Download |
|---|---|---|
| Pulp and Paper Sector: Stakeholder Perspectives | Outlines the potential for HTHPs in pulp and paper production, where energy intensive drying processes are well matched with HTHP supply temperatures. It maps key stakeholders, deployment barriers and collaborative actions needed to support market uptake. | Download PDF |
| Integration Concept: Felix Schoeller (Germany) | Presents a proposed HTHP integration at the Felix Schoeller paper mill in Osnabrück. The system is designed to recover heat from humid air leaving the paper dryer and upgrade it to process steam, reducing natural gas use and associated CO₂ emissions. | Download PDF |
| Integration Concept: Ajin P&P (Republic of Korea) | Describes a hybrid HTHP and mechanical vapour recompression (MVR) concept for Ajin P&P in Daegu. It recovers heat from humid paper dryer exhaust air and upgrades it into steam for the paper-drying process. | Download PDF |
| Workshop: Challenges, Opportunities and Priorities from a Stakeholder Panel | Summary of workshop discussions held at the HTHP Symposium 2026 on the key barriers and priority actions for HTHP deployment in the pulp and paper sector, including collaboration, demonstration projects, dynamic simulation and process optimization. | Download PDF |