This estimation has been made considering only 25%

penetration level of implementation. This penetration

level have been considered after consultations with the
stakeholders and keeping in mind the constraints like
availability of free space in the premises of unit and
viability of replacing the usage of present fuel.

Economics (Typical Case Example)

Walk through energy audits were carried out in some of
the pulp and paper plants to access the technical as well
as financial feasibility of installing solar applications. We
are providing here the results of one such study:
Application: Pre-heating of Boiler feed water
Recommendation: Install solar water heater based on
Flat Plate Collectors technology to raise the temperature
of makeup water to boiler.
Installed Capacity =

21,600 LPD

Investment (Rs.) =
Payback period

3,024,000
8 to 9 years

Savings (Pet coke)=

40 tonnes / annum

Savings (Rice Husk)=

43 tonnes / annum

Findings
Some of the major findings from the field visits to the
units in this sector are:
As most of the processes in pulp and paper use steam
so it is a viable option to install solar water systems
for makeup water heating for the boiler to replace
the portion of the existing fuel use.
To preheat makeup water an open loop solar system
is technically viable.
Boiler replacement can also be an option with the
application of parabolic trough collector with proper
thermal storage system. However, presently the cost
of such system is exorbitantly high; to the tune of Rs.
18-20 crores for replacing 1 TPH boiler. This makes
system commercial unviable.

Experiences of field visits show that units in this sector

have sufficient shade free area for installing solar
applications.
In case of FPC, the cost benefit analysis of installation of
makeup water preheating systems shows that IRR lies in
the range of 7-13% with capital subsidy and 1-6 % without
capital subsidy.
Whereas in case of ETC, the cost benefit analysis of
installation of makeup water preheating systems shows
that IRR lies in the range of 10-18% with capital subsidy
and 1-8 % without capital subsidy.
Without capital subsidy solar applications for boiler feed
water does not seem to be viable option owing to the fact
that cheap fuel like rice husk, coal and pet coke is being
used for steam production.
Field visit across the identified paper industry units
revealed that, replacement potential of the existing
system vis--vis with the solar thermal system for steam
production through pre-heating of boiler feed water is
estimated to be 1-1.5%.
The sector lacks in awareness about solar technologies as
well as the benefits associated with them.
Central and State Government need to take steps to
promote solar systems in paper units by creating
awareness as well as by installing demonstration units.

Pulp & Paper Industry

A
Potential sector for
Solar Energy Applications

Note: Photograph shown in title page has been taken from the
web (www.pssmagazine.com)

Project Background
The project Commercialisation of Solar Energy in Urban and
Industrial Areas ComSolar is a joint effort of the
Governments of India and Germany, represented by the
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), and the
Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and
Nuclear Safety BMU who engaged Deutsche Gesellschaft fr
Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) with the implementation.
The project aims to commercialize solar applications by
encouraging their use in urban and industrial applications by
undertaking pilot projects and developing viable business
models.
In the initial stage, 37 industrial sectors were chosen for the
study. A framework was developed to filter the most promising
10 industrial sectors that have highest potential for solar
energy applications. The study revealed that the Pulp and
Paper sector falls in these 10 most promising sectors.
A detailed study was undertaken in pulp & paper sector where
a lot of industrial units were visited to find practical
applications which are technically feasible and financially
viable.

Sector Introduction
Paper industry of India is the 15th largest paper industry in the
world, and accounts for about 1.6% of the worlds production
of paper and paperboard. The estimated turnover of the
industry is Rs 25,000 crores (USD 5.95 billion) approximately
and its contribution to the government exchequer is around Rs.
2,918 crores (USD 0.69 billion).
As per industry estimates, the paper consumption (including
newsprint) has now touched 8.86 million tons and per capita
consumption is pegged at 8.30 kg. So far, the growth in paper
industry has mirrored the growth in GDP and has grown on an
average 6-7 % over the last few years, and is estimated to
touch 13.95 million tons by 2015-16.

Product Category
The product range of Pulp and Paper industry is broadly
classified in to four types

Fine Paper

Paper Boards

Tissue
Paper

News Prints

Type of Processes
Debarking

Bleaching

Cleaning

Chipping

Screaming

Paper
Machine /
Pulp Drier

Digesting

Washing

Energy Consumption Scenario

The pulp and paper is one of the most energy intensive
industrial sector and has a total energy energy consumption
*
around 7.56 Mtoe per annum. The sector uses both thermal as
well as electrical energy. The share of different fuel types in this
sector is shown below:

18%

29%

14%

Coal
Electricity
Petroleum Products
Other Fuels

39%

Solar Energy Applications

Technology Mapping
The processes involved in the Pulp & Paper industry use
both electrical as well as thermal energy. It is a proven fact
that replacement of thermal energy by solar energy is more
viable technically as well as financially. Most of thermal
energy applications in Pulp & Paper industry use steam
from the boiler at the required temperature and pressure.
The temperature required in most of the applications is
o
around 150-200 C so it is possible to use the solar energy
for heating of the feed water to the boiler. Heating of feed
water will reduce the consumption of any fossil fuel being
used in the boiler. Solar energy may also replace electricity,
if sufficient free space is available within the plant. The
process wise solar mapping in this sector is shown below:
Process Steps

Application
Media

Debarking and
Chipping
Digesting and
Washing
Pulping
Bleaching
Paper Drying

Hot Water

Temp.
Required
C
40-60

Recommend
ed Solar
Technology
FPC / ETC

Hot Water

> 90

Process
Heating
Hot Water

>120

ETC, Solar
Concentrators
Solar
Concentrators
FPC

Steam / Hot
Air

> 120

70

Solar Air
Heating
Systems

The results of our study indicate that it is not possible to

replace the use of fossil fuels completely by solar energy
due to requirement of high quantity as well as high
temperature steam so it was found that we can partially
replace the use of fossil fuels with solar energy by installing
solar systems for boiler feed water heating. This measure in
pulp and paper sector can replace around 0.045 Mtoe of
fossil fuels with solar energy.
*Energy Consumption in 2007-08 A per ASI database.