The sector burns mostly its own biomass (black liquor, bark) — fossil CO2 comes from lime kilns, gas boilers and dryers. Steam dominates: a paper machine is one long evaporation problem, which makes it heat-pump and heat-recovery country.
| Year | Free allocation (EU) | Payable carbon cost | Annual bill (per 100,000 t paper) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 97.5% | €0.87 / t paper | €87,075 |
| 2030 | 51.5% | €16.89 / t paper | €1,689,255 |
| 2034 | 0.0% | €34.83 / t paper | €3,483,000 |
At EUA €77.4 (11 Jun 2026) and ≈0.3–0.6 t fossil CO2/t (CEPI; biomass-heavy sector). EU ETS industry schedule; exporters under CBAM follow the mirrored phase-in. Power sectors pay 100% from day one.
Indicative reduction potential of each measure against the relevant emissions share (sources: IEA industry roadmaps, sector associations — see each measure page). Measures stack but don't simply add.
Paper mills are steam grids with hundreds of traps and valves in 120–180 °C service — the exact range where our ASTM surveys find the fastest paybacks (often <1 yr because steam runs 8,400 h/yr). Every kg of steam saved is fossil gas saved at the margin in most mills.
Method: ASTM C680 / ISO 12241 surface energy balance — the same engine as our public calculators. Typical removable-insulation effect across hot-process plants: 2–5% of fuel-related CO2, payback up to 2 years.
Direct-emission intensities, typical published values per industry page — units differ by product; see each page for sources.
