Economic assessment of post-combustion CO2 capture from the flue gases of a kraft pulp mill

The technical and economic performance of retrofitting an amine-based post-combustion CO2 capture process to a Kraft pulp mill and to an integrated pulp and board mill situated in Finland was assessed. The study addressed in detail solutions for heat integration and resulting effects on the steam and electricity balances. The market pulp mill produces sufficient excess steam for 90% total CO2 emission capture. An integrated pulp and board mill has less excess steam, and an auxiliary boiler is needed. The levelized cost of pulp and the cost of CO2 avoided were evaluated for different policy scenarios including CO2 tax, renewable energy incentives and scenarios where the capture and storage of biogenic CO2 would be credited as negative emissions. At a negative emission credit starting at 60 - 75 /t the pulp and paper industry would be able to make a business case and generate additional income from negative CO2 emissions.