forest Forest Products — Industry of the Future

The forest products industry is accelerating the pace of 

new technology development and deployment through active 

participation in the Industries of the Future partnership.

Office of Industrial Technologies Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

U.S. Department of Energy
w

partnership

With annual shipments valued at $262 billion, the U.S. forest products industry is a

world leader in the production of lumber, wood products, pulp, and paper. The

industry employs close to 1.3 million people and ranks among the top 10 manufacturing industries in 46 states. Although the industry meets over half of its energy

needs with biomass-derived fuel, it is still the fourth-largest user of fossil energy in

the U.S. manufacturing sector. 

In 1994, leaders in the forest products industry joined in a unique partnership with

the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) to foster

the development and use of advanced technologies and processes. The Industries of

the Future partnership has helped effectively position the U.S. forest products 

industry for continuing prosperity while advancing national energy efficiency and

environmental goals.

Unified vision fosters collaborative partnerships

The forest products

industry currently

derives over half its

energy from biomass.

Achievement of the goals in Agenda 2020 will make the U.S. 

forest products industry “a clear global leader in providing safe

and essential products in harmony with the environment and . . . 

a sustainable contributor to our nation’s economy and 

to the quality of life of its citizens.”

Energy Sources for Lumber, Wood Products, Paper, and Allied Products

Why work together?

By adopting the Industries of 

the Future strategy and remaining

actively engaged in all aspects 

of partnership with the Office of

Industrial Technologies, the forest

products industry today enjoys:

• A powerful common voice 

• Clear goals for technology

development 

• Expanded resources for R&D 

• Increased collaboration among

researchers, including national

laboratories

• A new $100-million initiative

for demonstration of gasification technologies

• Cleaner, more energy-efficient

technologies and processes 

to boost mill productivity 

and profitability now and in 

the future

2 Source: EIA, MECS, 1994
The pulp and paper

sector is the most

energy-intensive part

of the forest products

industry, accounting

for nearly 85 percent

of all energy used.

Energy Use by Sector

1500

1200

900

600

300

0

Sawmills and Planing Mills

Softwood Veneer and Plywood

Trillion Btu

Reconstituted Wood ProductsPaper Mills

Paperboard Mills

Industry Drives the Process

Under the leadership of the American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA), the U.S. forest products industry is actively

implementing the Industries of the Future strategy. By coming to consensus on common goals and priorities, the industry has

created a powerful force for attracting and guiding public and private investment in new technology development. With multiple

successes already under its belt, the partnership continues to pursue promising technologies and take an active role in moving

advances into commercial use.

Vision

Agenda 2020—

A Framework for 

Cooperative R&D

The landmark 1994 

document established longterm goals and broad

research priorities based on

key market, business, and

environmental trends. 

Roadmap

The Path Forward—

An Implementation Plan

Industry-led task groups

working through AF&PA

meet regularly to refine

research priorities, issue

proposal requests, rank 

recommended proposals 

for funding, and review

ongoing projects.

Implementation

To date, OIT has provided

cost-shared support for over

90 R&D projects proposed

by collaborative partnerships

to address industry-defined

priorities and meet national

goals for energy and the

environment. 

New Technology Strategy

The industry recently reaffirmed its 

commitment to the partnership by

revisiting the 1994 agenda and

refocusing priorities on:

• Higher-value supply

• Lower manufacturing costs

• Workforce development

• Improved energy performance

• Superior environmental 

performance

• New forest-based materials

Benefits to local 

communities and 

the nation:

• A cleaner environment

• Improved national

energy security

• Reduced emissions of

gases implicated in 

global climate change

Source: EIA, MECS, 1994

Note: EIA data on energy use by pulp mills not available for 1994; data for paper

mills includes a number of integrated pulping and papermaking operations.

3
b

The OIT Forest Products R&D portfolio addresses a

broad spectrum of industry priorities. A representative

listing of projects is shown at right. Eight are now in

the demonstration phase (shown in bold type).

To learn more about the projects in OIT’s Forest

Products portfolio, visit www.oit.doe.gov/forest 

29 692

Feedstock-to-Product

Characterization Tools

Low-VOC Drying of Lumber

Search for Genes to Accelerate Pine

Development

Pine Gene Discovery Project

Dominant Negative Mutations of Floral

Genes

Field Mobile NIR for Standing Wood

Sustainability of High-Intensity Forest

Management

Microwave Treatment for Rapid Wood

Drying

Energy-Efficient Kraft Pulping

Soft Sensing and Diagnosis for Continuous

Digesters

Low-Odor, High-Yield Kraft Pulping

Improvement of Pulping Uniformity

Increasing Kraft Yield Using Microwave

Treatment

Directed Green Liquor Utilization

Corrosion in Kraft Digesters

Wood Preparation 

& Raw Materials Pulping

results Boosting industry performance

Based on industry-defined priorities and recommendations, OIT awards cost-shared support

to projects that will improve the industry’s energy efficiency and global competitiveness. Each

year, OIT provides approximately $3 million to new projects and about $8 million to ongoing

projects in OIT’s forest products portfolio. All awards are made on a cost-shared basis through a

competitive solicitation process. Solicitations are open to collaborative teams with members

from industry, academia, national laboratories, and other sectors that have a stake in the future

of the forest products industry. 

Since beginning the Industries of the Future process, OIT’s Forest Products Team has awarded a

total of $78 million in OIT funding to over 100 projects. For its share, the industry has provided

over $33 million in project funding in addition to specialized expertise, materials, and facilities.

Demonstrating Success

Eight technologies funded through OIT have completed development and are currently in the

demonstration phase. Two of these projects are applicable to the manufacture of both wood and

paper products: Feedstock-to-Product Characterization Tools, which recently received the R&D

100 Award (see sidebar), and Steam Reforming Black Liquor Gasification, a process that maximizes chemical recovery while generating two to three times more electrical energy per ton of

biomass feedstock than conventional technologies.

A third demonstration project, Low-VOC

Drying of Lumber, uses radio frequencies to

pretreat lumber and remove volatile organic

compounds (VOCs) with minimal energy.

The remaining five demonstration projects

address various stages of the energy-intensive

papermaking process.

Research, Development, and Demonstration

4
ANNUAL ENERGY USE BY PROCESS (TRILLION BTU)**

5

Active Industry Involvement

Through the Industries of the Future process, industry plays a

central role in focusing near-term and long-term research

investments. Industry-led task groups for each Agenda 2020

focus area work with DOE to conduct annual solicitations,

merit review of all incoming proposals, and technical review 

of all ongoing RD&D projects. OIT makes the final selection

for new R&D awards based on ranked lists from these task

groups. Up to three mentors from the industry guide each R&D

project, advising researchers on real-world operations and considerations. Industry representatives also participate in periodic

portfolio reviews with OIT.

215 738 980

Polyoxometalates

Nature and Reactivity of Residual Lignin

Lignin Depolymerase

Mill Biobleaching Technologies

Bubble Size Control for Oxygen Bleaching

High-Efficiency ClO2 Delignification

Electrochemical and Integrated-Process

Opportunities

Rapid Do Bleaching

Moisture Distribution and Flow During

Drying of Wood

High-Selectivity Oxygen Delignification

Recycling of Bleach Plant Filtrates

Control of the Accumulation of NPE

Freeze Concentration Process

Physical/Chemical and Biofiltration

Technologies

Steam Reforming Black Liquor

Gasification 

Methane DeNOx® Reburning

Process

Biological Augmentation of Kraft Recycle

Tars Produced during Black Liquor

Gasification

Convection-Pass Deposits in Recovery

Boilers

Gas Cleanup for Combined-Cycle Systems

Black Liquor Gasification Kinetics

Catalysts for the Destruction of Tars in

Gasification

Development of Materials for Gasification

Control of Soluble Scale Fouling in

Concentrators

Deposition on Pendant Tubes of Kraft

Chemical Boiler

Monitoring Corrosion and Erosion in

Recovery Boilers

On-Line Monitoring of Carryover in

Recovery Boilers

On-Line Fluidics Controlled Headbox

Fiber Optic Sensor for Measuring

Paper Basis Weight

4-D Wet End Paper Characterization

Linescan Camera for Moisture

Measurement

Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor

Multiport Cylinder Dryers

Uniform Web Drying Using Microwaves

Roll Surfaces and Web Transfer Systems

Contactless Monitoring of Paper

3-D Characterization of Paper Structure

Improving Dryer and Press Efficiency

High-Capacity Gas-Fired Paper Dryer

Borate Autocausticizing

Continuous Process for Displacement

Dewatering

VOC Control in Kraft Mills

Reducing VOC Emissions from OSB

Low-Temperature Oxidation of VOCs

Plasma Technologies for VOCs

Control of Emissions from Wood Burners

and Dryers

Bleaching

Chemical Recovery/

Powerhouse Papermaking Emission Controls

Acoustic Separation 

Mechanical Alternatives to

Chemicals in Recycle Mills

Use of Residual Solids for Concrete

Surfactant Spray to Improve Flotation

Deinking

Cationic Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives

Screenable Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives

Removal of Light and Sticky Contaminants

Removal of Wax and Stickies from OCC

Mechatronic Control of Waste Paper

Sorting

Replacing Chemicals in Recycle Mills

Preventing Strength Loss of Kraft Fiber

Recycling/Recovery

Projects*

* This listing is a representative sampling of the many Forest

Products Industry of the Future RD&D projects.

** Does not include energy used for raw material growth, harvest,

or transportation; recycling energy is included in pulping.

Feedstock-to-Product Characterization Tools 

Partners have developed a technology that can 

instantaneously and non-destructively determine the

chemical and mechanical characteristics of wood,

wood products, and other plant materials, even during 

high-speed processing. It will help guide paper mill

operations and optimize the use of standing trees. 

Partners:

Weyerhaeuser

Rayonier

Champion International

Mead

Georgia-Pacific

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Westvaco

This project received the prestigious R&D 100 Award

as one of the 100 most technologically significant

new products in 2000.
o

Coordinated assistance for today and tomorrow resources

OIT’s Forest Products Team supplements its own 

R&D budget by coordinating activities with other OIT

programs that can help advance the industry’s goals. 

For example, OIT’s program in Industrial Materials 

supports development of specialized materials that withstand the harsh environments in pulping and papermaking. 

Similarly, OIT’s Agriculture Team funds R&D that can

offer carryover benefits for tree growth, selection, and

characterization. Emerging technologies gain credibility

through mill demonstrations funded under OIT’s NICE3

program.

OIT programs of value to the forest products industry

include research and development of enabling technologies, BestPractices initiatives, and financial assistance. In

addition, State-Level Industries of the Future programs

are starting up in a number of states to bring the energy,

environmental, and economic benefits of industrial 

partnerships to the local level.

Enabling Technologies

Advances of Value to All Industry

OIT works with industry, the national laboratories, 

academia, and others to research, develop, and commercialize enabling technologies that can benefit a wide range

of industries, including forest products. In Industrial

Materials, the focus is on strong, durable materials that 

can withstand harsh, high-temperature industrial environments. Efforts in Combustion target clean, cost-effective

technologies that will increase productivity, improve 

energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and enhance fuel 

flexibility. Research in Sensors and Controls addresses

such challenges as improving sensor reach and accuracy 

in harsh environments and providing integrated, on-line 

measurement systems for operator-independent control 

of mill processes in real time.

Plant-Wide Assessment of Boise Cascade Mill

Water pinch analysis of the company’s pulp and paper mill in International

Falls, Minnesota, identified opportunities to recycle hot effluent streams to

reduce the need for process steam, fresh water, and energy to cool the effluent.

The four projects and two process modifications selected will remove 45.6 

million Btu per hour from the effluent, save $707,000 annually (with a payback

of 3 years), and reduce steam use by 28,100 pounds per hour.

6

The President’s Biobased Products and Bioenergy

Initiative (issued August 1999) is designed to triple

U.S. use of biobased products and bioenergy by the

year 2010. The initiative will increase the technical and

economic feasibility of using crops, trees, and agricultural and forestry residues to generate energy and

produce industrial chemicals.
BestPractices

Boosting Productivity with Today’s Technology

Through the BestPractices program, OIT helps forestry, wood, pulp and

paper, and related industries apply existing technologies to save money, 

cut emissions, and reduce wastes. OIT and over a dozen retired executives

from the forest products industry work directly with mills to alert them to

opportunities for funding, tools, expertise, and applicable technologies

emerging from OIT’s extensive R&D portfolio. The returns for industry 

can be significant. For example, improving motor systems in U.S. paper

mills—which consume an estimated 55,775 gWh per year—can potentially

save the industry from $103 million to $248 million per year.

BestPractices also offers plant-wide assessments, helping manufacturers

develop a comprehensive strategy to increase efficiency, reduce emissions,

and boost productivity. Up to $100,000 in matching funds is awarded for

each assessment through a competitive solicitation process. Participants

agree to a case study follow-up of results. Alternatively, small to mid-sized

manufacturers can take advantage of the Industrial Assessment Centers,

which provide no-charge assessments through a network of engineering 

universities.

Financial Assistance

Promoting Technology Innovation and Demonstration

Two financial assistance programs are offered by OIT to accelerate 

technology development and application. The Inventions and Innovation

program awards grants of up to $200,000 to inventors of energy-efficient

technologies. Grants are used to establish technical performance, conduct

early development efforts, and plan commercialization activities. The second 

program, NICE3 (National Industrial Competitiveness through Energy,

Environment, and Economics), provides cost-shared grants of up to 

$500,000 to industry-state partnerships for demonstrations of clean and 

energy-efficient technologies.

How to get involved

Through Industries of the Future 

partnerships, U.S. forest products

companies reap the competitive

advantages of more efficient and 

productive technologies and, in turn,

contribute to our nation’s energy 

efficiency and environmental quality.

To participate:

• Monitor the OIT Forest Products

Team’s Web site for news and

announcements of R&D solicitations, meetings and conferences,

and research projects.

• Team with other organizations

and respond to solicitations for

cost-shared research.

• Begin saving energy, reducing

costs, and cutting pollution today

by participating in any of the

BestPractices programs.

• Take advantage of OIT’s extensive

information resources, including

fact sheets and case studies,

training, software decision tools,

searchable CDs, newsletters, and

publications catalog.

• Attend the biennial Industrial

Energy Efficiency Symposium 

and Expo.

www.oit.doe.gov/forest

For more information, please contact the 

OIT Clearinghouse at (800) 862-2086.

7
For more information on the Forest Products Industry of the Future,

contact the OIT Clearinghouse at (800) 862-2086

or visit www.oit.doe.gov/forest

Please send any comments, questions, or suggestions to webmaster.oit@ee.doe.gov

Office of Industrial Technologies

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy January 2001

U.S. Department of Energy DOE/GO-102000-1146