Linde and Valmet have formed a partnership to develop electrically driven carbon capture solutions for the pulp and paper industry, targeting one of the more difficult industrial sectors to decarbonize.

The collaboration combines Linde’s carbon capture technology with Valmet’s pulp and paper process integration expertise.

Why This Technology Matters

Many carbon capture systems depend on steam or thermal energy to operate. That can be difficult for pulp and paper mills where excess heat is limited or already used elsewhere in the process.

The Linde-Valmet solution is designed to use renewable electricity instead of steam, making it more suitable for mills moving toward electrification.

Designed for Mill Integration

Valmet’s role is important because carbon capture in pulp and paper plants cannot be treated as a standalone unit.

Successful deployment depends on integration with:

• recovery boilers
• lime kilns
• biomass boilers
• flue gas systems
• mill utilities
• energy balance
• automation and controls

Industry Decarbonization Pressure

The pulp and paper sector remains a major source of industrial CO2 emissions.

The article notes emissions of around:

• 90 million tonnes of CO2 annually in Europe
• 144 million tons annually across the US and Canada

Although the European paper sector has reduced emissions by roughly 50% since 2005, deeper cuts are still difficult because mills remain energy-intensive and operationally complex.

Adsorption-Based Carbon Capture

Linde’s adsorption-based carbon capture technology is already used in other heavy industries, including cement.

The company is involved in major projects such as:

• ADNOC’s Hail and Ghasha gas project in the UAE
• Cemex’s CO2LLECT cement project in Germany

The Cemex project is designed to capture and liquefy 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 per year.

Industry Insight

For pulp and paper mills, electrically driven carbon capture could become especially relevant where renewable power is available and process heat is constrained.

This approach may help mills reduce fossil and biogenic CO2 emissions while avoiding additional pressure on steam systems.

Final Thought

The Linde-Valmet partnership reflects a broader trend in industrial decarbonization: carbon capture is becoming more sector-specific.

For pulp and paper producers, the winning solutions will not only capture CO2 efficiently. They must also fit into the mill’s energy system, process flows and long-term electrification strategy.

Last Updated on 29/05/2026 by Jota Machinery