PULP & PAPER
Dryer steam below the cost of gas, fixed for 20 years.
Steam for the dryer section, at a price that doesn’t move.
THE SECTOR TODAY
Packaging is growing. Energy is the cost mills can’t control.
Paper is replacing plastic
E-commerce and the shift away from plastic are driving demand for board and packaging grades.
Drying runs on steam
Up to 80% of papermaking energy goes to the dryer section, and for gas-fired mills that fuel cost moves with the market.
THE SOLUTION
GlassPoint replaces gas-fired dryer steam with solar steam made at your mill, fed into your dryer section alongside your boilers. Your steam price is fixed for 20 years, so as packaging demand grows, your energy cost doesn’t move with gas markets.
APPLICATIONS
Industrial steam for paper and board mills
GlassPoint supplies steam for the dryer section and other mill processes. The best fit is mills that raise steam from gas. Kraft mills with recovery boilers have less fuel to displace.
Potential applications
Paper machine dryer section, the largest steam user in most mills
Tissue Yankee cylinders, stock heating and process water
Stays on your existing equipment
Recovery boilers in kraft mills, which already burn black liquor
Gas-fired hoods and air dryers
APPLICATION
Dryer and process steam
STEAM TEMPERATURE
Up to 550°
Dryer steam typically runs at 150–200°C
THERMAL STORAGE
Heat beyond daylight hours
Every application is confirmed through a site-specific assessment of configuration and operating conditions.
PROVEN DEPLOYMENT
Solar steam at industrial scale since 2017
Miraah in Oman, 330 MWth, has delivered steam to a working industrial operation every day since 2017.
FAQ
Common questions from mill teams
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It depends on how you raise steam today, your steam demand, land near the mill, solar resource and fuel cost. Mills burning gas for steam are the strongest fit.
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Steam up to 450°C, which covers the dryer section and process steam. Gas-fired hoods and air dryers stay on your existing equipment.
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Thermal storage carries steam delivery beyond daylight hours. Your existing boilers stay in place as backup.
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GlassPoint finances, builds, owns and operates the plant. You buy the steam at a fixed price over a 20-year term.
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It runs in parallel with your existing boilers and feeds the same steam header, so your process doesn’t change.
Download the Pulp & Paper one-pager
Get an overview of the applications, commercial model and project details.