Merk
The cogeneration plant was installed at Merck’s production site in Goa.
Photos: Merck
Thierry Hulot
Dr. Thierry Hulot
Executive VP, Merck

Merck, a leading company for innovative and high-tech products in the pharmaceutical, chemical and life science sectors, has commissioned a climate-neutral cogeneration plant at its production site in Goa, India, a company release said. The project is part of a company-wide climate protection programme. Merck previously commissioned a new cogeneration plant at its headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, in July.Dr. Thierry Hulot, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Manufacturing and Supply, and Member of Merck Pharmaceutical Executive Committee, inaugurated the plant. He said, “Merck’s new climate-neutral cogeneration plant in Goa has a tremendous power output for our pharmaceutical and chemical production operations. In the manufacture of our products, we seek to impact the environment as little as possible.”

The cogeneration plant is located in Usgao, around 45 km from Panaji, the capital of the western state of Goa. The unit, which has a power output of 3 MW, generates electricity and steam for the pharmaceutical and chemical production operations in Goa. Merck is mainly recycling the shells of cashews and coconuts, two crops that are farmed in the region, to use as biomass.

Overall, this will make it possible to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 11,500 metrics tons, corresponding to around 85 per cent of the site’s total CO2 emissions.

The biomass plant, which represents an investment of more than €3 million, will ensure that the site has a reliable supply of energy and can operate independently of the public power grid. More than 300 employees manufacture vitamin preparations, industrial and laboratory chemicals as well as microbiological products, among other things.

Pramod Pimplikar, Director – Technical Operations, GMS- Merck Serono, said, “With this greenfield site, we aim to reduce CO2 emission by 85 per cent and deliver clean, green, efficient, reliable power and steam supply, improving efficiencies and contributing to the nation’s interest. By 2020 Merck KGaA has committed to reduce its global CO2 emissions by 20 per cent and we are happy to be in a position to contribute to those efforts.”

The climate protection programme, Edison, comprises around 300 climate protection and energy efficiency activities of the Merck Group. The objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy generation as well as to enhance the energy efficiency of research and production processes. Merck aims to reduce its total direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, measured against the 2006 baseline. At its site in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, USA, Merck plans to commission a further biomass central heating plan next year.

KEY POINTS
* Greenfield site
* Greenhouse gas reduction
* Cogeneration (steam and electricity)
* Uninterrupted power supply and biomass supply potential
* Fuel efficiency improvement
* 5% plant productivity increase

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