Merck KGaA : Darmstadt, Germany, Commissions Biomass Energy Plant in India

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Friederike Segeberg
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• Co-generation unit promotes climate protection and energy efficiency

Darmstadt, Germany, November 25, 2014 - Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in the pharmaceutical, chemical and life science sectors, today commissioned a climate- neutral co-generation plant at its production site in Goa, India. In doing so, the company is underscoring its commitment to climate protection and energy efficiency in line with its corporate responsibility. The project is part of a company-wide climate protection program. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, previously commissioned a new co-generation plant at its headquarters in Darmstadt in July.
"As an innovative, high-tech company, we are also pursuing new solutions for generating energy at our sites throughout the world. Furthermore, our biomass plant shows the potential of corporate responsibility projects: the company, the environment and society benefit in equal measure," said Karl-Ludwig Kley, Chairman of the Executive Board of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
The co-generation unit, which has a power output of 3 megawatts, generates electricity and steam for the pharmaceutical and chemical production operations in Goa. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is mainly recycling the shells of cashews and coconuts, two crops that are farmed in the region, to use as biomass fuel. Overall, this will make it possible to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 11,500 metrics tons,

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corresponding to around 85% 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.
The climate protection program Edison comprises around 300 climate protection and energy efficiency activities of the Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. 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 KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, aims to reduce its total direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020, measured against the 2006 baseline. At its site in Jaffrey, New Hampshire (USA), the company plans to further its renewable energy work by commissioning a biomass central heating plant next year.
The company's Goa site is located in Usgao, around 45 kilometers from Panaji, the capital of the Indian state of Goa. More than 300 employees manufacture vitamin preparations, industrial and laboratory chemicals as well as microbiological products, among other things.

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Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany, is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors. Its subsidiaries in Canada and the United States operate under the umbrella brand EMD. Around 38,000 employees work in 66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to further the success of customers and to help meet global challenges. The company generated total revenues of € 11.1 billion in 2013 with its four divisions: Biopharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, Performance Materials and Life Science Tools. Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company - since 1668, the name has stood for innovation, business success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70 percent interest, the founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this day.

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