Merck is reducing its carbon footprint in India with its largest solar power array initiative and a Gold LEED manufacturing site. These are located in Bengaluru at the at its Jigani and Peenya centers.

These improvements are supported by Merck’s Edison program which aims to invest approximately €10 million annually into existing facilities with the goal of reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, said the company.

In early 2017, Merck embarked on the installation of solar power panels at its Jigani and Peenya centers in Bengaluru. The Jigani installation is the largest solar panel array implemented by Merck to date, while Peenya ranks as the third largest.

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a challenging task considering organic business growth and increased volume from manufacturing operations,” said Kevin Gorman, Head of Life Science Operations, Merck India.

“Our sites have made great progress towards improving environmental sustainability while keeping operating costs low. The investment made in sustainable energy at Jigani and Peenya demonstrates our commitment to our company’s and the country’s sustainability targets,” he added.

Phase one at the Jigani site included installation of a 400kW solar photovoltaic system on the warehouse roof. Phase two will add an additional 200kW of solar panels to the roofs of other buildings in the Jigani site, and is scheduled to be ready by December 2017. The solar panels at the Jigani site are expected to generate 900,000kWh of electricity annually. This is equivalent to 30 percent of the site’s electricity needs and is expected to reduce emissions by 833 metric tons, saving €101k annually from energy consumption.

The Peenya site has been outfitted with a 300kW solar power installation. This system will generate 365,000kWh per year and reduce emissions by 337 metric tons annually. Like the Jigani site, the panels are expected to provide 30 percent of the site’s electricity needs, saving €36,000 per year.

In August 2017, Merck received the LEED (Gold certification), the second-highest level of certification from the India Green Building Council, for its Peenya Life Science Center.

Design elements that contributed to the Peenya centre’s Gold LEED certification include: close proximity to public transportation and incorporation of secure bicycle storage and shower facilities, 35 percent reduction in water consumption through low-flow fixtures, 42 percent reduction in energy consumption compared to ASHRAE 90.1-2007 baseline, part of which is due to solar panel installation as well as high-efficiency lighting, HVAC and weatherization., 66 percent of materials used were extracted or manufactured within 400km of the project site and Increased fresh air ventilation 30 percent above ASHRAE 62.1 requirements and use of low volatile organic compound (VOC) materials.

The Peenya site is a hub for worldwide hardware operations. It includes a ProVantage Lab and MLab which exports approximately 70 per cent of the products manufactured. The Jigani site produces synthesizes and packs down which is 5 per cent of the materials on the Sigma-Aldrich catalogue. Its R&D centre provides custom synthesis services for both inter company and third-party customers. The warehouse operations manages over 200,000 SKUs.