CHP - A Prescription for Energy
By Mark O'Connor, MSD Brinny Site Energy Lead
Merck & Co., Inc. (Merck) is a global, research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare company with a longstanding presence in Ireland.
Merck has installed a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant feeding power into the electrical distribution system at (MSD) Brinny site in Co. Cork.
Mark O’Connor, MSD Brinny Site Energy Lead, successfully initiated and gathered the support of key stakeholders across the business for a significant strategic energy investment which entailed the delivery of a 1.5MWe Combined Heat & Power (CHP) plant onsite.
“CHP plants can reach efficiencies up to 75-80% versus conventional power stations (typically 40%) as the excess heat generated can be used that would otherwise be wasted in conventional power plant as delivered from the grid.“
As energy prices continue to rise, pharmaceutical utility plant managers are taking a proactive approach to energy management, exploring diverse energy supply options, from demand response to on-site energy generation. One such opportunity is Combined Heat and Power (CHP) technology, which is experiencing a revival in pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities revival thanks to its ability to generate electricity as well as heat.
