Executive Summary
This report presents the findings of the 2025 energy audit conducted at the Irish manufacturing facility of a large pharmaceutical company. The site demonstrates a mature and structured approach to energy management, underpinned by an ISO 50001-certified Energy Management System (EnMS) and a dedicated energy manager.
The company’s energy policy is effectively implemented through continuous review of Significant Energy Users (SEUs), clear communication of energy objectives, and integration of energy efficiency into procurement and design processes.
Despite considerable progress in recent years (including LED lighting, building envelope upgrades, HVAC controls, and solar PV installations) further opportunities exist to enhance efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and strengthen operational resilience.
Site Energy Overview
The company utilises a diverse mix of energy sources to meet its operational and production needs, including woodchip biomass, oil, grid electricity, on-site wind generation, and solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity. The primary thermal energy source is woodchip, which supplies approximately 14.3 million kWh annually at a cost of €535,000, corresponding to a unit cost of about €0.037 per kWh. The site also employs oil-fired boilers as backup for the woodchip boiler system, generating around 500,000 kWh per year and representing roughly 5% of the total steam load, with an annual expenditure of €50,000 (approximately €0.10 per kWh).
On the electrical side, the facility purchases approximately 7.5 million kWh of grid electricity per year, representing the single largest portion of its energy costs at €1.45 million, or €0.193 per kWh. Complementing this are the site’s renewable electricity sources, namely an on-site wind turbine producing about 1.7 million kWh annually and a solar PV system generating approximately 105,000 kWh per year. These renewable systems offset a portion of grid electricity consumption and contribute directly to the site’s sustainability and carbon reduction goals.
Overall, the company’s total annual energy consumption amounts to approximately 24.1 million kWh, with total energy-related costs estimated at €2 million per year. Energy represents between 30% and 50% of total production costs, making energy efficiency a critical factor in maintaining the company’s competitiveness and environmental performance. The use of biomass and renewables significantly improves the site’s carbon footprint, while continued optimisation of electrical and thermal systems presents further opportunities for efficiency gains and cost reduction.
Significant Energy Users (SEUs)
The principal SEUs are:
• Steam generation and distribution (woodchip boiler + oil backup) — ~65% of thermal load
• HVAC systems (fans, chillers, air compressors) — ~30% of electrical load
• Process utilities: WFI, CSG, humidification
• Packaging machinery and ancillary systems
Steam is predominantly used for Low Temperature Hot Water (LTHW) generation and space humidification, both major contributors to thermal demand.
Energy Management Practices
The company maintains strong energy governance, including:
• Certified ISO 50001 EnMS, externally audited
• Annual internal audits of SEUs
• Energy performance monitoring through dedicated metering
• Employee awareness campaigns promoting energy culture
• Funding of energy projects through internal capital
Barriers identified include limited awareness of available grants, perceived long payback periods, and operational risk concerns linked to GMP compliance.
Energy Efficiency Measures (ECMs)
Implemented ECMs
• Conversion to LED lighting across the facility
• Optimized heating/cooling controls (timers, thermostats, reduced setpoints)
• Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) and high-efficiency motors on pumps and fans
• Solar PV installation
• Building envelope improvements: insulation, glazing, air infiltration reduction
• Air-source heat pump installations in selected areas
• Staff energy awareness and training programs
These initiatives have resulted in measurable energy savings and improved operational control.
Recently Implemented Projects (2025)
Fan Replacement and Optimization
• Two belt-driven fans (12 kW each) replaced with VSD direct-drive fans (5 kW and 3 kW duty/standby)
• Average load: 4 kW
• Annual savings: 70,080 kWh
Additional VSD Installation
• Load reduced from 1.5 kW → 1.2 kW
• Annual savings: 2,600 kWh
Planned Fan Upgrades
• Replace 18.5 kW & 11 kW fans with 15 kW VSDs
• Expected savings: 70–80,000 kWh annually
Air Handling Unit (AHU) Optimization
• Gradual reduction of supply pressure setpoint by 15%
• Measured saving: 17,690 kWh/year
• Ongoing monitoring of room air quality (PPM < 1000) and comfort parameters
Measures Under Review / Not Implemented
• Replacement of legacy boilers/chillers with high-efficiency systems
• Heat recovery from boiler flue gases (condensing economizer)
• Water-source heat pump integration
• Heat recovery from chiller return water (proposed)
• Compressed air system optimization
Additional Opportunities and Recommendations
Thermal Energy Efficiency
1. Install Condensing Economizer on Woodchip Boiler
Potential to recover 8–12% of boiler flue gas energy.
Estimated saving: 1.0–1.5 GWh/year (~€35,000–€50,000).
Reduces fuel use and CO₂ emissions.
2. Heat Pump Integration (Chiller–Boiler Coupling)
Recover low-grade heat from chiller return water and transfer to boiler feedwater.
Potential annual savings: 500–800 MWh thermal (~€20,000–€35,000).
Reduces biomass/oil demand, lowers CO₂ and enhances resilience.
3. Steam Distribution and Condensate Return Optimization
Audit steam traps and condensate recovery.
Potential savings: 5–10% of thermal energy.
Electrical Efficiency
1. HVAC System Load Optimization
Continue reduction of air changes in non-critical areas, maintaining GMP compliance.
Extend monitoring-based tuning to additional AHUs.
Expected site-wide savings: 80–100 MWh/year.
2. Chiller Control Optimization
Modify chiller sequencing (reduce trigger temperature for second chiller from 7.3 °C → 6.5 °C).
Perform COP comparison across setpoints to find optimal sharing load.
Expected improvement: 3–5% in chiller system efficiency (~50–80 MWh/year).
3. Compressed Air System Optimization
Conduct leak detection, install master control, and lower pressure setpoints.
Typical savings potential: 10–20% of compressed air electricity use.
Strategic and Management Measures
1. Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) / Grant Utilization
Engage SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) for Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) or EXEED certification.
Consider shared-savings contracts to overcome capital barriers.
2. Digital Energy Monitoring & Analytics
Implement sitewide energy management software with real-time dashboards for SEUs.
Enables early detection of anomalies and data-driven optimization.
3. Sustainability Roadmap (2030)
Develop a 5-year energy masterplan aligned with corporate carbon-reduction goals.
Include targets for renewable energy share (>50%), carbon neutrality milestones, and lifecycle asset renewal.
4. Training & Awareness Expansion
Advanced training for operations and maintenance teams on ECM operation, control tuning, and verification.
Measurement & Verification (M&V)
Audit Plus will continue to monitor:
• Power and thermal consumption of upgraded systems
• Performance of AHUs with reduced air volumes
• COP and sequencing performance of chillers post-adjustment
• Energy and CO₂ reductions achieved from VSD installations
M&V will follow IPMVP Option B (Retrofit Isolation) for specific ECMs and Option C (Whole Facility) for overall energy performance.
Conclusions
The pharmaceutical facility demonstrates strong commitment to energy management and continuous improvement. With recent upgrades and ongoing investigations, the company is well positioned to achieve further 10–15% reduction in overall energy intensity within the next 3–4 years.
Continued collaboration with energy consultants, leveraging available incentives, and prioritizing high-impact projects such as boiler heat recovery, chiller optimization, and heat pump integration will significantly enhance energy performance and environmental sustainability.
Summary of Recommendations
The audit identified several key projects that should be prioritized for implementation based on potential savings, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with the company’s sustainability goals. The installation of a condensing economizer on the woodchip boiler is expected to deliver annual savings of approximately 1.2 GWh at an estimated cost of €120,000, resulting in a payback period of around 2.5 years and classified as a high priority measure. Similarly, optimizing the control logic of the chillers—by adjusting sequencing and load sharing—can achieve an estimated saving of 70,000 kWh per year with an investment of €10,000, offering a payback of less than two years, also a high priority action.
The installation of a heat recovery heat pump to transfer waste heat from the chiller return water to the boiler inlet represents another strategic opportunity, with potential savings of 700,000 kWh annually for an estimated cost of €150,000, providing a 3.5-year payback and ranking as high priority due to its contribution to decarbonisation. Medium-priority measures include further HVAC air change optimization, delivering around 90,000 kWh savings for €15,000 (payback 1.7 years); compressed air system optimization, offering 60,000 kWh savings for €8,000 (payback 1.3 years); and extension of VSD installations on additional fans and pumps, with an estimated 80,000 kWh savings for €12,000 (payback 1.5 years). These measures represent a balanced portfolio of projects capable of delivering substantial energy and cost reductions, while strengthening the site’s operational efficiency and advancing its path toward low-carbon manufacturing.