Powering sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing

A deep carbon footprint is the common hallmark of many energy-intensive manufacturing processes. Pharmaceutical production is no exception. However, emission levels can be reduced by adopting a sustainable approach to process efficiency, energy generation, and energy procurement.

Traditionally, pharmaceutical manufacturers have depended on their patented products to generate profit. However, the age of the blockbuster drug is coming to an end. Moody’s analysts stated that nine of the industry’s top 20 drugs by sales are set to lose exclusivity over the coming years. As patent protection expires, new entrants have an opportunity to compete with established manufacturers by introducing competitive products at lower prices.

Pharmaceutical companies now focus far more on margins – and therefore manufacturing costs – than ever before. With energy a growing contributor to manufacturing cost, reducing energy consumption emerges as a win-win-win: it cuts production costs, reduces emissions, and enhances environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials.

Like many other businesses, pharmaceutical companies can expect their environmental practices to come under increasing scrutiny, and to be held to account by key stakeholders including investors and customers. There remains a strong relationship between brand reputation and a company’s bottom line.

Multinational businesses with complex manufacturing processes face similarly complex challenges in identifying the sources of carbon emissions, let alone reducing them. That’s why increasingly, organisations want to work with an experienced partner, rather than make the journey on their own.

Enel X’s approach to sustainability starts with data analysis, followed by strategy development, before implementation. We consider sustainability and energy issues across all stages, from data gathering to execution.

Gathering and analysing data builds a foundation for strategy, and creates a benchmark to measure success. We help customers collect relevant activity data, and calculate their entire emissions inventory through our global software.

Setting up for success means having a clear strategy and roadmap. Developing strategy based on accurate data equips organisations with the insight they need to make rational decisions. We facilitate workshops to ensure key stakeholders inform the roadmap. The strategic plan proposes tailored energy solutions that support customers’ sustainability goals.

Enel X’s advisory services support roadmap implementation, including optimising behind-the-meter assets, procuring renewable energy, and participating in capacity, ancillary and energy-market programmes. This allows organisations to optimise their energy use while supporting the power grid to manage increasing levels of renewable energy.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers can benefit from multiple opportunities to manage their energy use effectively, and may be well qualified to participate in energy flexibility and demand-side response schemes. For example, by using software to intelligently optimise combined heat and power (CHP) parameters, businesses can increase efficiencies, and generate new revenues.

Even when energy assets are idle, they can serve as gateways to energy, capacity and ancillary market revenues. Enel X can identify your flexible energy capacity, optimise it, and enter it into the right energy markets at the right time, all without compromising your operations or control.