Industrial Manufacturing Sector
International Pharmaceutical Plant, Ireland
At a Glance
€350,000 Annual Operating Cost Reduction
7,881 MWh/year Reduction in Primary Energy
19% Total Site Carbon Reduction
(Achieve a site carbon reduction target of 16%)
2,005 tCO₂ Annual Reduction
(Exceeding client target)
Above metrics are anticipated results
Project Overview
GS Renewable was appointed to design and deliver a heat pump and heat recovery solution for a pharmaceutical manufacturing site in Ireland. The site has continuous heating and cooling demands and a high reliance on gas-fired steam.
From the outset, the system was designed to operate within the strict building, safety, and production constraints typical of a regulated pharmaceutical environment, ensuring that decarbonisation objectives were met without compromising operational continuity or compliance.
Client Objectives
Carbon Reduction Target
Achieve a site carbon reduction of 16.21%, equivalent to 1,636 tCO₂ per annum, as defined in the project charter.
Removal of Gas Steam Loads
Identify suitable processes and building heat users that could be removed from gas-fired steam systems and transitioned to low-pressure hot water (LPHW) generated by heat pumps.
Heat Recovery & Simultaneous Heating and Cooling
Recover usable heat from the chiller system while enabling simultaneous heating and cooling where site loads coincide, improving overall system efficiency.
Compliance with Pharmaceutical Regulations
Deliver a decarbonisation solution that is fully compatible with pharmaceutical building standards, production requirements, and regulatory compliance obligations, without impacting product quality or site operations.
GS Renewable Approach
Energy Assessment & Design
The client provided historical gas consumption data and chiller operating information. This data was reviewed to quantify available waste heat and assess how it aligned with on-site heating demand profiles.
All design decisions were made with consideration for GMP-aligned operational requirements, including plant resilience, redundancy, maintenance access, and integration with existing building management and control systems.
Technical Solution
GS Renewable designed a modular heat pump plant room incorporating an large-scale industrial Sabroe heat pump, capable of producing chilled water and low-pressure hot water (LPHW) simultaneously.
The system was configured to:
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Maintain strict temperature control and reliability suitable for pharmaceutical processes
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Integrate seamlessly with existing site infrastructure and control systems
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Provide modular redundancy to support uptime and maintenance without production disruption
The plant room layout, access strategy, and operational elements were developed to align with pharmaceutical engineering, safety, and compliance standards.