Challenge
Organon is a global pharmaceutical company focused on improving women's health. The company has approximately 10,000 employees and operates in over sixty countries, distributing products in more than 140 countries.
The production facility in Oss, Netherlands, is the largest of the six global facilities and the only one where Organon manufactures contraceptives, including long-acting contraception for women living in remote areas. The facility employs over 1,200 people.
Organon has a large number of buildings on a sprawling industrial site in Oss. Their goal is to turn the entire site into a sustainable installation and transition away from using gas in order to achieve climate-neutrality by 2035.
Organon has been working with Trane on cooling equipment for a long time, and the partnership has been successful. They are now collaborating with Trane to implement sustainable renewable technology solutions with their efficient heat-pumps.
Rimko Jansen, Project Engineer HVAC at Organon: "We have had a sucessfull relationship with Trane for years. The service is good and we’ve recently experienced the efficient Trane Rental Services. Moreover, Trane heat pumps are ones of the most energy-efficient options available on the market."
Solution
Organon is gradually installing Trane heat pumps in various buildings and sections as part of their sustainability initiative. The first project was completed in May 2024, and the heat pump for the second project will be delivered in mid-2024. Many more projects are in the pipeline.
The first project involves a production building. Currently, the entire production complex is heated by four central heating boilers with a total capacity of 8,000 kW. Fifteen large Trane RTUD chillers are used for cooling.
The plan is to install decentralized heat pumps in the various building sections to replace the current heating boilers. In one building section, two Trane City RTSF 070 water-to-water heat pumps were installed in the spring of 2024. The heat pumps are used here for cooling compressed air for the production process. The RTSF units provide cooling and heating all year round. Heating is also required in the summer for dehumidification because production has a low relative humidity requirement.
Additionally, the RTSF units provide heat for the central heating network, enhancing the reliability of heat supply since it does not solely rely on the existing heating boilers.
Project Engineer Rimko Jansen from Organon: "Traditionally, we've used chillers for the cooled compressed air needed in production. Together with Trane, we explored most sustainable solutions. This led us to the RTSF water-to-water heat pumps. They provide 24/7 cooling and heating, resulting in significant energy savings."The second project focused on renovating the heat-cold storage (HCS) in an office building located in a different location within the industrial site. However, with the approaching winter of 2023-2024, an alternative heat source was required. In consultation with Trane, Organon opted for a Trane Rental CXAF 100 air-to-water heat pump which operated throughout the winter.
This temporary solution also served as a test. It demonstrated that the heat pump, with low temperatures around 25 °C, could effectively provide heat to the air handling units. The successful results prompted Organon to place an order for a similar heat pump but two sizes larger, the Trane CXAF 130, which will be delivered in mid-2024.
This heat pump is primarily intended for heating during mid-season. The HCS provides comfort cooling during the summer. In the event of a malfunction in the system, the heat pump can then take over the cooling requirements.
Rimko Jansen explains: "We could simply have rented a boiler for our temporary heating needs. But we wanted to demonstrate through a practical test that we could switch to a heat pump. With the rented Trane heat pump, we proved that we could indeed heat the office building in winter with an air-to-water heat pump. This gave us the green light to order a CXAF!"
Results
The installation of the two RTSF water-to-water heat pumps in the production building is estimated to save approximately 4,000 GJ per year. Additionally, calculations for the office building suggest that the Trane CXAF 130 heat pump will save about 3,680 GJ of energy per year.
Rimko Jansen, Project Engineer HVAC at Organon: "With the three new Trane heat pumps, we are saving nearly 7,700 gigajoules per year. That's equivalent to nearly 243,000 cubic meters of gas per year. These installations represent just the initial steps of our sustainability journey!"Moving forward, Organon plans to develop a roadmap to gradually reduce their reliance on gas, requiring adjustments such as making air handling units suitable for low-temperature heating.
Rimko Jansen declares: "We collaborate with Trane and other partners to assess the unique requirements of each building. This involves evaluating the specific needs for production, comfort, and required temperatures. It is an ongoing endeavor that involves careful analysis and collaboration to ensure optimal solutions for each situation."
