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After three years of research, the DekarbPharm industry project delivers tools, guidelines and analyses that pharmaceutical production sites can use to plan and implement decarbonisation pathways.
The aim of the joint research project DekarbPharm by AIT Austrian Institute of Technology and PHARMIG, the Association of the Austrian Pharmaceutical Industry, was to identify practical and cost-optimised ways to achieve a climate-neutral energy supply in pharmaceutical production environments. The results are now available for practical application: the technically advanced DekarbPharm online tool, energy and process analyses, as well as concrete recommendations and practical guidelines for pharmaceutical production sites.
"With the completion of the project, the pharmaceutical industry now has a complete toolbox at its disposal for the first time to drive forward its own decarbonisation in a targeted, data-based and economically sensible manner," says Alexander Herzog, Secretary General of PHARMIG. "Companies can simulate different decarbonisation paths, plan energy supply options and make investment decisions based on robust data – an important step towards climate-fit production sites."
In the third year of research, the focus was on transferring the research results to date into practical application. The models developed for analysing energy requirements, evaluating technologies and deriving possible decarbonisation options were further refined, applied to real site conditions and systematically reviewed. Particular focus was placed on HVAC systems – i.e. the systems responsible for ventilation and controlling temperature and humidity in clean rooms and pharmaceutical production areas, which also account for a significant proportion of total energy consumption. Detailed investigations showed where more efficient control strategies, technical adjustments and realistically implementable measures are possible.
At the same time, peak loads in the energy supply were analysed in detail – for example, during the simultaneous operation of energy-intensive production steps or in the case of strongly fluctuating heating and cooling requirements. The study examined how thermal and electrical storage, the use of volatile electricity prices and the generation of renewable energy can be used in a targeted manner to reduce peak loads, alleviate bottlenecks and use existing systems more efficiently.
The existing DekarbPharm online tool was technically expanded and supplemented with additional data and parameters so that companies can realistically map their energy systems and compare different operating and technology options in a comprehensible manner. Close cooperation with the participating pharmaceutical companies proved to be a key success factor: it enabled the models to be validated using real operating data and the tools to be consistently aligned with the requirements of industrial practice.
The key results of the project include industry guidelines that bundle technical and economic recommendations and provide a structured overview of effective decarbonisation strategies. These are supplemented by site-specific analyses developed for the participating pharmaceutical production sites, which identify individual packages of measures and technologically sound paths to CO₂ reduction. The results of DekarbPharm thus offer low-threshold access to strategic and operational decarbonisation planning, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.
"Our goal was to develop a tool that realistically maps the complex energy systems of pharmaceutical plants while remaining easy to use," explains Anton Beck, project manager at the AIT Center for Energy. "DekarbPharm makes it possible to develop robust decarbonisation pathways and combine environmental sustainability with economic feasibility."
Gerwin Drexler Schmid, Business Manager Net Zero Industries at AIT, adds: "The systematic reduction of energy consumption and emissions throughout the entire production process is crucial for long-term competitiveness. DekarbPharm shows how innovative technologies and well-thought-out energy system planning can together pave the way for climate-neutral manufacturing environments."
The project was financed by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) as well as cash and in-kind contributions from the project partners Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG, Novartis Pharmaceutical Manufacturing GmbH, Octapharma Pharmazeutika Produktionsges.m.b.H., Pfizer Manufacturing Austria GmbH, Sandoz GmbH, Takeda Manufacturing Austria AG and PHARMIG as project coordinator.
Further information: https://dekarbpharm.ait.ac.at/
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About PHARMIG: PHARMIG is the voluntary interest group representing the Austrian pharmaceutical industry. The association currently has around 120 members (as of January 2026), covering a good 95 per cent of the medicines market. PHARMIG and its member companies are committed to ensuring the best possible supply of medicines in the healthcare sector and to promoting social and medical progress through quality and innovation.
About AIT Austrian Institute of Technology: The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is Austria's largest research and technology organisation (RTO) and plays a leading role in many infrastructure issues worldwide. With its seven centres, the AIT deals with the key infrastructure issues of the future and sees itself as a highly specialised research and development partner for industry. As a national and international hub at the interface between science and industry, AIT enables innovation thanks to its scientific and technological expertise, market experience, close customer relationships and outstanding research infrastructure. The Center for Energy focuses its research on three central systems: public energy supply systems, industrial processes, and cities & the built environment. Further information about the centres: https://www.ait.ac.at/energy