Catching rays with solar superpowers in France
The solar array extends our Fegersheim facility's ongoing efforts to minimize its carbon footprint and work towards carbon neutrality. The canopies are integrated with solar panels and have a capacity of 4 megawatts (MW) and a total energy production capacity of about 4,550 megawatt hours (MWh) a year.
But the sustainable effort doesn't stop with solar canopies. Each year, Lilly's affiliates look for opportunities to enhance their environmental performance and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Our Fegersheim plant also installed 72 new charging ports for employees' electric vehicles (EVs). Providing this EV infrastructure positions Lilly France to optimize fuel-efficient options and travel means for our employees, as the facility can now sustain more hybrid and electric vehicles.
An added renewable power project is in the pipeline for our Fegersheim plant to install more solar panels on the site grounds, increasing the renewable power generation capacity from 4 MW to 5 MW. Located south of Strasbourg, with Swiss and German neighbors, the region is known for its strong work ethic and scientific potential -- invaluable assets for our production of injectable medicines.
Read more about other Lilly renewable energy efforts including Ireland's electric vehicle fleet.
Lilly solar farm in Ireland reducing carbon emissions
At Lilly, we are always looking for new and better ways to minimize our environmental footprint. Solar energy will be essential to achieving Lilly's 2030 environmental goals, announced in February 2021. Using solar photovoltaic (PV) cells to expand renewable electricity use will diversify our energy sources and, over time, decrease our greenhouse gas emissions.
As a result of our efforts, Lilly has been approved to join RE100, a global corporate renewable energy initiative led by the Climate Group which brings together hundreds of large-scale businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity. Sam Kimmins, Head of RE100 at Climate Group noted, "Eli Lilly’s commitment to 100% renewable electricity by 2030 demonstrates its leadership in the energy transition."
Officially opened on July 20, 2021, Kinsale's PV ground-mounted project was the single largest solar farm at the time of installation in the Republic of Ireland. Lilly partnered with Enerpower, which designed, built, and will maintain the farm and will receive support from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. With sustainable energy, the 16-acre farm will help power a significant proportion of the Lilly plant at its Dunderrow site near Kinsale, County Cork.
Eamon Judge, Senior Director in Lilly’s Global Engineering, was the initiator of the solar farm project and notes that the project is in a very inconspicuous area relative to the adjacent manufacturing site. Despite the rolling green landscape of Ireland, the solar farm is hidden and surrounded by tall brush hedges. "The feedback from the community was positive after we shared some of the outputs from the generational data around the carbon emphasis," Judge said.
The solar farm is only three miles from the site of the 1601 Battle of Kinsale, a clash of historical significance which resulted in England's conquest of Gaelic Ireland.
"Though we didn't find any archaeological interests related to the battle, such as shields or musket balls, archaeological investigations for previous campus developments have uncovered some archaeological remains in areas adjacent to the solar farm, such as an old wooden horizontal grain mill and cooking areas which date to circa 500 BC.," said Judge. "We like to say Lilly has been manufacturing at Kinsale for 40 years, but manufacturing [because it was a grain mill] has been happening on this site for over 1 , 000 years."
Read more about how Lilly is trying to minimize our environmental impact
Ireland's prime minister Micheál Martin presided over the opening of the solar farm. "The Lilly name has long been synonymous with Cork and Ireland, having had a presence here for four decades. With the opening of their new solar farm and extension to their biotech facility they are again demonstrating their ongoing commitment to Cork and to Ireland."
"Lilly is delighted to partner with Enerpower on this state-of-the-art solar facility and acknowledge the support of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland to help bring this project to fruition," said Dave Ricks, Lilly's chair and CEO. "We're proud of our team in Kinsale for their contributions over the past 40 years to produce medicines that make life better for millions of people around the world."
"The farm is fully operational and will generate almost 6.0 GW hours of power over a year" Judge said. "To give you a reference point of what that's worth in terms of carbon reduction, it's approximately 2,350 tons of carbon, and in the case of a forestry equivalent, it would probably take on the order of 5,000 acres of trees to reduce that much carbon."
A statement from Chair and CEO David A. Ricks about sustainability at Lilly
It's worth noting that the land is viable for farming. A flock of forty sheep owned by a local farmer graze under the solar panels. "Some people call them sheep - we call them our automatic grass maintenance team," joked Judge. Plans are also in the works to add beehives and to plant clover in the solar field to attract bees.
An additional 10 acres of solar panels are being added adjacent to the current Kinsale solar farm and will be operational in the second half of 2022.
Lilly's commitment to utilizing renewable energy continues at Lilly's Fegersheim plant near Strasbourg, France, where construction is underway on a 4,500kW PV array project. Two new solar arrays – one mounted on carport roofs and the other on the ground -- are expected to begin generating electricity in late 2022. These panels will also power electric vehicle charging stations.
In Alcobendas near Madrid, Spain, a 390kW PV array recently installed on the rooftops of three Lilly buildings should generate about 4 percent of overall energy consumption on campus.
Construction has begun on the 2,000kW solar array at the del Caribe, Puerto Rico site. The installation, which will include a 200-kilowatt battery, is scheduled to generate energy for the facility in late 2022. Solar arrays are in use at Lilly facilities in Sesto, Italy and Gurugram, India, the West Coast Biotechnology Center in San Diego, Calif., and the Branchburg, N.J. facility. Lilly is also investigating potential locations for solar PV arrays at our Indianapolis facilities.
00:00-00:05
[The video begins and Lilly logo appears on the screen — in red text on a white background.]
00:06-00:20
[Orchestral music begins to play in the background while quick shots of Lilly offices in Kinsale and Dunderrow, Ireland, some men wearing suits and masks including Dave Ricks — Chair, CEO, Eli Lilly and Company — and a huge solar farm appear on the screen. Todd Winge narrates in the background.]
Todd Winge:
Lilly has been in Kinsale and Dunderrow for 40 years. Over that time we’ve spent a lot of time and money to protect our environment. Our commitment has been backed up with actions.
00:21-00:38
[Todd Winge appears on the screen and continues the narration. He is wearing a suit and speaking. The scene then transitions to a shot of a solar farm followed by Dave Ricks speaking.]
Narrators:
Todd Winge:
But this new solar farm is probably the largest and most spectacular evidence of that commitment.
Dave Ricks:
And for us at Lilly, 2021 is a very special year in Ireland. We’re celebrating our 40th year of making medicine for patients around the world here in Kinsale.
Caption:
TODD WINGE, VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER — KINSALE, ELI LILLY AND COMPANY
DAVE RICKS, CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT & CEO, ELI LILLY AND COMPANY
00:39-00:58
[The scene transitions to a panoramic shot of Lilly’s manufacturing facility and business center in Ireland while Dave Ricks continues to speak in the background. This scene is followed by a panoramic shot of a city in Ireland and some flowers as the narration continues in the background.]
Dave Ricks:
At Lilly, we unite caring and discovery to create medicines that make life better for patients all around the world. We are in a particularly beautiful part of the world here in west Cork. And from the beginning of our operations, Lilly has been very committed to sustaining that beauty and sustaining the environment by reducing our footprint.
00:59-01:25
[Dave Ricks continues the narration in the background while a scenic shot of landscapes covered with greenery and flowers appears on the screen, following which, the scene cuts to Dave Ricks speaking. The scene ends with a an aerial shot of Lilly’s business center in Kinsale.]
Dave Ricks:
And a large piece of Lilly’s global footprint will be really enhanced by the environmental projects we’re undertaking. And Kinsale’s example here we’re celebrating today is an important element of that commitment to getting to carbon neutrality by the end of 2030. It’s particularly an honor to come on our 40th anniversary, celebrate this project but also visit the site with my colleagues from corporate to really recognize the people of Lilly Kinsale, who’ve done amazing things and I know we’ll continue to.
01:26-01:45
[The scene begins with Dave Ricks, Micheál Martin, and a few other men in suits standing to get a photograph clicked, which then cuts to, Dave Ricks and Micheál Martin speaking with each other as the narration by Micheál Martin continues in the background. Mr. Martin then appears on the screen and continues to speak as solar panels are seen in the background.]
Caption:
MICHEÁL MARTIN, TAOISEACH
Micheál Martin:
Regionally, Lilly is very well thought of. You were named as a Cork Company of the Year by the Cork Chamber of Commerce, recognizing the positive impact of Lilly on this region for so many years. And in many ways, this, the solar farm in many ways is a wonderful exemplar of the kind of dramatic change we want to see.
01:46-02:04
[The scene cuts to an aerial shot of a solar farm surrounded by forests followed by an aerial shot of Lilly’s business centre in Cork as Micheál Martin continues to speak in the background. The scene ends with a shot of Micheál Martin, Dave Ricks, and another gentleman coming out of a building.]
Micheál Martin:
Lilly here have partnered here with Enerpower to deliver a first class project that I think others will take inspiration from. And it’s just quite stunning, really the impact that this facility will have on Lilly’s emissions reduction targets, but also the degree to which it will power the plant and be much more cost efficient as well into the future.
02:05-02:35
[Micheál Martin continues to speak in the background as the scene shows a woman standing while facing the camera, which then transitions to a shot of some men and women standing in front of Lilly’s manufacturing facility in west Cork and discussing something. The scene then cuts to Dave Ricks and Micheál Martin cutting the ribbon, thereby signifying the official opening of the manufacturing facility. This is followed by an aerial shot of the manufacturing facility as Micheál Martin continues the narration in the background. The scene ends with the sound of the audience clapping.]
Micheál Martin:
Of course, the first big investment in biologics happened here. And as I come back this morning, I’m told the third major investment has happened. A doubling of capacity in biologics, which I think is an extraordinary tribute to the team here. And the excellence that’s on display here, the innovation, the pride, the commitment and passion for the company shines through. Congratulations, go raibh mile maith agaibh go léir.
02:36-02:42
[Lilly logo appears on the screen — in red text on a white background.]
Caption:
©2021 Eli Lilly and Company. All rights reserved
This video has been developed and funded by Eli Lilly and Company.
PP-MG-IE-0056 October 2021