Feb 11, 2026 (MarketLine via COMTEX) --
etalytics received ae8M from Microsoft's M12 to expand its global AI energy platform.
Merck, a global science and technology company, has reduced electricity use for cooling by 21% at its headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany. The result was achieved through AI-based energy optimization using the etaONE® software platform from etalytics, which autonomously optimizes a segment of the site's cooling system.
‍The results show how AI can deliver measurable savings in large-scale cooling systems, a key operational area in pharmaceutical and life science production environments.
Darmstadt: Merck's Largest Site and a Key Energy Consumer
Merck's headquarters in Darmstadt is its largest global research and production site, with more than 12,000 employees and over 25,000 products manufactured across Healthcare, Life Science, and Electronics (source: Merck KGaA). The site plays a central role in the company's global operations, and it is also one of its largest energy consumers.
Cooling is a key energy driver at the site, with more than 20 million cubic meters of chilled water circulated annually. The overall cooling demand is largely driven by the air conditioning of laboratories, offices, and storage areas.
AI in Action: 21% Energy Savings Achieved in First Three Months
etaONE® is an AI-based software platform tailored for real-time optimization of industrial HVAC and cooling systems in critical infrastructure. The AI evaluates real-time system behavior and environmental conditions to orchestrate energy-efficient operation across components.
At the Merck site, etaONE® optimizes the operation of chillers, cooling towers, and pump systems through a pressure-based system model. The model replicates the hydraulic behavior of the cooling system, enabling the AI to track and optimize pressure levels in real time while maintaining consistent cooling performance.
After an initial test run in March, etaONE® transitioned to full autonomous operation within two weeks and has been running continuously since. Within three months, the platform reduced electricity use for cooling in the optimized system segment by an average of 21% compared to previous operation. These savings were achieved without any modifications to the existing infrastructure and without disrupting ongoing production processes, solely through improved control logic and system coordination.
Merck has set ambitious sustainability goals: a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 (compared to 2020), and full climate neutrality by 2040. (source: Merck KGaA) The success of the project contributes directly to these targets by demonstrating the role of AI in making energy-intensive site operations more efficient.
Further enhancements are already in preparation. Merck and etalytics plan to extend the optimization to additional cooling assets and integrate predictive maintenance use cases, beginning with automated cleaning recommendations for cooling tower filters.
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COMTEX_474983183/2227/2026-03-10T04:46:34
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