Darmstadt, Germany – February 11, 2026 – 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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Proven in the Field: AI Optimization at Scale
The project is part of EISKIG (Energy Intelligence System for smart Cooling Systems in Industrial Buildings), coordinated by the ETA research group at TU Darmstadt and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. The initiative brings together research institutions and industrial partners to develop scalable, AI-based solutions for energy optimization in industrial cooling systems. As a project partner, Merck provides real-world application scenarios and system data, while etalytics delivers digital twin models and optimization logic. The collaboration between the two companies will continue beyond the scope of the EISKIG project.
About etalytics
Founded in 2020, etalytics emerged from the “ETA | Energy Technologies and Applications in Production” research group at the PTW Institute of Technical University Darmstadt. The company specializes in AI-driven solutions that help businesses globally optimize energy consumption, reduce costs, and minimize their environmental impact.
Its flagship product, etaONE®, offers real-time insights and predictive analytics, enabling industries – including data centers, chemical, pharmaceutical, and automotive – to implement effective control strategies and make informed energy decisions. Recognized for its innovative and sustainable approach, etalytics has garnered multiple awards both nationally and internationally. Industry leaders worldwide rely on its technology to achieve significant savings in energy, CO2 emissions, and operational costs.
About Merck
Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. More than 62,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2024, Merck generated sales of € 21.2 billion in 65 countries.
Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck’s technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare, and EMD Electronics in electronics.
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