September 24, 2024
Since 2019, the Global Competence Cluster for Energy and Water Management of Fresenius Kabi has organized the Championship Day, an idea competition designed to harness the collective creativity of our teams worldwide. It invites all Fresenius Kabi employees to team up, brainstorm, and develop projects to improve our environmental performance. Colleagues from all over the world participated in the Championship Day 2024, generating hundreds of ideas – in line with the Fresenius Principle: We act today for a better tomorrow.
80 outstanding proposals from 27 sites were selected to be presented to the global jury, consisting of Fresenius Kabi board members and seasoned ESG experts from the company. The innovative concepts of the three winning ideas will be implemented within the next 12 months.
Marc-Alexander Mahl, President Pharma, Nutrition & Sustainability of Fresenius Kabi, is proud of the achievements: “We are very pleased with the outcomes of this year's Championship Day. The creativity and dedication shown by our teams across the globe are commendable. The Championship Day is more than a competition; it represents the collaboration and innovation that drives Fresenius Kabi. By working together, we are making significant progress towards our sustainability goals.”
Estimated Savings per Year: 20,000 m³ of water
By reusing treated (waste)water to absorb waste gas, this project will save a significant amount of tap water. Reusing treated water reduces the demand for fresh tap water, contributing to more sustainable water management practices and therefore more available water for the local community. It also means lower water bills and reduced costs for water procurement and treatment.
Estimated Savings per Year: 125,000 kWh
At Lactulose production site Linz, centrifuges are used to separate lactose (milk sugar) from lactulose solution. Lactose is recycled and brought back into the process. These centrifuges have a very short cycle duration of about eight minutes, during which they accelerate, centrifuge, and decelerate.
Utilizing the braking energy reduces the plant's overall electricity consumption by up to 125,000 kWh annually, lowering energy costs and contributing to more sustainable production. The plant operates more efficiently by minimizing energy losses. This also protects the frequency converters and centrifuges, extending their lifespan.
Estimated Savings per Year: 1,118,000 kWh gas and 1,600 m³ of water
Currently, the Friedberg production building relies on natural gas for heating. The proposed solution aims to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions by reusing heat from the production process. The plan involves supplying the heating system from the return flow of the cooling water, utilizing a heat pump to elevate the temperature to about 90°C. This innovative approach leverages existing waste heat from the cooling water, making the heating process far more efficient. Implementing this system in Friedberg by 2025, with the heat pump powered by green electricity, will make the hot water supply CO₂ neutral and save over 200 tons of CO₂ annually.