iPR Pharmaceuticals earns first Energy Star certification for efficiency
The Puerto Rico plant joins the top 25% of U.S. industrial facilities in Environmental Protection Agency ranking.
iPR Pharmaceuticals Inc., a subsidiary of AstraZeneca, earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star certification for the first time, placing its Puerto Rico facility among the top 25% of U.S. industrial plants for energy efficiency.
The Energy Star program recognizes industrial facilities that meet strict national energy performance standards.
“This achievement reinforces our dedication to environmental stewardship while simultaneously reducing our energy costs,” said Sara M. Miranda-Reyes, general manager of iPR Pharmaceuticals. “We’re pleased to accept the EPA’s Energy Star certification in recognition of our energy efficiency initiatives.”
The designation reflects a broad set of improvements to the company’s energy management strategy, including advanced fuel technologies, renewable energy use and facility upgrades, according to company officials.
The plant now powers its boilers and combined heat and power systems with liquefied natural gas and renewable liquefied natural gas. It also uses solar photovoltaic systems with battery storage and has installed variable frequency drive compressors to cut emissions.
Other upgrades include modernized chiller systems, a plant-wide LED lighting and the daily tracking of energy use through a building management system that helps optimize consumption.
The company also adopted LEAN manufacturing methodologies to improve operational efficiency and reduce energy waste in manufacturing areas and high-consumption systems.
These efforts align with AstraZeneca’s global “Ambition Zero Carbon” strategy, which focuses on decarbonizing operations and investing in clean energy innovation, officials said.
“Receiving the Energy Star certification establishes iPR Pharmaceuticals Inc. as a leader among pharmaceutical plants across the country regarding energy performance,” the company said.
