Installation for climate-neutral steam generation in the Pharma & Life Science Park Marburg operational

L to R: Dr. Thomas Spies (Mayor of the University Town of Marburg), Dr. Martin Egger (CEO Innexis Group), Markus Stertmann (Innexis Marburg), Sasha Savic (CEO E25 Power)

The graphite heat storage system stores excess electricity from renewable energies in the form of heat and releases it as superheated steam when needed. With an efficiency of 95 percent, the system is a highly efficient solution for industrial energy supply. During the nearly two-year testing phase, the technology is being tested under various operational and market conditions. If the testing is successful, the storage capacity can be expanded from 6 MWh to up to 60 MWh.

The pilot plant is part of the INNEXIS Group's decarbonization strategy. At the Pharma & Life Science Park Marburg, INNEXIS aims for CO2 neutrality by 2030 and is committed to the gradual expansion of renewable and intelligent energy systems.

A secure, resilient, and sustainable energy supply is becoming a central future issue for pharmaceutical and life sciences sites. Against this background, INNEXIS and E2S Power jointly demonstrated on June 10, 2026, at the Pharma & Life Science Park Marburg how supply security, sustainability, and technological innovation can be combined. The event focused on the commissioning of a graphite heat storage system based on TWEST technology (Traveling Wave Energy Storage Technology) with a capacity of 6 MWh. The system plays a central role in INNEXIS Group's sustainability and decarbonization strategy.

Energy supply as the foundation for security, quality, and growth

For the pharmaceutical industry, energy is much more than a factor of operation. It is a prerequisite for stable processes, quality, regulatory safety, and the continuous supply of patients worldwide. At the same time, the requirements for sites to set up their energy and heat supply to be efficient, resilient, and sustainable in the long term are increasing. Resilience, autonomy, and decarbonization must therefore be considered together and translated into robust infrastructure.

“The Pharma & Life Science Park is a central economic and innovation hub for our city and the entire region, but also far beyond. With its consistently future-oriented energy infrastructure, it offers companies not only high supply security and predictable energy costs but also greater independence from volatile energy markets. This is more important than ever today. A sustainable and resilient energy supply thus becomes a clear competitive advantage and also makes a tangible contribution to climate protection. In this way, the Pharma & Life Science Park strengthens the future viability of our region,” says Mayor Dr. Thomas Spies.

The Pharma & Life Science Park Marburg as a place for applied innovation

Dr. Martin Egger, CEO of INNEXIS Group, emphasizes: “Anyone who wants to combine supply security, regulatory requirements, and decarbonization needs robust infrastructure and the courage to implement new solutions in practice. That is exactly what we are working on in Marburg and our other parks. The ecosystem of research & development, manufacturing, and services that has developed here at the site – but also in the region – offers ideal conditions for pharmaceutical, biotech, and life sciences companies. Strong networks create the foundation to bring innovations to application faster and to make new solutions viable together. This project, which is also supported by the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Infrastructure and Geothermal Energy, is proof of that.”

Climate-neutral steam generation – a building block of sustainable energy supply

The now operational graphite heat storage system stores excess electricity from renewable energies in the form of heat and releases it as superheated steam when needed. With an efficiency of 95 percent, the system is a highly efficient solution for industrial energy supply. “With our TWEST system, we demonstrate how renewable energy can be made usable for industrial heat processes. For energy-intensive industries like pharmaceuticals, this is an important step toward advancing sustainability and supply security together. The collaboration with INNEXIS clearly shows how innovation gains impact through partnership implementation,” emphasizes Sasha Savic, CEO of E2S Power.

The pilot plant can cover up to 10% of the steam demand at the Marburg site in the Görzhausen plant section. During the planned, nearly two-year test phase, various operating states under different timing and market conditions will be tested. The goal is to optimize the technology to fit the existing system and to make a financially and technically sound decision about a possible overall solution. If the test operation is successful, the pilot system, currently with 6 MWh storage capacity, can be expanded to up to 60 MWh. In full expansion, an electrical connection capacity of 10 MW and a steam output of up to 13 tons/hour would be possible. The decision on implementation is expected to be made in 2028.

Insights into on-site energy infrastructure and technology solutions

At the Pharma & Life Science Park Marburg, INNEXIS Group has set a clear goal: CO2 neutrality by 2030. This has been pursued consistently for many years. Step by step, fossil energy sources are being replaced by renewable and intelligent energy systems. Today, the park already covers its electricity needs entirely from renewable energies. The energy supply relies on a combination of modern technologies that combine efficiency, innovation, and environmental protection. Just last year, a large photovoltaic system was commissioned on an open space. Together with PV modules on the roof of the new parking garage, a total capacity of around four megawatts is achieved. Also in use are two underground ice energy storage systems with 870 and 1500 m³ for cooling the logistics center and a research building. By 2030, six wind turbines with seven megawatts each are planned on the “Marburger Rücken.”