Solar Energy Tapped to Power World Headquarters of Merck & Co., Inc.

One of the largest ground-mounted solar tracking systems built in a corporate setting is now powering energy to the world headquarters of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK). With construction complete, nearly 7,000 moving solar panels are tracking the sun to generate 2.5 million kilowatt hours of energy per year.

"Supporting the use of clean, reliable solar power is good for our environment and makes good business sense," said Merck Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Richard T. Clark. "This project is consistent with Merck's ‘going green’ efforts to reduce our environmental footprint and to promote greater efficiency in our use of natural resources.”

"I applaud Merck’s responsible environmental efforts,” said Governor Jon S. Corzine. “New Jersey has one of the strongest solar programs in the nation and this private sector project is a fine complement to our own energy master plan initiatives that are securing and strengthening the Garden State’s energy future.”

Through novel arrangements that are making the installation of large solar systems more feasible, the system at Merck is owned and operated by Dome-Tech, Inc., a subsidiary of Carrier Corporation, a unit of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE: UTX), which will supply solar power to Merck under a 20-year purchase agreement. The project was made possible through financial initiatives offered under the New Jersey Clean Energy Program, tax credits issued by the U.S. Federal Solar and Renewables Tax Credit Program, and support from the Readington Township (N.J.) Planning Board.

Erv Lauterbach, President, Carrier Building Systems and Services North America Field Operations, added, "At Carrier and Dome-Tech, we applaud companies like Merck that take a comprehensive approach, combining energy conservation with renewable energy sources to help minimize climate change."

About the Solar Project

As a member of the U.S. EPA Climate Leaders, Merck is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 12 percent by 2012 from a 2004 baseline. A solar project of the size at Whitehouse Station will avoid the emissions of more than 1,200 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, which is about the same as taking 200 cars off the road per year.

The solar array is spread out over 7.5 acres and the panels move to track the sun's movement throughout the day. Power generated from the system will produce about 7.5 percent of the electrical needs at the Merck site.

Merck received the Green & Sustainable Energy award from the Hunterdon County (N.J.) Planning Board in recognition of the solar project. Merck also recently was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with a 2009 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award for continued efforts to protect the environment. The Company in 2008 exceeded its energy reduction goals – decreasing energy usage per unit of use by 30 percent from a 2004 baseline. Merck is also a member of the EPA's Climate Leaders and Climate RESOLVE programs. For more information about Merck's ongoing environmental and energy conservation efforts, please visit www.merck.com.

About Carrier Corp.

Carrier Corp., headquartered in Farmington, Conn., is the world’s largest provider of heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions. With 2008 revenues of $14.9 billion, Carrier has approximately 41,000 employees worldwide and operations in more than 170 countries. Carrier is part of United Technologies Corp., a Hartford, Connecticut-based provider of products and services to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. Visit www.carrier.com for more information.

About Dome-Tech, Inc.

Dome-Tech, Inc., a subsidiary of Carrier Corp. which is a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), is an energy engineering and professional consulting services firm that promotes sustainable, high performance environments throughout a building’s life cycle; this is achieved through reducing energy consumption and climate impact while providing a healthy and productive work environment.

Comprehensive services span both existing buildings and new construction, and include sustainable building consulting/energy modeling, new building commissioning, building turnover services, energy procurement consulting, benchmarking and conservation opportunities, existing building commissioning, energy performance testing, and turnkey project implementation. In business since 1989, Dome-Tech is headquartered in Edison, N.J.

About Merck

Merck & Co., Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The Company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate Merck medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a not-for-profit service. For more information, visit www.merck.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements may include statements regarding product development, product potential or financial performance. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect Merck's business, particularly those mentioned in the risk factors and cautionary statements in Item 1A of Merck's Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2008, and in any risk factors or cautionary statements contained in the Company's periodic reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K, which the Company incorporates by reference.

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