ASTRAZENECA, FUTURE BIOGAS TO PROGRESS UK CLEAN HEAT, ENERGY EFFICIENCIES

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 (Bernama) -- Powering its transition to net zero, AstraZeneca has agreed a 15-year partnership with Future Biogas to establish the United Kingdom (UK)’s first unsubsidised industrial-scale supply of biomethane gas.

According to AstraZeneca in a statement, it is investing in major energy efficiencies in its operations, totalling a commitment of GBP100 million. (GBP1=RM5.80)

Energy from the biomethane facility will supply AstraZeneca’s sites in Macclesfield, Cambridge, Luton and Speke with 100 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year, equivalent to the heat demands of over 8,000 homes.

Once operational in early 2025, the partnership will reduce emissions by an estimated 20,000 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), adding renewable energy capacity to the national gas grid.

“In leading from the front on the commercial adoption of clean heat, we are innovating to expand the usage of renewable energy, contributing to the circular economy and accelerating our progress towards net zero,” said AstraZeneca Vice President, Global Sustainability & Safety, Health & Environment, Juliette White.

The anaerobic digestion facility and long-term partnership with Future Biogas provide a blueprint for the commercial adoption of renewable gas in the UK. A competitive biomethane market can play a key role in the transition to net zero.

To support the transition to clean heat in the UK, energy efficiency improvements will be made at AstraZeneca’s Macclesfield campus, the largest medicines development and manufacturing site in the UK.

The site will utilise locally-grown crops as feedstock and support farms with sustainable land management practices, enabling the development of a circular agricultural economy.

Bioenergy crops will be grown as part of diverse crop rotations and will follow regenerative agriculture practices, promoting nutrient cycling and improving soil health.

In addition, Renewable Gas Guarantee of Origin (RGGO) certificates will be transferred to AstraZeneca, ensuring that there is no double counting of emissions savings.

This latest commitment to renewable energy in the UK follows other innovative partnerships announced earlier this year whereby AstraZeneca is partnering with Vanguard Renewables to enable the delivery of biomethane to all its United States sites by end of 2026.

The company has also entered into an agreement with Statkraft, to increase the supply of renewable electricity in Sweden.

-- BERNAMA