AstraZeneca advances UK clean heat and energy efficiencies with £100m commitment
- Partnership with Future Biogas will add renewable energy capacity and reduce emissions by 20,000 tonnes CO2e
- AstraZeneca is committed to reducing GHG emissions by 98% by 2026
- None.
15-year agreement with Future Biogas will provide 100 GWh of green gas (biomethane) annually, equivalent to meet the heat demands of over 8,000 homes
Initiative will provide additional renewable capacity to the national gas grid, representing the
Significant boost to energy efficiency at UK’s largest medicines manufacturing site in
A Future Biogas biomethane plant (Photo: Business Wire)
Energy from the biomethane facility will supply AstraZeneca’s sites in
The anaerobic digestion facility and long-term partnership with Future Biogas provide a blueprint for the commercial adoption of renewable gas in the
To support the transition to clean heat in the
The transition to
Juliette White, Vice President, Global Sustainability & Safety, Health & Environment, at AstraZeneca, said: “Today’s commitment of
Philipp Lukas, CEO of Future Biogas, said: “AstraZeneca’s ground-breaking investment in green gas affirms its status as a global leader in the transition to net zero. The opportunity to combine unsubsidised biomethane production with regenerative farming benefits local farms and supports the growing focus on soil health and sustainable food production. Future Biogas expects this model to be adopted by many other innovative organisations with strong net zero ambitions.”
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.
Renewable Gas Guarantee of Origin (RGGO) certificates will be transferred to AstraZeneca, to ensure there is no double counting of emissions savings.
The new plant will be fitted with bioenergy carbon capture and storage capability (BECCS) which has the potential to enable the carbon negative operation of the plant. AstraZeneca aims to sequester the carbon through the ‘Northern Lights’ project in
This latest commitment to renewable energy in the
Notes
Biogas and biomethaneiii
Biogas is produced by the fermentation of organic matter in anaerobic digestion tanks. Biomethane is biogas from which the by-product carbon dioxide has been removed, giving the biomethane the same properties as natural gas, and enabling it to be injected into the national gas grid. In Future Biogas' plants the feedstocks will have a zero or negative carbon footprint meaning the biomethane is
Energy crops grown for Future Biogas absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere during their growth. Once harvested and stored, the energy crops are fed into anaerobic digestion tanks where bacteria break down the organic matter in the absence of oxygen, releasing biogas. The residue is an organic fertiliser (digestate) which in conjunction with changes to the farming rotation helps accelerate soil carbon capture.
Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS)iv
Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is a carbon removal technique to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Biomass (organic material) is converted into heat, electricity, or liquid or gas fuels, and the carbon dioxide emissions from this bioenergy conversion are captured and stored in geological formations or embedded in long-lasting products. It does not utilise the injected CO2 for enhanced oil recovery.
About Future Biogas
Future Biogas is at the forefront of the anaerobic digestion (AD) industry. The company is a highly experienced developer and operator of AD plants across the
For more information, please visit https://www.futurebiogas.com.*
About Northern Lights
Northern Lights is developing an open and flexible infrastructure to transport CO2 from industrial emitters by ship to a receiving terminal in western
For more information, please visit https://northernlightsccs.com/.*
About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and BioPharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.
With a proud 100-year heritage in advancing
For more information, please visit www.astrazeneca.co.uk and follow us on Twitter @AstraZenecaUK.
References
News Release
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Ofgem’s Typical Domestic Consumption Values (TDCVs) of 12,000 kWh for a medium property |
2: |
Transitioning towards Sustainability - Bioenergy Review (2023) IEA Bioenergy Report 2023. |
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Available at: https://www.ieabioenergyreview.org/transitioning-towards-sustainability/ [Last Accessed: 06 September 2023]. |
3: |
IEA (March, 2020) An introduction to biogas and biomethane. Online: https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane-prospects-for-organic-growth/an-introduction-to-biogas-and-biomethane [Last accessed: 07 September 2023] |
4: |
IEA (2023) Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage - energy system, IEA. Available at: https://www.iea.org/energy-system/carbon-capture-utilisation-and-storage/bioenergy-with-carbon-capture-and-storage [Last accessed: 07 September 2023]. |
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*AstraZeneca is not responsible for the content on this website. |
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Source: AstraZeneca