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AstraZeneca has agreed a 15-year partnership with Future Biogas to establish the UK's first unsubsidised industrial-scale supply of biomethane gas, and is investing in major energy efficiencies in its operations, totalling a commitment of £100 million.
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 CO2 equivalent (CO2e), adding renewable energy capacity to the national gas grid.
The anaerobic digestion facility and long-term partnership with Future Biogas provide a blueprint for wider commercial adoption of renewable gas in the UK. A dynamic biomethane market is seen as crucial to the UK achieving net zero.
Juliette White, Vice President, Global Sustainability & Safety, Health & Environment, at AstraZeneca, said: "Today's commitment of £100 million shows we are serious about decarbonising the discovery, development and manufacture of medicines and securing a sustainable future for our sites across the UK and globally. 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."
Biomethane represents the most immediately available and viable solution for low-carbon heat demand. It is ready to use, compatible with all existing infrastructure, and its combustion is carbon neutral. By sleeving the gas through the grid, biomethane can be delivered directly to AstraZeneca, and its carbon savings can be robustly tracked from production to use.
Future Biogas CEO Philipp Lukas said "AstraZeneca' 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."
