AstraZeneca Boosts Clean Heat and Energy Efficiencies in UK

AstraZeneca has agreed a 15-year partnership with Future Biogas to establish the UK's first unsubsidized supply of biomethane gas to invest in significant energy efficiencies in its operations. The total funding commitment amounts to 100 million pounds.

Energy from the biomethane plant is expected to supply the AstraZeneca sites in Macclesfield, Cambridge, Luton and Speke with 100 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year, which corresponds to the heating needs of over 8,000 households. Once operational in early 2025, the partnership will reduce emissions by an amount estimated to be equivalent to 20,000 tonnes of CO ₂ (CO ₂ e) and add renewable energy capacity to the national natural gas grid.

The long-term partnership with Future Biogas is for an anaerobic digestion plant and aims to provide a template for the commercial deployment of renewable gas in the UK. A competitive biomethane market can play an important role in the energy transition to net zero.

To support the UK's transition to clean heat, energy efficiencies will be improved at AstraZeneca's Macclesfield campus, the largest drug development and manufacturing site in the UK. This includes a significant overhaul of the site's combined heat and power generation (CHP) plant, which will save a further 16,000 tonnes of CO _{2 e per year.} Added to this is upgrading buildings and improving the carbon footprint of drug manufacturing and packaging to achieve further greenhouse gas (GHG) savings. These efficiency projects are designed to support the long-term sustainable operations of the Macclesfield campus, which delivers more than 90 million packs of medicines to more than 130 countries.

The transition to 100 percent renewable energy is a key element of AstraZeneca's flagship program - Ambition Zero Carbon, which aims to achieve deep decarbonization. The carbon footprint of the entire value chain (Scopes 1 to 3) is to be halved by 2030 and reduced to scientifically net zero by 2045 at the latest. AstraZeneca is on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its global operations (Scope 1 and 2) by 98 percent by 2026.

Juliette White, Vice President, Global Sustainability & Safety, Health & Environment, at AstraZeneca, said: “Today’s £100 million commitment shows we are serious about decarbonising medicines research, development and manufacturing and about securing a sustainable future for our sites across the UK and around the world. By leading the commercial deployment of clean heat, we are innovatively expanding the use of renewable energy, contributing to the circular economy and accelerating progress towards net zero.”

Philipp Lukas, CEO at Future Biogas, explains: “AstraZeneca’s groundbreaking investment in green gas confirms its role as a global leader on the path to net zero. The opportunity to combine unsubsidized biomethane production with regenerative agriculture helps regional farms and strengthens growing awareness of soil health and sustainable food production. Future Biogas expects this model to be adopted by many other innovative organizations with strong net zero ambitions.”