Statkraft, Europe’s largest renewable energy producer, and the biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca have entered into an agreement on wind power deliveries that will increase the supply of renewable electricity in Sweden. The agreement is based on the commissioning of new wind farms.
Under the agreement, AstraZeneca commits to purchasing 200 gigawatt-hours per year for ten years, equivalent to two terawatt-hours. This corresponds to approximately 80 percent of the company’s total electricity needs at its research facility in Gothenburg and manufacturing facility in Södertälje.
AstraZeneca in Sweden has been using 100 percent certified renewable energy for several years. Through the agreement with Statkraft, the company will also be able to increase access to renewable energy in the community where it operates. The three wind farms are in Strömstad and Årjäng, which is in Sweden’s bidding area 3 (SE3), where AstraZeneca’s research and manufacturing facilities are also situated. The wind farms are owned by Rabbalshede Kraft, who will also be responsible for their operation.
In its Swedish operations, AstraZeneca is also working to reduce its electricity consumption, for example, through the recycling of excess heat and optimization of humidity and temperature in its facilities.
“We want to contribute to the green transition in society. It is important for us to support initiatives that increase the availability of renewable energy. To successfully mitigate climate change, we must collaborate across different sectors and think beyond our own operations. Here we see an opportunity to contribute to the increase of renewable energy in society,” says Per Alfredsson, President AstraZeneca AB, Sweden
Globally, AstraZeneca aims to halve its entire value chain footprint (Scope 3) by 2030, on the way to a 90 percent reduction by 2045 from a 2019 baseline. AstraZeneca was one of the first seven companies globally to have its net zero targets verified by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Net Zero Corporate Standard.
“We are very pleased to support this ambitious initiative for a sustainable transition. This agreement confirms the role of Statkraft as a leading supplier of renewable energy to Nordic industries and our ambition to be a leading market integrator in the energy system”, says Hallvard Granheim, Executive Vice President Markets at Statkraft.
