AstraZeneca Expands Collaboration with Vanguard Renewables
AstraZeneca Expands Collaboration with Vanguard Renewables waste360
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AstraZeneca Collaborates with Vanguard Renewables to Boost Renewable Natural Gas Productivity
WILMINGTON, Del. — AstraZeneca (AZN) is leveraging its global industrial-scale manufacturing and digital capabilities to boost US renewable natural gas (RNG) productivity through a planned expanded collaboration with Vanguard Renewables. With an ambition of achieving a multiple fold increase in productivity, the collaboration aims to accelerate parity with fossil fuel-generated natural gas.
Introduction
AstraZeneca and Vanguard Renewables are partnering to increase RNG yield and generate a step change improvement in the production of RNG. The collaboration aims to address the current barriers to widespread renewable energy deployment, such as limited access and high costs. Additionally, the partnership seeks to add RNG capacity to the US power grid and promote sustainable innovation for broader public benefit.
Collaboration Objectives
- Increase RNG yield through capacity and design improvements to Vanguard Renewables’ Farm Powered® process
- Develop Digital Twins for the anaerobic digestion (AD) process to enable rapid experimentation and modeling
- Enhance supply chain robustness to scale manufacturing and supply
Statement from AstraZeneca
Pam Cheng, Executive Vice President of Global Operations & IT and Chief Sustainability Officer at AstraZeneca, emphasized the importance of taking bold action to transition to green energy. She stated that the collaboration with Vanguard Renewables is a significant milestone in AstraZeneca’s path to achieving net zero emissions and driving deep decarbonization across the healthcare sector and beyond.
Previous Collaboration
This announcement builds on the sector-first collaboration announced in June between AstraZeneca and Vanguard Renewables. The previous collaboration aimed to deliver RNG to all of AstraZeneca’s US research and manufacturing sites by the end of 2026.
Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals
This planned collaboration aligns with AstraZeneca’s flagship Ambition Zero Carbon strategy, which focuses on value chain decarbonization. The company aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its global operations by 98% by 2026 and halve its entire value chain footprint by 2030. AstraZeneca also aims to become science-based net zero by 2045 at the latest.
About Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic digestion is a process that converts inedible or unsaleable food and beverage waste from the manufacturing and retail sectors into renewable natural gas. The waste is combined with dairy farm manure in a biodigester tank, where microorganisms digest the waste and convert it into biogas. The biogas is then upgraded to pipeline-quality gas and injected into the existing pipeline infrastructure, displacing traditional fossil fuels. The process also produces a low-carbon fertilizer and a dry by-product used for animal bedding.
About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines. The company operates in over 100 countries and is committed to sustainability and decarbonization. For more information, please visit www.astrazeneca-us.com and follow AstraZeneca on social media @AstraZeneca.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
The article discusses AstraZeneca’s collaboration with Vanguard Renewables to boost renewable natural gas (RNG) productivity. This aligns with SDG 7, which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. It also relates to SDG 9, which focuses on building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation. Additionally, the article mentions the goal of enhancing supply chain robustness, which is relevant to SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production. The collaboration’s aim to contribute to decarbonization efforts and achieve net-zero emissions aligns with SDG 13 on climate action. Lastly, the partnership between AstraZeneca and Vanguard Renewables represents a collaboration for sustainable development, connecting to SDG 17 on partnerships for the goals.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
- SDG 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable.
- SDG 12.2: Achieve sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
- SDG 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
- SDG 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships.
The collaboration between AstraZeneca and Vanguard Renewables aims to increase the productivity of renewable natural gas (RNG), contributing to the target of increasing the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix (SDG 7.2). The partnership also focuses on enhancing supply chain robustness, which aligns with the target of upgrading infrastructure and retrofitting industries to make them sustainable (SDG 9.4). By improving RNG yield and production, the collaboration contributes to the target of achieving sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources (SDG 12.2). The goal of decarbonization and net-zero emissions aligns with the target of integrating climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning (SDG 13.2). Lastly, the collaboration between AstraZeneca and Vanguard Renewables represents an effective public-private partnership for sustainable development (SDG 17.17).
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Renewable energy share in the global energy mix
- Increased productivity of renewable natural gas (RNG)
- Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
- Integration of climate change measures in policies and strategies
- Number of public-private partnerships for sustainable development
The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators to measure progress towards the identified targets. However, indicators such as the renewable energy share in the global energy mix, the increase in RNG productivity, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the integration of climate change measures in policies and strategies, and the number of public-private partnerships can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy | 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. | – Renewable energy share in the global energy mix |
| SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure | 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable. | – Increased productivity of renewable natural gas (RNG) – Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | 12.2: Achieve sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. | – Increased productivity of renewable natural gas (RNG) – Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning. | – Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions – Integration of climate change measures in policies and strategies |
| SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals | 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships. | – Number of public-private partnerships for sustainable development |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: waste360.com
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