Söderenergi agrees carbon dioxide removal deal with AstraZeneca

Starting in 2030, Söderenergi plans to have the capacity to annually separate and permanently store up to 500,000 tonnes of biogenic carbon dioxide (bioCO₂) from its Igelstaverket combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Södertälje.

Söderenergi is currently working on the carbon capture design, and to make an investment decision by the end of 2026, the entire value chain must be in place – from carbon capture to geological storage and certified carbon credits.

We are happy and proud that the first negative emissions from our plant will end up with AstraZeneca, a company with roots in Södertälje. The agreement shows confidence in our BECCS project and contributes to building the industry for negative emissions, said Robert Tingvall, CEO of Söderenergi.

Permanent negative emissions are an important tool for compensating for emissions that cannot be avoided. And to achieve the goals in the Paris Agreement by 2050, negative emissions are necessary.

The agreement with Söderenergi is an important complement to the climate goals of halving our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and reducing them by 90 percent by 2045 across the entire value chain, said Marika Du Rietz, Sustainability Manager at AstraZeneca in Södertälje.

For Södertälje, where AstraZeneca operates one of its largest pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, and the southern Greater Stockholm region, the investment is important for several reasons.

Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is a fantastic investment by Söderenergi, and it is especially nice that AstraZeneca is involved. In the long term, it is about building an energy and climate cluster and taking responsibility for achieving the region’s and Sweden’s climate goals, said Boel Godner, Chairman of the Municipal Executive Board in Södertälje.