WASTE THAT’LL TAKE YOU PLACES
A £2 billion (US$2.6 billion) sustainable aviation fuel facility planned by Saudi Arabia-based Alfanar has officially received approval to move forward with construction in Northeast England. The Lighthouse Green Fuels project is to be located in the North Tees industry cluster region of Teesside. Once operational, the site is anticipated to turn over 1.5 million tons of biomass waste into about 180 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel annually. In addition, carbon capture technology the company will use at the plant will prevent the release of more than 750,000 tons of carbon dioxide, which will be moved to storage facilities the Northern Endurance Partnership has under development. In July, the electrical products manufacturer received an £8 million ($10.7 million) boost from the UK Government’s Advanced Fuel Fund (AFF) to support the project, bringing its total AFF award to over £27 million ($36 million). Alfanar has stated the projected is expected to be complete in 2029, creating 240 direct jobs in the region.
Photo courtesy of GSK
A BOOST IN U.S. PRODUCTION
Global biopharma manufacturer GSK announced last week that a massive $30 billion investment would be distributed across the U.S. by 2030. The company is aiming to enhance its U.S.-based R&D and manufacturing capacity, allocating $1.2 billion specifically toward next-generation biopharma factories and laboratories. In Pennsylvania, GSK plans to construct a new biologics flex factory in Montgomery County’s Upper Merion Township. The facility, which will begin construction next year, is slated to produce medicines for respiratory disease and cancer. GSK will also bring new advanced digital technologies into five facilities in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Montana and North Carolina. The addition of new technological capabilities will allow the company to support new drug substance manufacturing and enhance device and auto-injector assembly. “Alongside the many longstanding and vital shared interests that connect the UK and the United States is advancing life sciences to get ahead of disease,” said GSK CEO Emma Walmsley. “This week’s state visit brings together two countries that have led the world in science and health care innovation. We are proud to be part of both.”
Photo courtesy of Microsoft
PLUGGING INTO MOUNT PLEASANT
Last week, Microsoft officials and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced a $4 billion data center campus would soon be in the works in Mount Pleasant. This investment will introduce the company’s second data center complex in town, just two years after construction began on its initial $3.3 billion data center, which is expected to become operational by early 2026. “In the heart of the American Midwest, a modern marvel is rising,” said Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith. “We’re in the final phases of building the world’s most powerful AI datacenter in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin — part of a region forged by generations of hard work and ingenuity. This facility is more than a technological feat. It’s a promise to grow responsibly, invest deeply and create opportunities for Wisconsin and for the nation.” Over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs have been created in the process of developing Microsoft’s first data center project, and this fresh investment is expected to carry the same impact. According to Microsoft, the second campus will come online by the end of 2028.
Reports compiled and written by Alexis Elmore
