Reaching net zero by the end of 2040 across our value chain.
Over the next decade, global demand for electricity will rise, fast. Rapid developments in AI, data centres, electric vehicles, heat pumps and air conditioning are predicted to drive unprecedented demand for power. At the same time, carbon emissions need to halve. How do we keep the lights on, while powering progress and taking care of our planet?
At Drax, we’ve already taken one big step towards solving this challenge. Having converted our power station from coal to biomass, it’s now a critical source of renewable power to the UK grid. But we’re nowhere near done.
Our objective isn’t just to reduce emissions, but to have a net positive impact on the climate. We’ll aim to do this through three major areas of action.
Reducing emissions to net zero
First, we’ll aim to minimise emissions across our value chain, reaching net zero in scopes 1, 2 and 3 by the end of 2040. Getting there requires more than just converting to biomass — we also need to keep making our operations as clean1 as possible. We’ve already made significant progress here, cutting our total group supply chain emissions by 27% since 2020. Eliminating the remainder will be hard. The biggest challenges are shipping and pelleting, and we’re making progress on both, including investing in a wind-assisted shipping trial and testing renewable power sources for our pellet plants.
Sourcing biomass only from well-managed forests2, or other responsible sources
We are committed to sourcing biomass that delivers climate, nature and people positive outcomes, adhering to strict compliance, traceability, and third-party certification standards.
Removing carbon for good
Third, we’ll continue to develop and evaluate options to permanently remove carbon from the atmosphere via our carbon removals projects. To accelerate this, we launched a new business unit, Elimini, with a focused goal of scaling carbon removals.
Our commitments
We will reach net zero by the end of 2040 across our value chain.
C1  |
We will achieve all our near-term 2030 SBTi targets covering scopes 1, 2 and 3. We will aim to further achieve our 2040 net zero target, which is in active review with SBTi at present. |
| C2 |
We will explore the efficient recovery and integration of the heat of our Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) facilities and pellet plants, to create and use the heat as a product where local demand exists. |
| C3 |
We will perform comprehensive cradle to grave carbon life cycle analysis (LCA) to establish carbon footprint baselines and to identify potential improvements of our facilities. |
We will deliver evidence on forest carbon stocks in all principal biomass feedstock sourcing areas by the end of 2026, using rigorous science-based approaches.
| C4 |
By the end of 2026, we will have evaluated forest carbon stocks in all principal sourcing areas and will monitor trends using a pioneering science-based approach. |
| C5 |
We will develop and pilot a robust, peer reviewed forest carbon appraisal methodology for evaluating the impact of biomass demand on carbon stocks in sourcing regions by the end of 2025, and we’ll champion this among our peers. |
| C6 |
We will continue to conduct comprehensive forest carbon risk and resilience assessments in all sourcing regions that supply our pellet mills and future BECCS facilities. |
We will further address the global climate crisis with positive contributions to climate change mitigation and adaptation by the end of 2030.
| C7 |
We will continue to develop and evaluate options to permanently remove carbon from the atmosphere via our carbon removals projects. |
| C8 |
We will publish and implement a climate adaptation plan by the end of 2027. |
