Archives: Press Release

UK’s largest renewable power station lights up for Poppy Appeal

8 November 2024

News

Drax Power Station, located near Selby in North Yorkshire, will project a poppy display onto one of its 114-metre-tall cooling towers. The tribute will be visible on Remembrance Sunday (November 10) and Armistice Day (November 11) from 6pm to midnight.

This year’s projection marks the fifth time Drax has paid tribute in this way, with members of the public able to view the display from the Drax Sports and Social Club parking area, located across from the power station.

Bruce Heppenstall, Plant Director at Drax, said:

“We are proud to continue supporting the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal, and this projection is our way of honouring the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

“Many of our team at Drax are veterans, and we understand the deep significance of this weekend. It’s a moment to reflect on the sacrifices of those no longer with us, as well as to support those who continue to serve and transition to civilian life. By supporting the Poppy Appeal, we help provide vital support to veterans and their families offering financial, social, and emotional assistance where it’s needed most.”

Gavin Kirk is one of the veterans who now works at Drax as a Technical Training Co-ordinator and helped to organise the Poppy Appeal at the power station this year.

The ex-Army Warrant Officer  completed 23 years’ service, finishing his Military career in 2018 having served with both the Parachute Regiment and Royal Army Physical Training Corps (RAPTC) who helped to organise the Poppy Appeal at the power station this year.

“I’m proud to work for an organisation that supports the Royal British Legion having witnessed first-hand their support to some of my Military Comrades post serving in the Military,” he said. “There are a few ex-Armed Forces personnel working at Drax, as well as several Army Reserves. The help the Legion provides for veterans like me is fantastic, with many of us relying on this support to help transition to civilian lives.”

ENDS

Photo caption: L-R: Andy Lewis, Gav Kirk, Bruce Heppenstall (Drax Power Station Plant Director), Louie Munton and Christian Reeve.

Media contacts:

Kieran Wilson
E: [email protected] 
T: 07729092807

About Drax

Drax’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Our strategic aims are to be a global leader in both carbon removals and sustainable biomass pellet production, and to be a UK leader in dispatchable, renewable generation.

Our operations

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low-carbon and renewable UK power assets – biomass, hydro, and pumped storage generation – which provide dispatchable power and system support services to the electricity grid.

We are the UK’s largest source of renewable power by output, and Drax Power Station is the UK’s largest single source of renewable electricity by output.

Through our pellet production facilities in North America, Drax is the world’s second largest producer of sustainable biomass. Drax has 18 operational and development pellet production sites which will have a nameplate capacity of around 5.4 million tonnes once expansions are complete.

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK industrial and commercial customers, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.

Our future

Drax is progressing options for carbon removals using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology globally and at our UK biomass power station. We are progressing plans to develop 7 million tonnes of carbon removals through BECCS by 2030.

In 2024, we launched Elimini, a US-based company to lead our global efforts to deliver carbon removals at megaton scale. Elimini’s purpose is to remove carbon for good. To achieve this, it is convening engineers, environmentalists, communities, investors, and innovators to scale the market for carbon removals, with the aspiration of transforming our economies from carbon emitters to carbon removers. For more information, visit elimini.com.

New coding club to encourage the next generation of women in STEM

7 November 2024

News

Launched by the Drax Community and Education team at Drax Power Station near Selby in North Yorkshire, the club aims to promote STEM education among young girls – a key part of Drax’s long-term community engagement strategy.

Currently, only 29% of STEM professionals in the UK are women. Research from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) shows the primary reason for gender disparity in the STEM workforce is that women are not encouraged to think about STEM careers in school.[1]

The students at the club will work on a number of tasks to encourage problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration, including a project to build a replica of Sparky, a Condition Based Maintenance ‘robodog’ from Boston Dynamics, used to autonomously inspect equipment at Drax Power Station. Students will be given the opportunity to do this with a Lego SPIKE set, which combines colourful Lego building blocks, easy-to-use hardware and an intuitive drag-and-drop coding language.

Alongside these collaborative projects, students will be given examples of the real-life applications of the software they develop with the associated careers and roles available at Drax Power Station.

Jane Breach, UK Community & Education Manager said: “We are delighted to launch our brand-new coding club for girls at Selby Community Primary School. The club will provide a supportive and engaging place for girls to develop their coding skills and help to foster an environment where young girls can develop a passion for STEM subjects, which will be vital in encouraging more women into STEM careers.”

Anna Minihan, A teacher at Selby Community Primary School said: “The Lego Spike Coding Club that we ran for girls in Y5 and 6 was a fantastic experience. The kit itself is amazing – the girls loved being able to choose which Lego robot they would build and enjoyed following the instructions on-screen to construct them. Once they completed the builds, they were able to use the laptops to write their own code to program them to do all sorts of things. This really stretched their problem-solving skills and allowed them to apply some skills that they already had in coding.

“We feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to use this kit in our school and I’m so looking forward to the next sessions.”

ENDS

Media contacts:

Kieran Wilson
E: [email protected] 
T: 07729092807

Editor notes

About Drax

Drax’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Our strategic aims are to be a global leader in both carbon removals and sustainable biomass pellet production, and to be a UK leader in dispatchable, renewable generation.

Our operations

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low-carbon and renewable UK power assets – biomass, hydro, and pumped storage generation – which provide dispatchable power and system support services to the electricity grid.

We are the UK’s largest source of renewable power by output, and Drax Power Station is the UK’s largest single source of renewable electricity by output.

Through our pellet production facilities in North America, Drax is the world’s second largest producer of sustainable biomass. Drax has 18 operational and development pellet production sites which will have a nameplate capacity of around 5.4 million tonnes once expansions are complete.

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK industrial and commercial customers, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.

Our future

Drax is progressing options for carbon removals using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology globally and at our UK biomass power station. We are progressing plans to develop 7 million tonnes of carbon removals through BECCS by 2030.

In 2024, we launched Elimini, a US-based company to lead our global efforts to deliver carbon removals at megaton scale. Elimini’s purpose is to remove carbon for good. To achieve this, it is convening engineers, environmentalists, communities, investors, and innovators to scale the market for carbon removals, with the aspiration of transforming our economies from carbon emitters to carbon removers. For more information, visit elimini.com.

[1] Over one million women now in STEM occupations but still account for 29% of STEM workforce

Fang-tastic! – fun and frights for local families at Drax Power Station’s Halloween celebrations

6 November 2024

News

With an emphasis on fun and STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) learning, the event featured a variety of spooky science experiments and creative crafts.

Young visitors eagerly participated in hands-on activities, including a water resistance game that challenged them to help the Incy Wincy Spider navigate down a drainpipe of varying angles. The excitement continued with a chemical reaction experiment, where children delighted in the fizzy spectacle of using vinegar and bicarbonate of soda to inflate pumpkin themed balloons.

A Halloween-themed woodland trail also added an adventurous twist, encouraging children to explore the nature reserve while tackling a fun quiz that tested their Halloween knowledge.

In addition to the scientific fun, the event included craft stations where children created spiral ghosts and Halloween paper chains, allowing their creativity to shine

Jane Breach, UK Community & Education Manager said: “These Halloween events highlight Drax Power Station’s commitment to engaging the community and promoting STEM education for families in the areas in which we operate. Children left the Skylark Centre with lasting memories and newfound knowledge, all whilst celebrating the spirit of Halloween in a safe and festive environment.”

Established by Drax in the early 1970s, Skylark Centre and Nature Reserve now houses a variety of wildlife and serves as an important educational resource for schools, colleges, and local nature organisations.

For information on future events at Drax and the Skylark Nature Reserve, visit Facebook or the Drax website.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Kieran Wilson
E: [email protected] 
T: 07729092807

Editor notes

About Drax

Drax’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Our strategic aims are to be a global leader in both carbon removals and sustainable biomass pellet production, and to be a UK leader in dispatchable, renewable generation.

Our operations

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low-carbon and renewable UK power assets – biomass, hydro, and pumped storage generation – which provide dispatchable power and system support services to the electricity grid.

We are the UK’s largest source of renewable power by output, and Drax Power Station is the UK’s largest single source of renewable electricity by output.

Through our pellet production facilities in North America, Drax is the world’s second largest producer of sustainable biomass. Drax has 18 operational and development pellet production sites which will have a nameplate capacity of around 5.4 million tonnes once expansions are complete.

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK industrial and commercial customers, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.

Our future

Drax is progressing options for carbon removals using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology globally and at our UK biomass power station. We are progressing plans to develop 7 million tonnes of carbon removals through BECCS by 2030.

In 2024, we launched Elimini, a US-based company to lead our global efforts to deliver carbon removals at megaton scale. Elimini’s purpose is to remove carbon for good. To achieve this, it is convening engineers, environmentalists, communities, investors, and innovators to scale the market for carbon removals, with the aspiration of transforming our economies from carbon emitters to carbon removers. For more information, visit elimini.com.

Drax Group CEO, Will Gardiner, welcomes National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) ‘Clean Power 2030’ report

5 November 2024

Opinion

Commenting on the National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) report Clean Power 2030 Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO, said:

“NESO couldn’t be any clearer, our power stations and plans to invest billions in renewable flexible electricity and carbon removals have a critical role to play in delivering the Government’s clean power target and wider climate goals. Drax Power Station’s secure biomass generation, and our intention to double the capacity of our pumped hydro site, Cruachan Power Station, are essential components of the pathways that NESO have set out.

“NESO says the deployment of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is required to meet the Government’s carbon removal targets. We aim to install at least two units of BECCS at Drax Power Station, with the first operational in 2030 removing 4 million tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere per year.

“Our long-term projects in Yorkshire and Scotland will support British energy security, ensuring that millions of homes have power when they need it, not just when the wind is blowing and the sun is shining. And our plans will create thousands of high-quality jobs and support the UK Government to turbo-charge economic growth.

“NESO recognises a rapid decision on a transitional support mechanism for biomass generators post-2027 is required, and we also hope to see the cluster sequencing process accelerated to underpin our BECCS plans and the speedy implementation of the proposed cap and floor regime for Cruachan in the coming months.

“NESO state that the Government’s goals are achievable with faster decision making and greater ambition and we look forward to playing our part in helping them successfully meet their targets.”

Background information:

 NESO report:

  • The NESO report recognises international carbon accounting rules and classifies biomass generation as a source of renewable, low carbon power.
  • The report also notes that both BECCS and biomass are important parts of Britain’s energy security and that biomass is “the only low carbon dispatchable power currently operational at scale” in the country.

Drax Power Station’s role in delivering energy security:

  • Drax Power Station is the UK’s single largest source of renewable power, providing 2.6GW of dispatchable secure generation.
  • In 2023, it provided 4% of the UK’s electricity and 8% of its renewable power.
  • The Selby site provides enough secure power for 4 million homes, and is not dependent on the wind blowing or the sun shining to generate.
  • The science underpinning the carbon accounting for biomass generation is established and supported by leading international experts including the UN’s IPCC.
  • With an increase in intermittent renewable generation forecast in the coming years and around 7 GW of nuclear and coal capacity expected to close between 2024 and 2030, along with growing uncertainty around new nuclear development timelines, Drax Power Station will have a significant ongoing role to play in UK energy security.
  • Research by Public First finds that in 2028 a perfect storm of an increase in demand, the retirement of existing assets and delays to the delivery of Hinkley Point C will culminate in demand for power exceeding secure dispatchable and baseload capacity by 7.5GW at peak times.

BECCS:

  • Drax plans to invest billions in transforming Drax Power Station into the world’s largest engineered carbon removals plant by installing two units of BECCS at the site and creating up to 10,000 jobs at the peak of construction.
  • To achieve climate targets, including climate budgets and net zero, the UK requires the deployment of large-scale Power BECCS.
  • The UN’s IPCC and the UK’s independent advisory panel, the Climate Change Committee and Forum for the Future have all said that carbon removals from BECCS will be needed to address the climate crisis.
  • BECCS is the only technology that can deliver reliable, secure and renewable power while permanently removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
  • Analysis by the consultancy Baringa shows that BECCS at Drax Power Station could save the UK up to £15bn between 2030 and 2050, when compared to other more complex carbon reduction measures.
  • NESO’s FES report reaffirmed the UK’s need for BECCS to reach net zero, saying there was no scenario under which BECCS was not required. And the Climate Change Committee said the business models for BECCS need to be finalised quickly to meet the government’s ambitious carbon removal goals.
  • Drax believes the 5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas removals target by 2030 is impossible to meet without BECCS at Drax. This would also make the fifth carbon budget unachievable.

Cruachan expansion:

  • Drax owns and operates one of the UK’s four pumped storage hydro plants – Cruachan Power Station, near Oban in Scotland.
  • These plants are integral to the country’s energy security through storing excess power from renewables to be re-used when electricity is in short supply.
  • Pumped storage plants act like giant water batteries by using reversible turbines to pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir which stores excess power from sources such as wind farms when supply outstrips demand. These same turbines are then reversed to bring the stored water back through the plant to generate power when the country needs it.
  • Drax is progressing plans to develop the UK’s first new pumped storage hydro power station in a generation.
  • The proposed 600 MW new plant would be built adjacent to the existing Cruachan facility.
  • The project has received development consent from the Scottish Government and the UK Government is working on plans to introduce a new investment model for new-build long duration electricity storage projects in 2025.

World-leading engineering team appointed to Drax’s Cruachan Expansion Project

31 October 2024

News

Drax is progressing an option to expand its existing Cruachan pumped storage facility in Scotland through the construction of a new 600 MW power station. Built adjacent to the existing underground plant, the new power station would effectively more than double the site’s total generation capacity to more than 1 GW.

Pumped storage plants act like giant water batteries by using reversible turbines to pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir, which stores excess power from sources such as wind farms when supply outstrips demand. These same turbines are then reversed to bring the stored water back through the plant’s turbines to generate power when the country needs it. This process both strengthens energy security and enables the grid to decarbonise.

COWI and PINI will provide dedicated support through the project’s Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase, with their expertise in pumped storage hydro being used in areas such as civil and marine engineering, geotechnics, mechanical and electrical systems. Both firms have a strong track record in hydro developments around the world.

Steve Marshall, Drax’s Development Manager for the Cruachan Expansion project, said: “We are delighted to welcome two world-leading engineering consultancies to our project, helping us move forward with the new power station’s design.

“A new generation of pumped storage hydro plants will strengthen the UK’s energy security through enabling more homegrown renewable electricity to come online, cutting the need to import power or fossil fuels from abroad.

“Projects such as Drax’s will not only be good for the grid, but it will also offer fantastic opportunities for local communities and businesses. Expanding Cruachan will be a major infrastructure project which will create jobs and provide a real boost to Scotland’s economy.”

During the construction phase, the expansion of Cruachan is expected to support around 1,100 jobs across the UK and contribute a potential £470m to the economy. It would be one of the most significant infrastructure projects in Scotland in a generation.

Andy Sloan, Managing Director, COWI in the UK, said: “COWI is thrilled to support Drax on this vital project and continue to play a key role in the revival of pumped storage in Scotland. This project allows us to apply our expertise in rock mechanics and tunnel engineering to a renewable energy initiative.

“Hydroelectric developments offer tremendous potential for addressing long-term energy storage needs, paving our way to a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come.”

Pierluigi Nionelli, Head of Business Line Hydropower, PINI Group, said: “The expansion of Cruachan will make a crucial contribution to the energy transition process in Scotland. Our Hydropower Business Line is dedicated to developing cutting-edge solutions for the sector on a daily basis.

“We are therefore truly honored to be able to transfer our know-how and skills, developed over the years across Europe, South America, Asia, and Oceania, to a project like Cruachan.”

The appointment of the joint venture comes just a few weeks after the UK Government confirmed it would be moving ahead with a new investment framework to support long duration electricity storage technologies, including pumped storage hydro.

In addition to the proposed construction of a new plant, Drax is currently progressing an £80 million major refurbishment of its existing Cruachan site. The refurbishment will see original parts replaced and the generating capacity of the power station upgraded from 440 MW to 480 MW.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Aidan Kerr, Senior External Affairs Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07849090368

Editor notes

  • Drax’s plans to build a new 600 MW pumped storage hydro plant at Cruachan was granted development consent through the Section 36 process from the Scottish Government in July 2023.
  • Cruachan was constructed over a six-year period by a large workforce of 1,300 men, affectionately known as the Tunnel Tigers. But before they could build the power station inside the mountain, they had to drill and blast into it. The men used handheld air drills to bore holes in the solid granite rock, which were then packed with gelignite and blasted.

About Drax

Drax’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Our strategic aims are to be a global leader in both carbon removals and sustainable biomass pellet production, and to be a UK leader in dispatchable, renewable generation.

Our operations

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low-carbon and renewable UK power assets – biomass, hydro, and pumped storage generation – which provide dispatchable power and system support services to the electricity grid.

We are the UK’s largest source of renewable power by output, and Drax Power Station is the UK’s largest single source of renewable electricity by output.

Through our pellet production facilities in North America, Drax is the world’s second largest producer of sustainable biomass. Drax has 18 operational and development pellet production sites which will have a nameplate capacity of around 5.4 million tonnes once expansions are complete.

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK industrial and commercial customers, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.

Our future

Drax is progressing options for carbon removals using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology globally and at our UK biomass power station. We are progressing plans to develop 7 million tonnes of carbon removals through BECCS by 2030.

In 2024, we launched Elimini, a US-based company to lead our global efforts to deliver carbon removals at megaton scale. Elimini’s purpose is to remove carbon for good. To achieve this, it is convening engineers, environmentalists, communities, investors, and innovators to scale the market for carbon removals, with the aspiration of transforming our economies from carbon emitters to carbon removers. For more information, visit elimini.com.

Drax provides £1m funding for groundbreaking Smart Green Shipping project

22 October 2024

News

Renewable energy leader Drax Group (Drax) and Smart Green Shipping are partnering on a groundbreaking project, to develop and use innovative wind-assisted ‘FastRig’ technology, which will be used to help decarbonise the shipping sector.

The project will see Drax inject £1m into the initiative, matched by funding from the UK Government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) grant, which will see Smart Green Shipping’s, lightweight, retractable wingsail, installed on a vessel, with a view to demonstrating how the technology can reduce fuel consumption and resulting emissions by up to 30% per year.

Smart Green Shipping is currently undertaking sea trials of FastRig on one of Nuclear Transport Solutions’ specialist vessels, the Pacific Grebe – a purpose-built ship designed to carry nuclear cargo around the world safely. The sea trials will conclude by the end of October and will provide Smart Green Shipping with accurate, independently verified performance data.

The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping contribute around 3% of all global emissions, having risen 20% over the last decade. An earlier feasibility study conducted in partnership with Drax demonstrated potential fuel savings on ships equipped with FastRig of up to 30% per year on transatlantic routes.

If the latest demonstration is successful, work to install the technology on a commercial biomass vessel can begin, helping to decarbonise this hard-to-abate sector. The technology could also prove vital to further reducing supply chain emissions from the bulk transport of Drax’s sustainable biomass, which is used to produce around 8% of Britain’s renewable power.

Drax aims to become a carbon negative company by 2030 by installing Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) at Drax Power Station, in Yorkshire. The power station has already been transformed by using sustainable biomass instead of coal, and the application of BECCS could enable Drax to further reduce its emissions by permanently removing up to eight million tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere each year.

Drax’s investment in the project will also be used to develop Smart Green Shipping’s suite of wind-assist solutions. This includes FastRoute, an industry-first digital system co-created with the University of Southampton, that combines artificial intelligence with high-performance computing to analyse weather data and optimise routes for ships equipped to harness wind power. Using historical and forecast weather data, FastRoute accurately predicts how FastRig will perform, optimising journeys for FastRig-enabled ships and giving investors confidence in fuel savings. Research shows that optimised weather routes significantly reduce fuel usage and GHG emissions.

Diane Gilpin, CEO and founder of Smart Green Shipping said: “Wind is abundant, free, and exclusively available to any ship equipped to use it. Modern 21st century easily retrofittable wing sails lower the cost of propelling ships, which reduces the dependency on commodity-based fuels – whether fossil or alternative fuels – and improves supply chain certainty. Smart Green Shipping shares a joint mission with Drax Group to use renewables to move renewables. We are immensely grateful for the support from Drax Group to create seamless and easy-to-access wind solutions for cargo owners and ship owners. The first commercial installation of FastRig is incredibly exciting and an important milestone as we derisk the transition to wind for the whole shipping ecosystem.”

Miguel Veiga Pestana, Chief Sustainability Officer at Drax said: “Smart Green Shipping’s technology represents a landmark moment for the maritime energy transition and Drax is proud to provide this funding, which re-affirms our commitment to becoming a carbon-negative business by 2030. We look forward to continuing our longstanding partnership as we work together on this exciting project, which could allow us to significantly reduce emissions from the shipping of sustainable biomass, and help to decarbonise a crucial part of our global supply chain.”

Maritime Minister, Mike Kane said: “Reducing shipping emissions is vital if we’re going to decarbonise the sector and achieve our mission of becoming a Clean Energy Superpower. It’s fantastic to see Government funding making a difference, and we will continue to support UK industry to deliver a cleaner, greener sector and develop the smart technologies of the future.”

ENDS

Media contact:
Kieran Wilson
E: [email protected]
T: 07729092807

Image credit: NTS/Smart Green Shipping

Editor notes

  • Drax plans to install Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage at its power station in Yorkshire by 2030, allowing Drax to remove millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere whilst producing renewable power and creating up to 10,000 jobs.
  • Drax Power Station plays an important role in UK energy security, contributing around 4% of the country’s total power and 8% of its renewable electricity.
  • Leading climate scientists and energy experts at the UK Climate Change Committee, UN IPCC and National Grid all recognise that BECCS is essential for reaching net zero.
  • The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) stated in its review of Maritime Transport 2023 that maritime trade is expected to grow 2.4% in 2023 and more than 2% between 2024 and 2028.
  • The report also states that without action, emissions could reach 130% of their 2008 levels by 2050.
  • Drax reports its supply chain emissions in its Annual Report, which is independently audited.

About Smart Green Shipping:

Smart Green Shipping unlocks wind power for the shipping industry by building and financing autonomous, retrofittable wind technologies to help reduce carbon emissions by 30%. The first product in the suite, FastRig – a 100% recyclable wingsail – is undergoing at-sea trials with NTS in October 2024 in a project part-funded by the UK Government. Smart Green Shipping works closely within the shipping ecosystem, including cargo owners Drax, shipowners MOL, Ultrabulk, NTS and has received support and investment from Scottish Enterprise. Its technical team comprises Humphreys Yacht Design, Houlder, Malin Group, Caley Ocean Systems, Argo Engineering, Lloyd’s Register and the University of Southampton.

About Drax:

Drax Group’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2030, using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.

Drax’s around 3,000 employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production and supply to third parties. For more information visit www.drax.com

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of renewable electricity generation assets in England and Scotland. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies five percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe. It is also where Drax is piloting the groundbreaking negative emissions technology BECCS within its CCUS (Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage) Incubation Area.

Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan.

The Group also aims to build on its BECCS innovation at Drax Power Station with a target to deliver 4 million tonnes of negative CO2 emissions each year from new-build BECCS outside of the UK by 2030 and is currently developing models for North American and European markets.

Pellet production and supply:

The Group has 19 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around 5 million tonnes a year.

Drax is targeting 8 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over 3 million tonnes of new biomass pellet production capacity. The pellets are produced using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests and are supplied to third party customers in Europe and Asia for the generation of renewable power.

Drax’s pellet plants supply biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses, and also to customers in Europe and Asia.

Customers:  

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK businesses, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.

To find out more go to the website www.energy.drax.com

Drax welcomes Government’s progress on unlocking pumped storage hydro investment

10 October 2024

News

The UK Government’s confirmation of a cap and floor regime as the investment framework for new large-scale, long-duration electricity storage projects has been welcomed by renewable energy leader Drax.

Despite their critical role in decarbonisation, a gap in energy policy support has hindered the development of new pumped storage hydro plants for a generation. No new plants have been built in the UK since 1984, leaving the country to fall behind international competitors.

Drax is progressing an option to expand its existing Cruachan pumped storage facility in Scotland through the construction of a new 600 MW plant. Built adjacent to the existing underground plant, the new power station would effectively more than double the site’s total generation capacity to more than 1 GW.

During the construction phase, the project is expected to support around 1,100 jobs across the UK and contribute a potential £470m to the economy. It would be one of the most significant infrastructure projects in Scotland in a generation.

Pumped storage plants act like giant water batteries by using reversible turbines to pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir, which stores excess power from sources such as wind farms when supply outstrips demand. These same turbines are then reversed to bring the stored water back through the plant’s turbines to generate power when the country needs it. This process both strengthens energy security and enables the grid to decarbonise.

Ian Kinnaird, Drax’s Scottish Assets Director, said: “Today’s announcement is a critical step forward to removing one of the key hurdles developers face in building a new generation of pumped storage hydro plants. I would like to thank the new Government for moving at speed to do this within their first 100 days in office.

“Pumped storage stabilises the electricity system, helping to balance supply and demand through storing excess power. When Scotland’s wind turbines are generating more power than we need, Drax’s Cruachan steps in to store the renewable electricity so it doesn’t go to waste.

“We look forward to working constructively with the UK Government and other stakeholders on the next steps of this process so we can deliver in partnership a clean power system by 2030 which strengthens our energy security and delivers for consumers.”

In addition to the proposed construction of a new plant, Drax is currently progressing an £80 million major refurbishment of its existing Cruachan site. The refurbishment will see original parts replaced and the generating capacity of the power station upgraded from 440 MW to 480 MW.

ENDS

Media contacts:
Aidan Kerr, Senior External Affairs Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07849090368

Editor notes

  • Drax’s plans to build a new 600 MW pumped storage hydro plant at Cruachan was granted development consent through the Section 36 process from the Scottish Government in July 2023.
  • A report by KPMG for Drax found that a Cap & Floor regime was the standout solution to unlock private investment in the technology while incentivising system needs to be met efficiently.

Picture perfect – Photo exhibition for Drax Power Station’s golden anniversary

1 October 2024

News

Renewable energy leader Drax is marking 50 years since Drax Power Station began generating electricity with a brand-new public exhibition at Selby Abbey.

The exhibition, Drax Power Station: Powering Britain for 50 Years, celebrates the unique history of the power station, exploring the crucial role it plays in the UK’s power system and the positive impact it has made on local communities over the years. The exhibition also looks ahead at plans to make the power station the world’s largest engineered carbon removals plant by installing Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) technology.

The exhibition features photos from the construction of the power station which started in 1967, along with pictures of the finishing touches being applied to its iconic cooling towers, the control room, and its four biomass storage domes which can each hold 80,000 tonnes of compressed wood pellets.

Drax Power Station began the transition from coal-fired power to sustainable biomass generation in 2003 and following the decommissioning of its remaining coal units it is now the UK’s biggest renewable power source by output.

Drax’s BECCS plans will allow Drax Power Station to continue to play a critical role in supporting UK energy security and would enable it to remove approximately 8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year when fully operational.

Bruce Heppenstall, Drax Plant Director, said: “Drax Power Station has stood as an iconic landmark on the North Yorkshire skyline for 50 years and provides power for over four million homes and businesses, whilst contributing £358 million to the local economy and supporting 2,500 jobs.

“This exhibition of photos from the proud history of our power station embodies the collective spirit of hard work and innovation of all those who have worked at the power station. It represents Drax’s crucial role in UK energy security and celebrating its transition from coal to sustainable biomass, and heralding an exciting future with BECCS, which we aim to use to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere whilst generating renewable power.”

The exhibition is open to the public and runs from Saturday 28th September to Thursday 10th October at Selby Abbey. Opening Times: Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 12pm-4pm.

ENDS

Photo caption 1: Aerial view of Drax Power Station in 1975.

Photo caption 2: Construction of one of the cooling towers at Drax Power Station in the 1980s.

Photo caption 3: Drax Power Station control room in 1984.

Media contacts:

Kieran Wilson
E: [email protected] 
T: 07729092807

Editor notes

About Drax

Drax Group’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2030, using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.

Drax’s around 3,000 employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production and supply to third parties. For more information visit www.drax.com

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of renewable electricity generation assets in England and Scotland. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies five percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe. It is also where Drax is piloting the groundbreaking negative emissions technology BECCS within its CCUS (Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage) Incubation Area.

Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan.

The Group also aims to build on its BECCS innovation at Drax Power Station with a target to deliver 4 million tonnes of negative CO2 emissions each year from new-build BECCS outside of the UK by 2030 and is currently developing models for North American and European markets.

Pellet production and supply:

The Group has 19 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around 5 million tonnes a year.

Drax is targeting 8 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over 3 million tonnes of new biomass pellet production capacity. The pellets are produced using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests and are supplied to third party customers in Europe and Asia for the generation of renewable power.

Drax’s pellet plants supply biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses, and also to customers in Europe and Asia.

Customers: 

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK businesses, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.

To find out more go to the website www.energy.drax.com

Introducing Elimini: New carbon removal leader launches at New York Climate Week

24 September 2024

News
  • Elimini has launched at New York Climate Week with ambition to deliver carbon removals at megaton scale and 24/7 renewable power
  • US-based company group has entered into 11 carbon dioxide removal deals with eight companies, two fiber option agreements, the establishment of an esteemed Advisory Council, and the creation of four knowledge collaborations to advance research and understanding in carbon dioxide removal technologies
  • More than 20 potential bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) sites under review in North America alone for potential BECCS facilities, with additional projects under consideration in six more countries
  • New independent research reveals 74 percent of Americans are concerned about climate change, with only 37 percent believing the government is doing enough to support the development of carbon removal technologies

Elimini, a new US-based business with an ambition to be a leader in carbon removals, has today been launched at Climate Week NYC. The company is dedicated to permanently removing carbon from the atmosphere while generating renewable, 24/7 power.

By advancing bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in the United States and beyond, the new company will help meet soaring demand for both 24/7 renewable energy and high-integrity carbon removals. Nearly all realistic pathways to limit global warming to 1.5C and 2C require developing and deploying carbon removal technology at gigaton scale and tripling renewable energy capacity. Elimini will pair 24/7 renewable energy production with carbon capture technology through BECCS – the only technology that currently supports the delivery of both targets simultaneously.

The business has been launched as new research finds that 74 percent of Americans are concerned about climate change, with 56 percent believing the government should be doing more to support the development of carbon removal technologies – and for those already familiar with these technologies, that number jumps to 72 percent, suggesting that familiarity directly drives increased favorability.

Elimini’s purpose is to remove carbon for good. To achieve this, it is convening engineers, environmentalists, communities, investors, and innovators to scale the market for carbon removals, with the aspiration of transforming our economies from carbon emitters to carbon removers. As an independently operated, wholly owned subsidiary within Drax Group, Elimini will also sell carbon removals generated at Drax Power Station, which conducted the first BECCS pilot of its kind in Europe and with the right government support will convert that facility to BECCS.

Will Gardiner, Elimini Executive Chair and Drax Group CEO said: “Carbon removals are desperately needed to reverse the legacy emissions warming our planet – and that industry represents more than a $1 trillion opportunity once it reaches gigaton scale. Elimini will have the focus and agility needed to become a leader in the maturing carbon market, rapidly advancing high-quality carbon removals and renewable energy production at global scale.”

Today, Elimini announced the following:

Investment from first-mover climate leaders

Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) offtake agreements with:

And the conversion of two previous MOUs with C-Zero Markets to offtakes with Elimini.

Plus, brokerage agreements with:

An Advisory Council formed of experts from across the carbon removals value chain

Established to help Elimini shape the company’s strategy and hold it true to its purpose and values. Comprised of experts with diverse backgrounds who share our commitment to removing carbon for good:

  • David Hill, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New York Independent System Operator and Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy. Previously, he was Executive Vice President & General Counsel of NRG Energy and served as the US Department of Energy General Counsel.
  • Miranda Ballentine, former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Installations, Environment, and Energy) and Founding CEO of the Clean Energy Buyers Association; currently serving as Senior Advisor at Green Strategies, and as a Board Member and Independent Practitioner to clean energy organizations.
  • Melissa Lott, Professor, Climate School, Columbia University.
  • Freddie Davis, Director of the Rural Training and Research Center at the Federation of Southern Cooperatives.
  • Rajiv S. Joshi, Founder of Bridging Ventures and former Executive Director of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), the world’s largest civil society alliance, launched by Nelson Mandela, working to end poverty and inequality.

Knowledge collaborations

We’ partnering with innovative institutions to push the boundaries of carbon capture technology, including:

Biomass supply partners

Manulife Investment Management and Molpus Woodlands have signed options to provide sustainably sourced woody biomass to fuel Elimini’s BECCS operations in the US Southeast.

The Forest Landowners Assistance Program

Elimini will launch a new program for local, family-owned, or underserved landowners to receive assistance with managing their forests and providing feedstocks for BECCS facilities that will meet Elimini’s high sustainability standards.

The selection of its Owner’s Engineer to support the development of its first BECCS facility in the US 

Elimini has selected engineering firm Sargent & Lundy as the owner’s engineer to support with the development of a BECCS project in the United States. Full scale development is underway at our most advanced site for our first greenfield BECCS project.

Once fully operational, the 300-megawatt generation project will produce two terawatt hours of renewable energy while capturing 3Mt of CO2 annually – the equivalent of the average annual emissions of 100 commercial airliners.

Laurie Fitzmaurice, Elimini President said: “Elimini is entering the market at a critical time for our planet and the global economy, when unprecedented demand for power threatens to extend the world’s dependence on coal and other fossil fuels. By advancing BECCS and other carbon removal technologies in the United States and beyond, we will provide organizations and governments with realistic alternatives to power their communities and businesses while staying on track to achieve their climate commitments.”

David Hill, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New York Independent System Operator and Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy said, “Elimini’s stated purpose is to remove carbon for good. As a member of the Advisory Council, I look forward to working with the company as it seeks to address some very interesting and exciting opportunities.”

“Solving climate change will require many technologies, including a critical set of net-zero and net-negative power plants that are needed to supply the global economy with reliable, affordable, and clean electricity,” said Dr. Melissa Lott, Professor, Climate School, Columbia University. “It is exciting to see Elimini step fully into this space at this critical time in global efforts to deploy technologies at the speed and scale that is needed to reduce emissions and protect the health of our communities.”

Walid Rechache, Co-Founder and CEO at Holborn Trading said, “We are excited and proud to support Elimini on their carbon removal initiative. Holborn Trading is invested because we believe in securing a sustainable future. By supporting innovative solutions like decarbonization technologies and projects including carbon dioxide removal, we’re not just offsetting emissions – we’re actively restoring the balance of our planet’s atmosphere, ensuring a healthier environment for generations to come.”

Read more about our new company, team, and the latest research here.