Archives: Press Release

Drax sponsors ‘Pen Friends’ program to improve children’s reading and writing skills

31 January 2021

Press releases

Renewable energy company Drax has partnered with United Way of Northeast Louisiana to introduce the ‘Pen Friends’ program to elementary schools in Morehouse Parish as part of the company’s commitment to supporting education and skills development.

The Pen Friends program is part of United Way’s ‘READ.LEARN.SUCCEED.’ initiative which aims to improve children’s literacy skills and increase social mobility. The program was introduced this school year at Delta and Morehouse Elementary Schools and offers second and third grade students the opportunity to exchange letters with volunteers as a way to practice their reading and writing.

Each month, participating students receive a letter and a packet filled with books, activities, and other educational tools to aid their learning.

United Way Community Impact Initiatives Director Michelle Saucer said: “The goal of our ‘READ.LEARN.SUCCEED.’ initiative is to practice and sharpen reading and writing skills and build positive connections with our second and third graders. We appreciate Drax’s commitment to helping United Way ensure the success of our children and youth.”

Process Engineer at Drax’s Morehouse pellet plant and Pen Friends volunteer JD Sampson said: “I think this is a great opportunity to improve the education of local young people. I have thoroughly enjoyed corresponding with my Pen Friend and hopefully have encouraged them to engage with reading and writing.”

The program was initially developed by United Way in 2013 to tackle the issue of children falling behind their expected reading grade level. Drax has extended the program to Morehouse Parish, home of one of its pellet plants, as part of the company’s focus on improving education in local communities.

According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, over a quarter of students who struggle with literacy in the third grade do not finish high school.

Drax HR administrator Tammy Jones, who also volunteered to be a Pen Friend, said: “I’m pleased to be able to contribute to a positive initiative like this in our community. It’s so important that we support the education of our future generations, and I hope Pen Friends will provide students with constructive mentorship to support their learning.”

Drax is committed to supporting the communities local to its operations through a variety of measures that include sponsoring educational programs and providing support in times of crisis, including during the Covid-19 pandemic and natural disasters such as Hurricane Ida.

Photo caption: Second grade students at Delta Elementary School receiving their Pen Friends packets

ENDS

Media contacts:

Megan Hopgood
Communications Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07936 350 175

Editor’s Notes

Headquartered in Monroe, LA, with operations in the Southeastern U.S., Drax is committed to supporting the communities in which it operates by promoting sustainable forestry and investing in local economic development. It is part of British energy company Drax Group.

Drax produces sustainable compressed wood pellets, used by Drax Power Station in England to generate renewable electricity for millions of UK homes and businesses.

Around two thirds of the sustainable biomass Drax uses each year comes from the US, where Drax owns and operates four pellet plants producing compressed wood pellets sourced from sustainably managed working forests in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.

The plants also deliver economic growth and jobs in the US south.

Drax works within a community engagement framework that has four primary themes:

  • Education – STEM and literacy
  • Underserved/underprivileged communities and children
  • Environmental stewardship
  • Economic Development

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.

Its 3,400 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 4Mt 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 13 operational pellet plants with nameplate capacity of c.4Mt, plus a further two plants currently commissioning and other developments/expansions which will increase this to c.5Mt once complete.

Drax is targeting 8Mt of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over 3Mt 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 mills supply around 30% of the biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

Customers: 

Drax is the largest supplier of renewable electricity to UK businesses, supplying 100% renewable electricity as standard to more than 370,000 sites through Drax and Opus Energy.

It offers 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 leads the way in ambitious initiative to improve skills for a million people

14 January 2021

Press releases
  • Drax is the first UK energy company to announce an initiative to improve employability for a million people by 2025.
  • Publication of Drax’s Opportunity Action Plan is in partnership with the Social Mobility Pledge, led by the former Education Secretary, the Rt Hon Justine Greening.
  • By pioneering cutting-edge carbon capture technology, Drax could make a major contribution to a post-covid, green economic recovery by creating and protecting thousands of jobs in the North.

Drax is the UK’s first energy company to make a pledge to boost social mobility for a million people by 2025.

It has announced the target as part of its Opportunity Action Plan developed in partnership with the Social Mobility Pledge, led by the Rt Hon Justine Greening.

Through its ‘Mobilising a Million’ initiative, the renewable energy company will connect with one million people by 2025 to improve skills, education, employability and opportunity.

It is one of a pioneering group of UK businesses and universities aiming to set a new and higher standard on boosting social mobility in Britain, with boardroom focus on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues, through the Social Mobility Pledge.

Drax’s new target has been launched as part of its Opportunity Action Plan – the culmination of its work with the Social Mobility Pledge team, which identified Drax as being a trail blazing, purpose-led business.

Drax donated laptops to students to assist learning during the Covid-19 crisis.

Justine Greening, Co-founder of the Social Mobility Pledge, said:

“Achieving true social mobility in Britain and levelling up our country is a huge challenge but one that businesses are rising to.

“Businesses like Drax have a crucial role to play in levelling up, and ensuring that our country’s Net Zero targets and ambitions are not just met, but delivered in a way that creates opportunities and levels up communities like Selby, Ipswich, Northampton and in Scotland where Drax has its operations.

“In publishing this Opportunity Action Plan and marking its ambition to improve skills, education, employability and opportunity for one million people – Drax has demonstrated its commitments to making a positive social impact.”

Drax is a leader in renewable energy, having converted the power station in North Yorkshire to use sustainable biomass instead of coal, transforming the business to become the largest decarbonisation project in Europe and the UK’s biggest single site, renewable power generator.

It plans to go further by using ground-breaking Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) technology to become carbon negative by 2030 – meaning it will be permanently removing more CO2 from the atmosphere than its operations create.

As a founding member of the Zero Carbon Humber bid which aims to use BECCS, hydrogen and other CCS technologies to decarbonise industry across the region, Drax will help to level up the North. Independent analysis published last year by Vivid Economics shows that deploying these new, green energy technologies will create and support around 50,000 jobs, helping to reverse the economic impacts of the Covid crisis.

Clare Harbord, Drax Group Director of Corporate Affairs, said:

“Drax, along with other businesses, has an important part to play in making sure we have a future workforce with the skills to deliver the new technologies needed to decarbonise the economy and meet the UK’s net zero target.

“By boosting education, skills and employability opportunities for a million people, we can start to level the playing field and build a more diverse workforce. This will make the energy sector stronger and able to make a more significant contribution to the UK’s green recovery from Covid.”

The ambitious Mobilising a Million initiative was launched at a virtual event (on Thursday, 14 January 2021) with Justine Greening attended by local politicians and Drax’s education partners to discuss working together to support communities through Covid and beyond.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Aidan Kerr
Drax Group Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07849090368

Peter Bould
Social Mobility Pledge
E: [email protected]

Editor’s Notes

Drax’s ‘Mobilising a Million’ initiative will include:

  • Holding skills sessions via online media such as Oak Academy, Learn Live and webinars, and resume face-to-face sessions when practicable.
  • Drax will continue our long-standing commitment to support education through site tours and virtual tours, educational outreach programmes, Stone Foundation, Laptops for Learners, and school interactions.
  • The company will support employability by providing targeted support to enable individuals to develop their career through Apprenticeships, Graduate schemes, Internships, and Drax supported college partnerships.
  • The initiative will improve opportunity in targeted schools with high proportions of free school meals, where we will increase positive interactions with a careers or educational focus by providing careers events and support, science fairs, work experience, CV support and women focused events to promote gender balance in the energy industry.

The Social Mobility Pledge was created in 2018 by former Secretary of State for Education, Rt Hon Justine Greening and entrepreneur, David Harrison.

It is a commitment from businesses large and small across Britain to become a Social Mobility Pledge employer, taking the three steps below:

1) Partnering – directly with schools or colleges to provide coaching through quality careers advice, enrichment experience and/or mentoring to people from disadvantaged backgrounds or circumstances.

2) Access – providing structured work experience and/or apprenticeship opportunities to people from disadvantaged backgrounds or circumstances

3) Recruitment – adopting open employee recruitment practices which promote a level playing field for people from disadvantaged backgrounds or circumstances, such as name blind recruitment or contextual recruitment.

To date, over 450 businesses employing five million people, and 50 universities representing over two million students have signed the Social Mobility Pledge.

Business and employers can sign up today to be a Social Mobility employer at www.socialmobilitypledge.org

Vivid Report

Drax commissioned Vivid Economics last year to produce a report into the socio-economic benefits of developing bioenergy with carbon capture and storage BECCS alongside other cutting-edge green technologies in the Humber region.

The independent analysis shows almost 50,000 jobs would be created and supported in the Humber if BECCS, as well as hydrogen and other carbon removal technologies, are deployed to decarbonise industry. With government backing for the proposals, these new jobs could begin to be created as early as 2024, peaking at 49,000 jobs in 2027.

Within the jobs created in the Humber there would be around 25,000 high quality roles in construction – as well as welders, pipe fitters, machine installers and technicians; with a further 24,000 supported across the supply chain and wider economy in 2027.

You can read the full report here.

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.

Its 2,900-strong employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. 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 two thirds of 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.  It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.

Customers:

Through its two B2B energy supply brands, Haven Power and Opus Energy, Drax supplies energy to 250,000 businesses across England, Scotland and Wales.

Pellet production:

Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com

 

 

Drax to welcome 2021 with cooling tower projection

31 December 2020

Press releases

Drax Power Station will today signal the end of 2020 by projecting a Happy New Year message onto one of its 12 cooling towers.

The projection coincides with sustainable biomass generation in the UK hitting a new record, generating 3.6 GW during yesterday’s peak electricity demand, beating the previous record of 3.54 GW, set on 9th of December.

The message will be projected from 5pm – 2am today and 5pm – 10pm on New Year’s Day.

Photos below from a recent test

Biomass record

Will Gardiner responds to the Scottish Government’s Climate Plan

16 December 2020

Press releases

“By paving the way to a net zero electricity system by 2032, Scotland is really raising the stakes in the fight against climate change – it’s a move that should create momentum internationally in the run up to COP26 in Glasgow next year.

“Supporting innovative pumped hydro storage projects like Drax’s expansion of Cruachan is going to be critical to achieving this ambition. With an appropriate investment framework, projects like this will be transformative for Scotland by expanding capacity to support more wind power and creating skilled jobs in rural areas.”

ENDS

Editor’s Notes

Energy white paper “recognises negative emissions and sustainable biomass as a vital technology to achieve net zero” – Drax Group CEO

14 December 2020

Press releases
Aerial photo of biomass storage domes, Drax Power Station

“I’m delighted that over the coming year the Government will establish the role of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in reducing emissions. The Energy White Paper rightly recognises negative emissions and sustainable biomass as a vital technology to achieve net zero by 2050.

Reservoir above Cruachan Power Station, Drax’s pumped storage hydro-electric plant in the Highlands [Click to view/download]

Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner

Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner in the control room at Drax Power Station [Click to view/download]

“Next year will be critical to build on the momentum of the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan. At Drax, we’re ready to invest in and deliver BECCS at our power station in North Yorkshire as well as in expanding our pumped storage at our hydro plant at Cruachan in Scotland. This will help meet net zero, whilst creating jobs, skills and demonstrating global leadership at COP26.”

Drax donates essential supplies to support York’s homeless

Press releases
Phil Barnes, James Ford and Rich Grainger from Changing Lives York, Stuart Rodd and Andy Westley from the Drax facilities team in front of the Union Terrace homeless shelter in York

During an annual maintenance outage at Drax Power Station, covid restrictions meant the energy company needed to provide on-site ‘sleep pods’ for the workers to use between shifts in order to keep everyone safe and the work on track.

A number of items for the sleep pods went unused and so the power station’s facilities team arranged for them to be donated to Changing Lives York, which helps ex-rough sleepers and those at risk of sleeping rough, many of whom suffer from complex issues.

James Ford, Service Manager at Changing Lives York, said:

“Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the support we are able to offer residents. The lockdown has reduced our ability to provide certain specialist services, at a time when even more people are vulnerable and struggling. 

“Donations of essential items like bedding and towels are vital to keep our costs down and provide residents with a good quality living environment. Drax’s donation will be shared between our men’s and women’s homeless shelters as well as two other hostels in York.”

The donation from Drax included over 180 duvets and 100 towels.

Bruce Heppenstall, Plant Director, said:

“I hope the donation of these items will help the residents at Changing Lives York feel more comfortable this winter. Drax has a long history of supporting local charities and it is important that we continue to do so especially at the moment.

“Many charities are struggling from the ongoing effects of the pandemic, which is impacting their ability to fundraise and provide services to vulnerable people.”

Changing Lives York offers residents not only a place to stay but also the chance to make positive changes in their lives through one-on-one support and purposeful activities, helping to prepare people to move on to the next stage of York’s re-housing network and eventually an independent life.

During the Covid pandemic, Drax has supported the communities it operates in through a number of initiatives, including donating over 850 laptops with internet access to schoolchildren across Britain who were unable to learn from home, supplying free energy to 170 care homes and backing a business debtline to offer support for small businesses.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Megan Hopgood
Media and PR Intern
E: [email protected]
T: 07936350175

Ben Wicks
Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07761525662

Editor’s Notes

The donation from Drax to Changing Lives York included:

  • 185 duvets
  • 220 sheets
  • 60 pillows
  • 30 mattress toppers
  • 8 mattress protectors
  • 100 towels

The unprecedented challenges of this year have prompted Drax to offer more support to help the people and communities local to its operations:

  • In February, the River Aire burst its banks, causing severe flooding in Snaith and other villages near the power station. Drax donated £25,000 for flood victims to boost the community support efforts.
  • In March, the first Covid lockdown started and Drax invested £250,000 to deliver 853 laptops to 45 schools local to its operations across the UK, each with three months of pre-paid internet access. This included hundreds of laptops for students in Yorkshire – helping to ensure no-one fell behind in their learning during the lockdown.
  • Virtual tours of the power station and work experience were also created to ensure Drax could provide continued support for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) skills and education.
  • £236,000 worth of free electricity and gas was also given to 170 small care homessupplied with energy by Haven Power and Opus Energy, Drax’s energy supply brands – a number of which were in Yorkshire and the Humber region.

Image Caption: Phil Barnes, James Ford and Rich Grainger from Changing Lives York, Stuart Rodd and Andy Westley from the Drax facilities team in front of the Union Terrace homeless shelter in York

About Changing Lives York

  • Changing Lives York supports ex-rough sleepers and those at risk of sleeping rough – most of whom have complex issues primarily connected with drug and alcohol misuse and mental ill-health.
  • Their work is aimed at reconnecting residents with the opportunities that life offers and encouraging them to embrace and maximise them. They do this through keyworking support, plus a broad range of purposeful activity options. This prepares people to move on through York’s co-ordinated multi-agency re-settlement network and onto an independent life.
  • The service has 35 bedrooms, meeting and counselling spaces as well as education, health, fitness and community facilities. This welcoming and inspirational space offers residents not only a place to stay but also the chance to make positive changes in their lives.

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.

Its 2,900-strong employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. 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 two thirds of 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.  It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.

Customers:  

Through its two B2B energy supply brands, Haven Power and Opus Energy, Drax supplies energy to 250,000 businesses across England, Scotland and Wales.

Pellet production:

Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com

Drax CEO says 6th Carbon Budget reinforces need for negative emissions to achieve net zero

9 December 2020

Press releases
Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner

“The Government’s new 68% NDC commitment last week, alongside this report, reinforce how net zero will only be achievable through negative emissions and sustainable BECCS in the UK.

“This world-leading technology can showcase the UK’s global leadership in the run up to COP26 in Glasgow next year.”

Brough engineering apprentice wins top prize at Drax awards

2 December 2020

Press releases

A young engineering apprentice from Brough has won a top prize at the UK’s biggest renewable power station’s annual apprentice awards event in recognition of his achievements over the past year.

Ben Scott, aged 20 from Brough has won Craft Apprentice of the Year after being commended for his excellent communication and leadership skills. Benn’s colleagues said that he always demonstrated a positive attitude, including during a difficult period of working from home due to Covid-19.

Ben, who is now entering the final year of his apprenticeship, said:

“I would like to thank my team who have taken the time to help me learn as much as possible. I’m looking forward to completing my apprenticeship and hopefully securing a permanent role at Drax.”

The coronavirus pandemic meant that this year’s awards event was held virtually, but none of the glamour and excitement was missing as apprentices from across the Drax Group were recognised for their efforts overcoming the unprecedented challenges that Covid-19 brought.

Mike Maudsley, Drax’s UK Portfolio Generation Director, who hosted the event, said:

“Supporting education and skills across our region is essential for a green recovery, and Drax is committed to championing young people and supporting them in their early careers. Covid-19 has meant that it has been a challenging year for everyone at Drax, but our apprentices rose to the challenge, bringing enthusiasm and fresh ideas to the business.”

For the first time this year Drax’s awards involved apprentices from other parts of the Group, including its hydro power stations in Scotland and B2B energy supply businesses.

This year’s winners were:

  • Craft Apprentice of the Year (Year 2) and the Paul Chambers Outstanding Achievement Award – Lewis Marran, age 22 from Doncaster
  • Craft Apprentice of the Year (Year 1) – Elliot Hand, age 25 from York
  • Craft Apprentice of the Year (Year 3) – Ben Scott, age 20 from Brough
  • Craft Apprentice of the Year (Scotland) – Gregor Fraser, age 20 from Lenzie
  • Business Apprentice of the Year (Non-Customer) – Ben Senior, age 21 from York
  • Business Apprentice of the Year (Customer) – Jake Farr, age 20 from Northampton
  • Uniper Engineering Academy Award – Sam Brown, age 17 from Scunthorpe

Drax’s long-running apprenticeship scheme is part of its commitment to STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) education, ensuring the workforce across the region has the skills needed to support a post-covid economic recovery.

The craft apprenticeship scheme gives new recruits the opportunity to gain skills and expertise by working alongside highly qualified engineers. It is a four-year programme, and specialises in three engineering disciplines: Mechanical, Electrical and Control & Instrumentation.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Aidan Kerr
Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07849090368

Megan Hopgood
Media and PR Intern
E: [email protected]
T: 07936350175

Editor’s Notes

Drax has been running an apprenticeship scheme for almost two decades at its eponymous power station in North Yorkshire.

During the Covid pandemic Drax has invested in young people and supported the communities it operates in through a number of different initiatives, including:

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.

Its 2,900-strong employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. 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 two thirds of 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.  It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.

Customers:

Through its two B2B energy supply brands, Haven Power and Opus Energy, Drax supplies energy to 250,000 businesses across England, Scotland and Wales.

Pellet production:

Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com

 

Doncaster apprentice wins two top prizes at Drax awards

Press releases
Drax Power Station, Selby, North Yorkshire

An engineering apprentice from Doncaster has won two top prizes at the UK’s biggest renewable power station’s annual awards event in recognition of his achievements over the past year.

Budding craftsperson Lewis Marran, aged 22, has won the Craft Apprentice of the Year 2020 (Year 2) and the Paul Chambers Outstanding Achievement Award at the Drax annual apprentice awards – following on from him winning Maintenance Apprentice of the Year in 2019.

Lewis Marran

Lewis Marran

Having completed his time at the Uniper training academy, where Drax’s apprentices begin their training, he is now looking forward to entering the final year of his apprenticeship at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire. Lewis hopes to work at Drax full time after completing an NVQ in control and instrumentation.

He said:

“I will look back on this year as a very positive experience. I would like to thank the staff at Uniper and Drax for their support as well as the craftspeople I’ve worked with who helped me build my skills and develop in my role.”

The coronavirus pandemic meant that this year’s awards event was held virtually, but none of the glamour and excitement was missing as apprentices from across the Drax Group were recognised for their efforts overcoming the unprecedented challenges that Covid-19 brought.

Mike Maudsley, Drax’s UK Portfolio Generation Director, who hosted the event, said:

“Supporting education and skills across our region is essential for a green recovery, and Drax is committed to championing young people and supporting them in their early careers. Covid-19 has meant that it has been a challenging year for everyone at Drax, but our apprentices rose to the challenge, bringing enthusiasm and fresh ideas to the business.”

For the first time this year Drax’s awards involved apprentices from other parts of the Group, including its hydro power stations in Scotland and B2B energy supply businesses.

This year’s winners were:

  • Craft Apprentice of the Year (Year 2) and the Paul Chambers Outstanding Achievement Award – Lewis Marran, age 22 from Doncaster
  • Craft Apprentice of the Year (Year 1) – Elliot Hand, age 25 from York
  • Craft Apprentice of the Year (Year 3) – Ben Scott, age 20 from Brough
  • Craft Apprentice of the Year (Scotland) – Gregor Fraser, age 20 from Lenzie
  • Business Apprentice of the Year (Non-Customer) – Ben Senior, age 21 from York
  • Business Apprentice of the Year (Customer) – Jake Farr, age 20 from Northampton
  • Uniper Engineering Academy Award – Sam Brown, age 17 from Scunthorpe

Drax’s long-running apprenticeship scheme is part of its commitment to STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) education, ensuring the workforce across the region has the skills needed to support a post-covid economic recovery.

The craft apprenticeship scheme gives new recruits the opportunity to gain skills and expertise by working alongside highly qualified engineers. It is a four-year programme, and specialises in three engineering disciplines: Mechanical, Electrical and Control & Instrumentation.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Aidan Kerr
Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07849090368

Megan Hopgood
Media and PR Intern
E: [email protected]
T: 07936350175


Editor’s Notes

Drax has been running an apprenticeship scheme for almost two decades at its eponymous power station in North Yorkshire

During the Covid pandemic Drax has invested in young people and supported the communities it operates in through a number of different initiatives, including:

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.

Its 2,900-strong employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. 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 two thirds of 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.  It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.

Customers:

Through its two B2B energy supply brands, Haven Power and Opus Energy, Drax supplies energy to 250,000 businesses across England, Scotland and Wales.

Pellet production:

Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com