$15m rail link helps Drax reduce supply chain emissions and biomass costs
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Drax Power Station DCO has been upheld following High Court judgement
“Drax’s world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2030, using ground-breaking bioenergy with carbon capture and storage technology, means we could remove up to 16 million tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere each year, making a significant contribution to achieving the UK’s climate targets.
“Drax Power Station plays a vital role in the UK’s energy system, generating reliable, flexible electricity for millions of homes and businesses. The development of new high efficiency gas power at Drax would support the UK’s decarbonising energy system, subject to the project securing a Capacity Market agreement to underpin the investment needed.”
Power system flexibility is keeping Great Britain’s lights on
- Renewables supplied more than 40% of electricity during first quarter of 2020, with output overtaking fossil fuels for the first time in February.
- Factories and supermarkets reduced electricity usage at key times to help keep the grid stable when power from wind farms fell and margins tightened.
- Electricity demand on weekdays down 13% to lowest level since 1982 due to Covid-19 lockdown – with carbon emissions also falling.
Independent analysis, conducted via Imperial Consultants, by academics from Imperial College London for Drax Electric Insights shows how volatile the country’s electricity system was in the first quarter of 2020 – but how a variety of energy technologies rose to the challenge.
Output from wind farms soared, up by 40% compared to Q1 2019, as severe storms meant Britain experienced its wettest and windiest February since records began – but it was flexible power stations and action from businesses, able to reduce their electricity usage in January, which helped prevent blackouts during cold, calm spells.
The share of electricity supplied by renewables and fossil fuels each quarter over the past decade
Dr Iain Staffell of Imperial College London and lead author of the quarterly Electric Insights reports said:
“Britain’s electricity system is under pressure like never before, with both the country’s weather getting more extreme and a global pandemic testing its resolve.
“So far in 2020 we’ve seen companies reducing their demand for electricity to help keep the grid stable when supply from wind power rapidly decreased, and then the Covid-19 lockdown caused many businesses to shut up shop, reducing electricity demand and creating new challenges with oversupply of power.
“Having flexibility within the power system at these critical moments is crucial to keeping Britain’s lights on.”
The report shows that:
- When output from wind power fell sharply on cold, calm days the stress to the system increased and in one incident created a higher chance of blackouts, with just 0.2GW of spare capacity available, compared to over 4GW the following day
- Flexible technologies like biomass, pumped storage and gas were able to increase their output to fill the void on some occasions when wind power reduced.
- An evening peak in demand was also managed with factories and supermarkets reducing their electricity usage, helping to maintain normal day-ahead power prices.
- After lockdown measures were introduced to contain the spread of Covid-19, weekday demand for electricity fell by 13% to levels not seen since the early 1980s.
Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO said:
“So far in 2020, our lives, as well as the power system, have been affected like never before. To overcome the challenges we’re facing, we must keep sight of the importance of building a sustainable recovery for both our communities and our climate.
“By embracing flexible, low carbon technologies we will enable the UK’s power system to evolve and provide the secure and sustainable electricity supplies a post-Covid, zero carbon economy needs.”
ENDS
Media contacts:
Aidan Kerr
Drax Group Media Manager
E: aidan.kerr@drax.com
T: 07849090368
Editor’s Notes
A record-breaking quarter in Britain’s power system:
- Wind power supplied an average of 12.3GW through February, beating the previous monthly record of 9.3GW set in December 2019.
- Biomass supplied more than a tenth of electricity over a day for the first time on March 27, 2020.
- Supply from all renewable sources accounted for 40% of electricity consumed during Q1 2020, overtaking output from fossil fuels for the first time.
Visualising the lockdown:
- You can see the fall in electricity demand compared to previous years in our animated GIF by clicking here.
About Electric Insights
- Electric Insights is commissioned by Drax and delivered by a team of independent academics from Imperial College London, facilitated by the college’s consultancy company – Imperial Consultants. The quarterly report analyses raw data made publicly available by National Grid and Elexon, which run the electricity and balancing market respectively, and Sheffield Solar.
- Electric Insights Quarterly focuses on supply and demand, prices, emissions, the performance of the various generation technologies and the network that connects them.
- The quarterly reports are backed by an interactive website electricinsights.co.uk which provides data from 2009 until the present.
- Uniquely, Electric Insights provides real time data about the UK’s transmission grid as well as embedded wind and solar generation which is not available from other sources.
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.
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.
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
Virtual tours of Britain’s biggest power station to support home learning
- Drax Group has created the online resource to help schools continue to inspire students to study STEM subjects during the Covid 19 lockdown
- The initiative builds on Drax’s Laptops for Learners initiative, through which it has donated 853 laptops to 50 local schools and colleges across Great Britain
Drax Group has launched the free online resource for students to use from the comfort of their own homes as part of its efforts to support its communities during the lockdown.
Drax power station, near Selby in North Yorkshire, is Britain’s largest and since converting two thirds of the generating units to use sustainable biomass instead of coal, has become the biggest decarbonisation project in Europe.
Turbine hall at Drax Power Station, North Yorkshire
Each year the power station has 12,000 visitors, many of whom are students, visiting as part of Drax’s efforts to work with schools and colleges to promote Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects.
Since the Covid-19 crisis began, Drax has suspended its public tours at the power station to protect employees who are key workers, playing a crucial role in generating the electricity the country needs as the lockdown continues.
To support its local communities Drax has donated 853 laptops to 50 schools and colleges across the country, including 412 to 20 schools across Yorkshire, Humberside and Lincolnshire helping to make sure children without access to computers or the internet at home are not left behind in their studies.
Drax Group’s head of sustainable business, Vicky Bullivant, said:
“We work closely with schools in our communities to inspire children from all backgrounds to study STEM subjects, so the next generation has the education and skills needed to support businesses like ours as we continue to develop and grow.
“With students having to be home-schooled during the Covid-19 crisis it’s essential they don’t miss out on the opportunities businesses like Drax would usually provide in creating positive experiences for them to support their studies.
“The virtual tours we’ve created builds on the work we’ve already done to provide laptops and free internet access, to ensure no students are left behind during the lockdown.”
Over the last decade the power station’s world-class engineers have upgraded two thirds of its generating units to use biomass – sustainably sourced compressed wood pellets – in place of coal, transforming the plant to become the UK’s largest renewable power generator, producing enough electricity for four million homes.
Drax Group, the owner of the power station, recently announced a world-leading ambition to become carbon negative by 2030 through pioneering new negative emissions technology bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) at the site.
The first in the series of virtual online tours shows viewers how fuels are used to generate electricity, where Drax’s sustainable biomass comes from and how BECCS could be deployed to tackle climate change.
ENDS
Media contacts:
Aidan Kerr
Drax Group Media Manager
E: aidan.kerr@drax.com
T: 07849090368
Editor’s Notes
- The tours will be available on Drax Group’s YouTube channel and Facebook
- Drax Group was the first company in the world to announce an ambitions to become carbon negative by 2030.
- Through using BECCS at scale around 16 million tonnes of carbon dioxide could be captured at Drax Power Station, a significant proportion of the negative emissions required for the UK to reach its zero carbon targets.
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.
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.
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 Group to supply free energy to 11 care homes in and around Ipswich and East Anglia during COVID-19 crisis
- Energy company Drax Group is supplying 11 small care homes across Ipswich and East Anglia with free electricity and gas for two months during the Covid-19 crisis
- The initiative is part of a package of support worth £636,000 that Drax Group is providing to its UK customers and communities to help them during the pandemic
They are amongst 170 care homes selected to receive the free energy, which are small businesses based in communities local to Drax’s operations across England, Scotland and Wales and are already supplied by Opus Energy and Haven Power – both part of Drax Group.
Drax Group CEO, Will Gardiner said:
“We’re working hard to offer more support to our customers and communities during this crisis.
“Care homes are critically important – they do incredible work looking after some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and we know this pandemic is putting them under immense pressure. As a gesture of appreciation for the excellent work these businesses are doing, we’re cancelling their energy bills for a couple of months.”
Stowcare in Stowmarket, which looks after 66 elderly and vulnerable residents, is one of Haven Power’s customers selected to receive the free energy.
Simon Gibbs General Manager said:
“Our teams are working very hard in some really challenging circumstances at the moment. Not having to pay our energy bills for two months means we’ve one less thing to worry about and we can also redirect the money we would have spent on energy, to source more PPE, which will help to keep our carers and the people they look after, safe. We really appreciate this kind gesture from Haven Power.”
As well as the support for the 11 care homes in Ipswich and East Anglia, Drax is also donating £150,000 to the Money Advice Trust’s Business Debtline, a national charity helping SMEs facing financial hardship. This is in addition to reduced and deferred payment plans for business customers adversely impacted by the lockdown, and energy rates being frozen for three months for those coming to the end of their contracts and rolling onto a monthly plan.
Will Gardiner added:
“We know a lot of businesses are having a tough time, as the lockdown is having a major impact on many different sectors, so we’ve donated £150,000 to the Money Advice Trust’s Business Debtline. This will help to ensure those businesses who may be struggling to pay their bills can access the advice and support they need.”
Drax’s donation to the Money Advice Trust’s Business Debtline will provide support and free advice to small businesses and self-employed people who are facing financial hardship as a result of Covid-19.
Care homes selected to receive free energy from Drax’s supply businesses, Haven Power and Opus Energy, will receive a letter notifying them that their bills have been cancelled.
Drax owns and operates eight power stations across England and Scotland, as well as two energy supply businesses, Opus Energy and Haven Power, which have offices in the South East and Wales.
ENDS
Media contacts:
Ali Lewis
Drax Group Head of Media & PR
E: ali.lewis@drax.com
T: 07712 670 888
Aidan Kerr
Drax Group Media Manager
E: aidan.kerr@drax.com
T: 07849090368
Editor’s Notes
The care homes receiving free power include:
- Magdalen House – Ipswich
- East Coast Hospice – Great Yarmouth
- Stowcare Ltd – Stowmarket
- Feltwell Lodge Residential Care Home – Thetford
- Fonjock’s Social Work Practice Ltd – Bury St Edmonds
- Quality Care Homegivers Limited – Stowmarket
The full £636,000 package of measures Drax Group is offering to its communities and customers includes:
- £250,000 for 853 laptops with three months of pre-paid internet access distributed to 49 schools and colleges in communities local to Drax’s operations.
- £236,000 worth of free electricity and gas for 170 selected small care homes which are already supplied with energy by Haven Power and Opus Energy, Drax’s energy supply businesses. The selected care homes will have their energy bills cancelled and are in communities local to Drax’s operations across England, Scotland and Wales.
- £150,000 to help SMEs facing financial hardship. The contribution will support a dedicated Business Debtline webpage and phoneline, as well as enhanced training for Drax’s customer service agents to facilitate earlier interventions for SMEs facing financial difficulty.
- In addition to the support available through the Business Debtline, Drax is offering reduced or deferred payment plans for business customers adversely impacted by the Covid-19 crisis, along with support to manage their account balance including payment holidays.
- Drax is also temporarily freezing energy rates for three months for any business or organisation which comes to the end of its contract, and automatically rolls onto a monthly plan.
- Pic caption: Photo by Gus Moretta on Unsplash
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.
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.
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 Group to supply free energy to 29 care homes in and around Cardiff during COVID-19 crisis
- Energy company Drax Group is supplying 29 small care homes in and around Cardiff with free electricity and gas for two months during the Covid-19 crisis
- The initiative is part of a package of support worth £636,000 that Drax Group is providing to its UK customers and communities to help them during the pandemic
They are amongst 170 care homes selected to receive the free energy, which are small businesses based in communities local to Drax’s operations across England, Scotland and Wales and are already supplied by Opus Energy and Haven Power – both part of Drax Group.
Drax Group CEO, Will Gardiner said:
“We’re working hard to offer more support to our customers and communities during this crisis.
“Care homes are critically important – they do incredible work looking after some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and we know this pandemic is putting them under immense pressure. As a gesture of appreciation for the excellent work these businesses are doing, we’re cancelling their energy bills for a couple of months.”
Forge Care Home in Cardiff which has 76 elderly and vulnerable residents, is one of Haven Power’s customers selected to receive the free energy.
David Baines, care home manager, said:
“Our teams are working very hard in some really challenging circumstances at the moment. Not having to pay our energy bills for two months means we’ve one less thing to worry about and we can also redirect the money we would have spent on energy, to source more PPE, which will help to keep our carers and the people they look after, safe.”
As well as the support for the 29 care homes in and around Cardiff, Drax is also donating £150,000 to the Money Advice Trust’s Business Debtline, a national charity helping SMEs facing financial hardship. This is in addition to reduced and deferred payment plans for business customers adversely impacted by the lockdown, and energy rates being frozen for three months for those coming to the end of their contracts and rolling onto a monthly plan.
Will Gardiner added:
“We know a lot of businesses are having a tough time, as the lockdown is having a major impact on many different sectors, so we’ve donated £150,000 to the Money Advice Trust’s Business Debtline. This will help to ensure those businesses who may be struggling to pay their bills can access the advice and support they need.”
Drax’s donation to the Money Advice Trust’s Business Debtline will provide support and free advice to small businesses and self-employed people who are facing financial hardship as a result of Covid-19.
Care homes selected to receive free energy from Drax’s supply businesses, Haven Power and Opus Energy, will receive a letter notifying them that their bills have been cancelled.
Drax owns and operates eight power stations across England and Scotland, as well as two energy supply businesses, Opus Energy and Haven Power, which have offices in the South East and Wales.
ENDS
Media contacts:
Ali Lewis
Drax Group Head of Media & PR
E: ali.lewis@drax.com
T: 07712 670 888
Ben Wicks
Drax Group Media Manager (Customers)
E: Ben.Wicks@Drax.com
T: 07761 525 662
Editor’s Notes
The care homes selected to receive free power include:
- Forge Care Home – Cardiff
- St Saviours Vicarage – Cardiff
- Salutem LD Bidco IV – Cardiff
- Care Management Group – Hengoed
- Hazlehurst Nursing Home (Penarth) Ltd – Penarth
- Shaw Healthcare – Cardiff
- Blenheim Care Centre – Rhyl
- Danygraig House – Porthcawl
- Glamorgan Care Ltd – Glamorgan
- Castle Care Specalist Services – Aberdare
- Brightside Manor – Cardiff
- Bellavista Nursing Home – Barry
- Miras Care Home – Bridgend
The full £636,000 package of measures Drax Group is offering to its communities and customers includes:
- £250,000 for 853 laptops with three months of pre-paid internet access distributed to 49 schools and colleges in communities local to Drax’s operations.
- £236,000 worth of free electricity and gas for 170 selected small care homes which are already supplied with energy by Haven Power and Opus Energy, Drax’s energy supply businesses. The selected care homes will have their energy bills cancelled and are in communities local to Drax’s operations across England, Scotland and Wales.
- £150,000 to help SMEs facing financial hardship. The contribution will support a dedicated Business Debtline webpage and phoneline, as well as enhanced training for Drax’s customer service agents to facilitate earlier interventions for SMEs facing financial difficulty.
- In addition to the support available through the Business Debtline, Drax is offering reduced or deferred payment plans for business customers adversely impacted by the Covid-19 crisis, along with support to manage their account balance including payment holidays.
- Drax is also temporarily freezing energy rates for three months for any business or organisation which comes to the end of its contract, and automatically rolls onto a monthly plan.
- Pic caption: Photo by Dominik Lange on Unsplash
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.
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.
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 delivers laptops for learners to keep schools and students connected during COVID-19 crisis
- Energy company Drax is delivering laptops with prepaid internet access to schools and colleges local to its operations across Britain, to ensure students can continue with their studies during the Covid-19 crisis.
- Six schools, a local college and an educational trust in Suffolk will receive 129 of the Drax HP Chromebook laptops with pre-paid dongles.
- Drax Group’s Haven Power is a cornerstone employer in Ipswich and works alongside partners to improve social mobility and skills in the area.
With schools and colleges closed, many children whose families do not own a computer are finding it difficult to access learning resources.
To ensure no child is left behind, Drax has invested £250,000 in a total of 853 new laptops and each one has three months of pre-paid internet access via a 30GB dongle to support their learning over the summer term. The laptops are being delivered to Drax’s partner schools, local to its operations across Britain as part of the energy company’s efforts to support its communities during the lockdown.
Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO, said:
“We’re very happy to help people in our communities by providing our partner schools with the technology they need to get more students connected online so they can keep learning during the Covid-19 crisis and beyond.”
Laptops have been provided to six schools, a local college and an educational trust in Suffolk, including:
- Ipswich Academy
- Chantry Academy
- Thomas Wolsey SEND School
- Copleston High School
- Suffolk New College
- St Alban’s Catholic High School
- One Sixth-Form
- Raedwald Trust
Victoria Addis, Careers Leader Ipswich Academy, said:
“This donation will make a huge difference to our students. Many have unfortunately been unable to access devices or the internet since the lockdown started which has put them at a disadvantage.
“As we stay apart during this period, it is important for our pupils to stay connected to their teachers and fellow students by having computers and internet access at home. We are incredibly grateful for Drax for their support in helping bring our school community together.”
Tom Hunt MP for Ipswich said:
“This initiative to get disadvantaged families the resources they need has my full support. I’m so pleased to see 129 laptops are now being distributed to school children in Ipswich and the wider Suffolk area to help continue their studies and stay connected to their friends.
“What we do during this outbreak will be remembered and the support Drax is providing to the local community is highly appreciated.”
Jordan Holder, Ipswich Enterprise Coordinator for the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, said:
“I’ve always been astonished by the commitment Haven Power & Drax Group make to schools and the local community in Ipswich through volunteering their time and they have went above and beyond to support learners with this much needed equipment.
“Coronavirus has revealed the scale of the digital divide between many families. Haven Power has not just gifted some IT equipment to disadvantaged pupils, it has given those students a lifeline to an education they would have been denied for simply being less well-off than their peers in a time of crisis.”
ENDS
Top image caption: Damian Cwyl, Year 10 pupil at St Alban’s Catholic High School, with his new Drax laptop.
Media contacts:
Aidan Kerr
Drax Group Media Manager
E: aidena.kerr@drax.com
T: 07849 090 368
Editor’s Notes
- Drax is a founding member of the C-19 Business Pledge, a national scheme which encourages employers to join the coronavirus effort by pledging to help their employees, customers and communities to get through the crisis.
- The 853 laptops and dongles will be delivered to Drax’s partner schools and colleges local to its operations. Head teachers will then distribute the technology to pupils identified as requiring support.
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.
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.
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:
Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:
- Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
- Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.
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 delivers laptops for learners to keep Scotland’s schools and students connected during COVID-19 crisis
- Energy company Drax is delivering laptops with prepaid internet access to schools and colleges local to its operations across Britain, to ensure students can continue with their studies during the Covid-19 crisis.
- Sixteen schools across Scotland and a college will receive 182 of the Drax HP Chromebook laptops with pre-paid dongles.
- The UK Government’s Secretary of State for Scotland says the donation will ‘remove barriers to learning’.
With schools and colleges closed, many children whose families do not own a computer are finding it difficult to access learning resources.
To ensure no child is left behind, Drax has invested £250,000 in 853 new laptops and each one has three months of pre-paid internet access via a 30GB dongle to support learning over the summer term. The laptops are being delivered to Drax’s partner schools, local to its operations across Britain as part of the energy company’s efforts to support its communities during the lockdown.
Mr Currie unboxing the laptops in front of the College’s main entrance.
Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO, said:
“We’re very happy to help people in our communities by providing our partner schools with the technology they need to get more students connected online so they can keep learning during the Covid-19 crisis and beyond.”
Alister Jack, Scottish Secretary, said:
“It is important that children and students can continue learning and stay connected to their friends despite their school or college being closed.
“Home schooling can be challenging for any family, but for children with limited access to a laptop or the internet it is even more difficult. This generous donation by Drax will help remove barriers to learning in Scotland and across the whole of the UK at this vital time.”
Drax owns and operates a diverse portfolio of flexible energy assets in Scotland, including:
- Cruachan Power Station
- Lanark Hydro Scheme
- Galloway Hydro Scheme
- Daldowie Fuel Plant
The laptops are being distributed to students this week by Mr Currie and his team at the College.
Billy Currie, head of corporate services at Dumfries & Galloway College, said:
“This donation of laptops from Drax is going to make a huge difference to the lives of students currently without access to online educational resources – as well as our whole college community after the Coronavirus lockdown is over.
“Ensuring no-one gets left behind in their studies during the lockdown is a priority for us, but schools and colleges don’t just provide education – they’re a whole support system. Having computers and internet access means pupils can keep in touch with their teachers and fellow students more easily too – which is also incredibly important at the moment.”
A total of 16 schools in Scotland and a college are receiving laptops from Drax, including:
- Oban High School, Argyll & Bute
- Taynuilt Primary School, Argyll & Bute
- Dalmally Primary School, Argyll & Bute
- Inveraray Primary School, Argyll & Bute
- Dunbeg Primary School, Argyll & Bute
- Lochnell Primary School, Argyll & Bute
- Rockfeild Primary School, Argyll & Bute
- St Columbas Primary School, Argyll & Bute
- Park Primary, Argyll & Bute
- Dumfries & Galloway College, Dumfries & Galloway
- Gelston Primary School, Dumfries & Galloway
- Castle Douglas Primary School, Dumfries & Galloway
- Kirkcudbright Primary School, Dumfries & Galloway
- Dalry & Kells Primary School, Dumfries & Galloway
- Crossmichael Primary School, Dumfries & Galloway
- Heathall Primary School, Dumfries & Galloway
- Caledonia Primary, Glasgow
ENDS
Top image caption: Dumfries & Galloway College’s Head of Corporate Services, Billy Currie, holding some of the Drax laptops which are going to students.
Media contacts:
Aidan Kerr
Drax Group Media Manager
E: aidena.kerr@drax.com
T: 07849 090 368
Editor’s Notes
- Drax is a founding member of the C-19 Business Pledge, a national scheme which encourages employers to join the coronavirus effort by pledging to help their employees, customers and communities to get through the crisis.
- The 853 laptops and dongles will be delivered to Drax’s partner schools and colleges local to its operations. Head teachers will then distribute the technology to pupils identified as requiring support.
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.
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.
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:
Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:
- Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
- Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.
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 Group to supply free energy to six care homes in and around Glasgow during COVID-19 crisis
- Energy company Drax Group is supplying six small care homes across in and around Glasgow with free electricity and gas for two months during the Covid-19 crisis
- The initiative is part of a package of support worth almost £636,000 Drax Group is providing to its UK customers and communities to help them during the pandemic
They are amongst 170 care homes selected to receive the free energy, which are small businesses based in communities local to Drax’s operations across England, Scotland and Wales and are already supplied by Opus Energy and Haven Power – both part of Drax Group.
Drax Group CEO, Will Gardiner said:
“We’re working hard to offer more support to our customers and communities during this crisis.
“Care homes are critically important – they do incredible work looking after some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and we know this pandemic is putting them under immense pressure. As a gesture of appreciation for the excellent work these businesses are doing, we’re cancelling their energy bills for a couple of months.”
Darroch Nursing Home, in Cumbernauld, is one of Haven Power’s customers selected to receive the free energy.
Owner Julie Shanks, said:
“Our teams are working very hard in some really challenging circumstances at the moment. Not having to pay our energy bills for two months means we’ve one less thing to worry about and we can also redirect the money we would have spent on energy, to source more PPE, which will help to keep our carers and the people they look after, safe.”
As well as the support for the six care homes in around Glasgow, Drax is also donating £150,000 to the Money Advice Trust’s Business Debtline, a national charity helping SMEs facing financial hardship. This is in addition to reduced and deferred payment plans for business customers adversely impacted by the lockdown, and energy rates being frozen for three months for those coming to the end of their contracts and rolling onto a monthly plan.
Will Gardiner added:
“We know a lot of businesses are having a tough time, as the lockdown is having a major impact on many different sectors, so we’ve donated £150,000 to the Money Advice Trust’s Business Debtline. This will help to ensure those businesses who may be struggling to pay their bills can access the advice and support they need.”
Drax’s donation to the Money Advice Trust’s Business Debtline will provide support and free advice to small businesses and self-employed people who are facing financial hardship as a result of Covid-19.
Care homes selected to receive free energy from Drax’s supply businesses, Haven Power and Opus Energy, will receive a letter notifying them that their bills have been cancelled.
Drax owns and operates eight power stations across England and Scotland, as well as two energy supply businesses, Opus Energy and Haven Power, which have offices in the South East and Wales.
ENDS
Media contacts:
Ali Lewis
Drax Group Head of Media & PR
E: ali.lewis@drax.com
T: 07712 670 888
Ben Wicks
Drax Group Media Manager (Customers)
E: Ben.Wicks@Drax.com
T: 07761 525 662
Editor’s Notes
The list of Scottish care homes receiving support are:
| Care home | Location |
| Cornerstone Community Care | Bishopbriggs |
| Darroch Nursing Home | Cumbernauld |
| Renaissance Care | Thornliebank |
| Shaw Healthcare | Drumchapel Place, Glasgow |
| Community Lifestyles | Renton St, Glasgow |
| Fyne Homes Limited | Rothesay |
The full £636,000 package of measures Drax Group is offering to its communities and customers includes:
- £250,000 for 853 laptops, each with three months of pre-paid internet access, which supports their learning for the whole summer term, distributed to 45 partner schools and colleges in communities local to Drax’s operations.
- £236,000 worth of free electricity and gas for 170 selected small care homes which are already supplied with energy by Haven Power and Opus Energy, Drax’s energy supply businesses. The selected care homes will have their energy bills cancelled and are in communities local to Drax’s operations across England, Scotland and Wales.
- £150,000 to help SMEs facing financial hardship. The contribution will support a dedicated Business Debtline webpage and phoneline, as well as enhanced training for Drax’s customer service agents to facilitate earlier interventions for SMEs facing financial difficulty.
- In addition to the support available through the Business Debtline, Drax is offering reduced or deferred payment plans for business customers adversely impacted by the Covid-19 crisis, along with support to manage their account balance including payment holidays.
- Drax is also temporarily freezing energy rates for three months for any business or organisation which comes to the end of its contract, and automatically rolls onto a monthly plan.
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.
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.
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
