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Europe’s first bioenergy carbon capture and storage pilot now underway

26 November 2018

Press releases

  • Commissioning of the BECCS pilot plant at Drax Power Station will begin on Monday November 26 – the tenth anniversary of the Climate Change Act

  • It puts Britain at the forefront of the race to develop BECCS and could enable Drax to become the world’s first carbon negative power station

The commissioning of an innovative Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) pilot plant at Drax Power Station has started with the first carbon dioxide expected to be captured in the coming weeks.

If successful, the six month pilot project will capture a tonne of CO2 a day from the gases produced when renewable power is generated using biomass at Drax – the UK’s biggest power station, near Selby in North Yorkshire.

BECCS is vital to global efforts to combat climate change because the technology will mean the gases that cause global warning can be removed from the atmosphere at the same time as electricity is produced. This means power generation would start to reduce the carbon accumulating in the atmosphere – vital for tackling climate change.

Drax is partnering with Leeds-based C-Capture and is investing £400,000 in what could be the first of several pilot projects undertaken at the power station to deliver a rapid, lower cost demonstration of BECCS.

Drax Power Station became the largest decarbonisation project in Europe by upgrading two thirds of its generating units to use biomass instead of coal and, if the BECCS pilot is successful, it will examine options for a similar re-purposing of existing infrastructure to deliver more carbon savings.

The Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering have estimated that BECCS could enable us to capture 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year by 2050 – approximately half the nation’s emissions target.

Will Gardiner, CEO, Drax Group, said:

“Our BECCS pilot project is the UK’s first step to delivering a key technology in the fight against climate change. If this project is successful, it could enable Drax to become the world’s first carbon negative power station – something many would never have dreamed possible a decade ago.

“Starting to commission the pilot plant on the tenth anniversary of the Climate Change Act demonstrates the progress made in decarbonising energy in the UK – but there is much more to do and this will be our focus at the Edinburgh CCS Summit later this week.

“At Drax we want to create a low carbon future – to do that we have to test the technologies that could allow us, as well as the UK and the world, to deliver negative emissions and start to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.”

L-R: Andy Koss Drax Power CEO, with Prof Chris Rayner, technical director, C-Capture Ltd (Foreground). Eva Penalver Garcia, Drax Group Research and Innovation Engineer and Rose McCarthy, C-Capture Chemist (middleground). Carl Clayton, Drax Research and Innovation engineer and the BECCS pilot project manager, with Caspar Schoolderman, Director of Engineering, C-Capture Ltd (background). Download high res photos here and here.

The government’s Clean Growth Strategy identified BECCS as one of several greenhouse gas removal technologies that could remove emissions from the atmosphere and help achieve long term decarbonisation.

Energy & Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry said:

“This major milestone in developing cutting-edge technology to reduce emissions while growing the economy shows our modern Industrial Strategy in action.

“Backed by government funded innovation, Drax has helped put the UK on the map when it comes to carbon capture ahead of pivotal talks with global leaders in Edinburgh this week, which aim to supercharge the global deployment of this game-changing technology.”

Over the summer work was undertaken to ensure the solvent C-Capture has developed is compatible with the biomass flue gas at Drax Power Station. This was completed successfully along with a lab-scale study into the feasibility of re-utilising the flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) absorbers at the power station.

FGD equipment is vital for reducing sulphur emissions from coal, but it is no longer required to control sulphur on four of the generating units at Drax that have been upgraded to use biomass, because the wood pellets used produce minimal levels of sulphur.

The C-Capture team has now proceeded to the second phase of the pilot, with the installation of a demonstration unit. Once commissioned it will isolate the carbon dioxide produced by the biomass combustion.

Chris Rayner, founder of C-Capture and Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Leeds, said:

“It’s clear that BECCS is one of a very limited number of viable negative emissions technologies, and is vital if we are to reach our CO2 emissions targets, not just in the UK, but around the World.”

“Being a key part of Europe’s first BECCS demonstration project is a great opportunity to showcase C-Capture’s technology, and through working with Drax, show how we can make a real impact on climate change.”

Caspar Schoolderman, Director of Engineering at C-Capture added:

“This is a very important milestone on the pathway to demonstrating and scaling up our exciting new technology. Working closely with the team from Drax has been a great experience, and we look forward to getting the demonstrator fully operational, and showing just how good our technology is.”

C-Capture is a spin-out from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Leeds, established through funding from IP Group Plc.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Ali Lewis
Drax Group Interim Head of Media and PR
E: [email protected]
T: 07712 670888

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712 677177

Animation: https://vimeo.com/draxgroup/beccs

Editor’s Notes

  • Drax Power Station is the single largest user of sustainable biomass for power in the world – around 70% of the electricity it produces is renewable, enough to power four million households.
  • Biomass, such as sustainably sourced compressed wood pellets, is a renewable fuel – the CO2 captured  when it grew is equal to the emissions it releases when used to generate electricity so it does not contribute new carbon to the biosphere. When coupled with CCS, the overall process of biomass electricity generation removes more CO2 from the atmosphere than it releases.
  • The government’s Clean Growth Strategy identified ‘sustainable biomass power stations used in tandem with CCUS technology’ as a potential route to achieving long-term decarbonisation between now and 2050.
  • Drax is in discussions with the British Beer and Pub Association to see if it could help keep the fizz in the drinks industry as part of its efforts to ensure the carbon captured during the BECCS pilot project is used in another process or industry.
  • C-Capture is a spin out from the Chemistry Department at Leeds University and has attracted support from IP Group, the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Energy Entrepreneurs Fund and the CO2 Capture Project for CO2 capture technology, which has potential in a range of areas including biogas upgrading, natural gas sweetening and hydrogen production.

 

About Drax

Drax Group plc plays a vital role in helping change the way energy is generated, supplied and used. Its 2,300-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

The Group includes:

Drax Power Ltd, which operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby, North Yorkshire and supplies seven per cent of the country’s electricity needs. The energy firm converted from burning coal to become a predominantly biomass-fueled electricity generator. Drax is the biggest renewable power generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.

Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.

Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses. 

Drax Biomass, is based in the US and manufactures compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests, supplying fuel 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

About C-Capture

C-Capture Ltd utilise their extensive knowledge of CO2 (carbon dioxide) based chemistry and engineering, to develop solvent systems for the removal of CO2 from gas streams with the potential to capture the CO2 in a form suitable for storage, and prevent it from entering the Earth’s atmosphere.

C-Capture‘s proprietary technology aims to remove or ‘scrub’ CO2 from large scale point sources of gas emissions. This is important for a broad range of commercially and environmentally relevant areas.

The low cost, high energy efficiency of C-Capture’s solvents help minimise the cost of CCS implementation and makes electricity generation with CCS a much more affordable, environmentally beneficial process.

C-Capture Ltd is a spin-out company from the Chemistry Department at the University of Leeds, and has attracted support from IP Group, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s, Energy Entrepreneurs Fund, and the CO2 Capture Project, for development of CO2 capture technology, which has potential in a range of areas, including biogas upgrading, natural gas sweetening and hydrogen production. It was also the National Winner of Shell Springboard 2016, competition for low carbon businesses.

For more information visit www.c-capture.co.uk

About the University of Leeds

The University of Leeds has created more than 100 spin-out companies, with a market capitalisation in excess of £500 million. Seven of these spin-out companies are market listed on AIM, which is more than any other university in the UK. The University is also home to the EPSRC funded Centre for Doctoral Training in Bioenergy, and has extensive experience in energy research through the interdisciplinary Energy Leeds initiative.

The University is preparing to launch its £40m Nexus innovation and enterprise centre later this year. Nexus will provide business and industry with easy access to world-leading academic experts and their ground-breaking research, high quality facilities and cutting edge equipment at the University.

For more information visit www.leeds.ac.uk

Smart Green Shipping Alliance partners with Drax and Ultrabulk to cut shipping supply chain emissions

20 November 2018

Press releases

Drax, operator of the UK’s largest power station, is partnering with the Smart Green Shipping Alliance (SSGA), leading dry bulk cargo transporter Ultrabulk, and Humphreys Yacht Design, naval architects of Dame Ellen McArthur’s ‘Kingfisher’ yacht, to tackle the mounting issue of CO2 emissions from the shipping industry.

A £100,000 12-month feasibility study funded by InnovateUK, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and private investors has begun, which will examine the potential of fitting an innovative sail technology called Fastrig onto Ultrabulk ships importing biomass into the UK, for cutting both carbon emissions and costs.

The shipping industry emits roughly 3% of global CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions (CO2-equivalent), or approximately 1 billion tonnes of CO2 and other GHGs per year.  That’s over twice as much as the UK’s total emissions, from all sources.

Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire has transformed its business having converted two thirds of the power station to use biomass instead of coal – it is now Europe’s biggest decarbonisation project. Last year, it imported 6.8 million tonnes of the compressed wood pellets in 221 deliveries to the ports of Immingham, Hull, Tyne and Liverpool, to enable it to generate 14% of the UK’s renewable electricity.

Using biomass at Drax has delivered carbon savings of more than 80% compared to coal – this includes supply chain emissions, but shipping remains one of the most carbon intensive parts of the biomass supply chain. Drax’s desire to drive down emissions even further enabled Smart Green Shipping to partner with an ‘end user’ looking for the lowest carbon cargo provider.

Diane Gilpin, CEO and Founder of Smart Green Shipping Alliance said:

“This is a project that could really make a difference to the way the industry operates. Drax’s determination to cut carbon emissions creates real demand. Reducing emissions is good business, it saves costs and improves long-term operational certainty. This study aims to find the ‘sweet spot’ between reducing emissions and saving fuel costs.

“We’re engaging across shipping, working with port owners, shipbuilders, cargo owners’, and financiers to design pragmatic and effective new systems solutions. The prototypes we’re looking to develop are really exciting. A 21st century sailing-hybrid ship will look as much like the Cutty Sark as a Tesla does a Model T Ford.”

Gilpin is an expert on the UK government’s Clean Maritime Council, which will devise a strategy to reduce emissions from the shipping sector.

UK Shipping Minister Nusrat Ghani said at the Council’s inaugural meeting:

“The Clean Maritime Plan will bring new opportunities for Britain’s businesses to design, develop and sell green solutions to this global challenge.”

Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner said:

“Smart Green Shipping Alliance’s pioneering efforts to deliver cleaner, greener transportation could help achieve the clean growth required for the UK to meet its climate targets. If we’re serious about meeting those targets, decarbonising transportation is the next big challenge.

“The combination of green shipping with renewables makes an even greater contribution to decarbonisation globally. This is a key development in achieving Drax’s aim – to deliver a zero carbon, low cost future for all.”

The innovation leads on the project, Rob and Tom Humphreys of Humphreys Yacht Design, explained how their team’s background in ocean racing has helped them to make technical advances in an industry that has used the same technology for the past century.

Tom said, “Transferring knowledge and technologies from offshore yacht racing to improve the performance of commercial merchant ships mirrors the way Formula One drives design development in the automotive industry.

“We’ve worked on America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race campaigns, competing at the highest level. Applying this technology to the commercial shipping industry means that we are able to make very significant fuels saving advances”, said Rob

The first six months of the project will be a technical feasibility study, establishing the mechanical parameters for retrofitting the Fastrig solution onto ships. The next six months will focus on putting together a business case and calculating detailed costings for the project.  The aim is to retrofit a ship with the Fastrig technology – depending on the outcome of the feasibility study, the launch of the Commercial Demonstrator could be done as soon as 2021.

The technology could drive down not only carbon emissions but also cost. Diane Gilpin explained, “Fuel prices are vulnerable to oil market volatility, but once the technology is developed, wind is free at the point of use.  The first onshore wind turbines were single devices producing 45KW; now we’re seeing fleets of 10MW producing energy, without subsidy. We can expect to mirror that speed of transition in the shipping industry.”

The SGSA has been pioneering the uptake of renewables in the maritime industry since 2014, identifying wind power as the first choice of exploration. The long-term aim of the company is to develop commercially viable, zero-emission vessels. The eventual aim is to combine renewable energy from wind power with bio-fuels.

Per Lange, CEO of Ultrabulk said:

“We are very much looking forward to working with our partners at Drax and Smart Green Shipping Alliance. The feasibility study initiated is very much in line with the environmental focus of Ultrabulk and the shipping industry at large.

“We have made considerable improvements to NOx and SOx emissions; the latter being the focus as in 2019 the SOx emission has to be reduced by 85 per cent. As an industry we are under way to deliver on these limits, but we shall naturally not stop there.

“CO2 still needs to be reduced. As well as the Shipping Industry’s commitment through International Maritime Organisation targets, Ultrabulk is committed to achieving significant additional reductions. The Smart Green Shipping Alliance is an exciting step in that direction.”

Dr Jenifer Baxter, Head of Engineering, IMechE said:

“This is an exciting project that addresses one of the more difficult decarbonisation challenges and represents the ingenuity of engineering that the Institution of Mechanical Engineers seeks to support.

“Shipping has been a part of our global transportation system for hundreds of years moving through wind and man-power to coal and diesel power. This project presents a new phase taking us full circle forward again to wind power, leading the way with state-of-the-art power and engine technologies enabling shipping to remain relevant and commercially viable in an increasingly low-carbon world.”

ENDS

For more information contact:

SGSA: Diane Gilpin, 07768 312176, [email protected]

Drax: Jessica Gorton, 07712677177, [email protected]

HYD: Rob Humphreys, 01590 679344, [email protected]

Notes to Editors

The International Maritime Organisation, the London-based specialist UN agency responsible for the safety of shipping and its environmental impact, in April this year reached a landmark greenhouse gas agreement, which set two key goals: Greenhouse gas emissions from shipping to decline by at least 50% by 2050, compared to 2008 levels, and as an interim goal carbon intensity of shipping to decline by 40% by 2030. The International Chamber of Shipping has said the future of the sector lies beyond fossil fuels, and that the IMO agreement sends a strong signal for the development of low and zero carbon propulsion technologies in the shipping sector.

Smart Green Shipping Alliance

  • Established in 2014 with the purpose of commercialising renewable energy for the global shipping sector
  • SGSA accelerates commercially viable solutions through transferring technology and knowledge from offshore yacht racing, F1, renewable energy, aviation and defence to complement deep commercial maritime expertise. It includes the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), Humphreys Yacht Design, Lloyds Register, Group Partners, University of Southampton, University College London, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change, Willis Towers Watson, Cammell Laird and Capital Law.
  • Founder/CEO sits on the newly created Clean Maritime Council
  • Advisory Board: Dr Jenifer Baxter, IMechE; Baroness Bryony Worthington, Environmental Defense Fund, and architect of UK climate policy; Professor Jingjing Xu, maritime commerce Plymouth University; Peter Hinchliffe CBE, former Secretary General, International Chamber of Shipping.

Humphreys Yacht Design

  • Rob & Tom Humphreys head up a team of highly talented and experienced naval architects and yacht designers in a studio that boasts one of the most diverse design portfolios.
  • Successful projects include multiple award winning Superyachts (such as the 37m MY Ermis² and the 38m Ketch Cyrano de Bergerac), America’s Cup, Vendee Globe, Global Challenge and Whitbread / Volvo Ocean Race yachts.
  • The Studio also has well over 3000 production yachts to its name.

For more information visit: www.humphreysdesign.com

Drax Group

  • Drax operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby in North Yorkshire. Since converting four of its six generating units to use biomass instead of coal, it has become the biggest renewable power generator in the country, producing enough renewable electricity for four million households.
  • As well as the engineering skill and expertise needed to convert the power station from coal to biomass, the team at Drax also had to create an entirely new global supply chain to provide the quantity of biomass required to fuel its boilers – the majority of which comes from North America and Europe.
  • Its biomass generating units deliver carbon savings of more than 80% compared to when they used coal – this includes supply chain emissions.
  • It is committed to reducing its emissions further and helping other businesses to decarbonise through its B2B electricity supply businesses, Haven Power and Opus Energy, which provide 100% renewable power to more than 350,000 business sites.
  • Drax is starting an innovative Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage pilot later this year which could help the power station deliver negative emissions, meaning the power it produces will help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide accumulating in the atmosphere – vital for global efforts to tackle climate change.

Ultrabulk

  • Ultrabulk Shipping is a dry bulk cargo shipping business.
  • The company’s vessels transport cargos including scrap, bio fuels, iron ore, grains, minerals, and sugar.
  • Ultrabulk operate a fleet of Handysize, Supramax, and Panamax vessels.
  • The company was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark.

IMechE

  • Founded in 1847 in Birmingham, with the original statement of purpose: “To give an impulse to invention likely to be useful to the world”
  • 120,000 members globally

For more information visit www.imeche.org

InnovateUK

Innovate UK drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas.

We connect businesses to the partners, customers and investors that can help them turn ideas into commercially successful products and services and business growth.

We fund business and research collaborations to accelerate innovation and drive business investment into R&D. Our support is available to businesses across all economic sectors, value chains and UK regions.

Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation.

For more information visit www.innovateuk.ukri.org

Will Gardiner responds to Energy Transitions Commission report

19 November 2018

Press releases

“My vision is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost future for all.

“This report makes it clear that a net zero economy is not only possible but that it can be done affordably and within the critical timeframe needed to meet our Paris Agreement commitments.

“Achieving net zero is a choice we have to make.

“Through our investment in low-carbon, flexible and renewable power as well as ground-breaking bioenergy carbon capture technology Drax is playing our part in making that choice a reality.”

Read: Mission Possible – reaching net zero carbon emissions from harder-to-abate sectors by mid-century

View or download video

Energy revolution creating a two-tier economy leaving millions of families and businesses behind

Press releases

  • Researchers from Imperial College London and E4tech warn of a two-tier economy emerging as Britain goes through an ‘energy revolution’.

  • Revolution taking place in UK energy system could unlock new growth, lower energy bills and smarter living but many in society will lose out.

  • Report reveals regional divides for the first time as communities and businesses in some areas power ahead while others risk being left behind.

  • London and Scotland are pulling ahead while the North of England and East Midlands lag furthest behind.

The research shows that businesses and families in London and Scotland are better placed to take advantage of the benefits of the ‘energy revolution’, including cheaper energy bills, electric vehicles and smart appliances.  Meanwhile, the North of England and East Midlands lag furthest behind.

Conducted independently by researchers from Imperial College London and E4tech, facilitated by Imperial Consultants and commissioned by Drax Group, the report breaks down the energy revolution into 20 metrics for the power, transport and buildings sectors, to provide a barometer of national and regional progress. Achievement against each of these metrics is scored as ‘not on track’, ‘within 90% of target’ or ‘ahead of target’.

Commenting on his team’s findings, Imperial’s Dr Iain Staffell said:

“The country is going through an energy revolution. We are creating an energy system which will power our future economy and help tackle climate change.

“But, our research reveals that Britain is at risk creating a two-tier economy, leaving millions of families and businesses less well equipped to enjoy cheaper bills and better health outcomes. Our concern is they will not be offered the same opportunities as people living in regions which are modernising their energy infrastructure.”

Responding to the findings Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO, said:

“Great Britain needs more secure, clean energy to compete in the future economy. There is an energy revolution underway which will deliver it – but this report uncovers worrying regional divides as we go through that transition.

“Drax is already working hard to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future for all. We will work with all our partners including governments to ensure no-one is left behind through the energy revolution.”

Who’s ahead and behind in the energy revolution?

Differences in levels of government investment, local policies and average household income have resulted in more affluent regions leading in the energy transition.

London leads progress jointly with Scotland because its transport system is the country’s greenest. As public transport, walking and cycling are more dominant in London, a Londoner’s carbon footprint from transport is up to 2.5 times less than residents in other regions. The capital also receives 45% of national funds for rail electrification, resulting in the country’s lowest carbon emissions from rail.

It is also cheaper, on average, to own an electric car in London than in any other part of the country. This is due to the average London driver travelling shorter distances and the exemption of electric vehicles (EV) from London’s Congestion Charge.

Scotland leads in the energy revolution with London due to its successful shift from fossil fuels to renewable generated electricity. The number of EV charging points in Scotland is also high compared to the number of vehicles: despite the low population density, the average Scottish household is around 2km from a charging point, but with the lifetime cost of running an EV being the highest in Scotland and Wales, this is affecting uptake in these areas.

Residential homes in leading regions London, Scotland and the East are also more energy efficient, and more likely to score high A-C Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings, and have fewer buildings rated F and G.

By comparison, all of the regions lagging behind, including Wales, Yorkshire, the East Midlands and the north of England suffer from particularly low EPC ratings.  The cost of heating, combined with lower average incomes in these areas mean that fuel poverty rates are particularly high. As the country transitions to more electric heating in future, this is likely to result in increasing energy bills in these regions unless homes can be made more energy efficient, or the cost of electric heating can be reduced, particularly for vulnerable residents.

Which sectors are ahead in the energy revolution?

The research also highlights sector differences. While work to reduce the carbon impact of the power sector is on track due to the closure of coal stations and growth in renewables, work to electrify heating, improve the energy efficiency of homes and electrify the railway is falling behind.

ENDS

Media contacts

Jenny Runnacles
E: [email protected]
T: 07747 561 760

Rachel Adeyinka
E: [email protected]
T: 07940 177 999

Editor’s Notes

  • ‘Energising Britain’ report was commissioned by Drax Group and conducted independently by academics from Imperial College London, and consultants from E4tech, facilitated through the College’s consultancy company – Imperial Consultants.
  • The metrics used to assess the state of transition in the energy system are presented as a ‘barometer’. Each barometer sets out three points:
    • The end target for the transformation for the target year in the scenario (e.g. total number of EV charging points in 2030)
    • The current state of transformation (e.g. number of charging points operational), and
    • An indication of where we would have to be to meet the 2030 target (e.g. number of charging points in 2018).
  • The end target for transformation are based on 2030 targets from the National Grid Future Energy Scenarios (FES), the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Committee on Climate Change (CCC)
  • The geographical scope refers to the 11 regions of Great Britain (Scotland, Wales, and 9 in England). Northern Ireland was excluded due to lack of available data.
  • The metrics examined by sector include:
    • The Power System. This section includes national and regional barometers for 1. Carbon intensity of grid electricity 2. Storage deployment 3. Transmission capacity and 4. Smart meter roll-out. A regional barometer is not presented for interconnection as this is a country-to-country issue.
    • Energy in Transport. This section includes national and regional barometers for 1. GHG emissions reductions 2. Plug-in vehicles in the car fleet 3. Electric vehicle charging points 4. Hydrogen refuelling stations 5. Electric and hydrogen buses and 6. Ultra-low emission heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). A regional barometer is not represented for rail emissions; this was examined across the entire British rail industry.
    • Energy in Buildings. This section includes national and regional barometers for 1. Energy efficiency by energy performance certificate (EPC) ratings 2. Electrification of heating and 3. Heat Pump Deployment. A regional barometer is not represented for fuel poverty as there were no milestones available for 2018.
  • Progress in the industrial sector is not examined due to a lack of data.
  • View the report: drax.com/energisingbritain

About Drax

Drax Group plc plays a vital role in helping change the way energy is generated, supplied and used. Its 2,300-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

The Group includes:

Drax Power Ltd, which operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby, North Yorkshire and supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs. The energy firm converted from burning coal to become a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator. Drax is the biggest renewable generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.

Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.

Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Drax Biomass, is based in the US and manufactures compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests, supplying fuel 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

Imperial Consultants provide access to over 4,000 research-active expert academics and Imperial College London’s state of the art facilities to deliver innovative solutions to meet the business needs of industry, government and the third sector. Founded in 1990, Imperial Consultants is the wholly owned consultancy company of Imperial College London.

E4tech is a strategic energy consultancy. Founded in 1997 the firm provides technically informed insight on the energy transition and its implications on companies, governments and investors.

Drax Group CEO agrees with Committee on Climate Change – Sustainably sourced biomass will play an essential, long-term role in delivering the low carbon future needed to meet our climate targets

15 November 2018

Press releases

“We agree with the Committee on Climate Change – sustainably sourced biomass will play an essential, long-term role in delivering the low carbon future needed to meet our climate targets.

“The UK has some of the highest biomass sustainability requirements in the world and we are committed to working with the government and stakeholders to go further – setting the standard for others to follow. We’re already working on that.

Will Gardiner, CEO, Drax Group

“The report recognises the importance of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) – innovative technology being piloted at Drax. This could enable us to become the first carbon negative power station in the world – meaning our operations would reduce the quantity of CO2 accumulating in the atmosphere.

“Biomass is the only flexible renewable, which can deliver all the support services needed to maintain a secure power system, as more renewables, like wind and solar, come online – further reducing our CO2 emissions.”

Drax generates £1.6bn and supports over 17,500 jobs in the UK

12 November 2018

Press releases

The findings were revealed in a new report looking at the economic impact of Drax’s UK operations, which includes Drax Power Station – the country’s biggest renewable power generator, which produces enough renewable electricity for four million homes.

Based on Drax’s operations in the energy sector and its use of British businesses across its supply chain, the analysis by Oxford Economics estimates that the company contributed £1.65 billion to the economy and supported 17,500 jobs last year.

The vast majority of the Group’s impact was felt outside London and the South East; of the £1.65bn Gross Value Added by Drax Group, £142m was in London, meaning 91% of the Group’s economic impact was experienced outside of the capital.

Haven Power

Employment supported by Drax’s activities covered a wide range of sectors including high-skilled manufacturing of industrial components, engineering and technical machinery, construction, IT, professional business services and transport.

Researchers at Oxford Economics used three measures to calculate Drax’s GDP contribution: the economic activity associated with the day-to-day running of the business; the activity created by the purchase of goods and services from its suppliers; and the wages the company’s employees and suppliers’ employees spend in their local area.

A breakdown of the GDP generated by Drax Group shows all regions of the UK benefited. Highlights include:

  • £431 million created in Drax’s heartland of Yorkshire and the Humber, where its power station is located, a rise from £419 million in 2016.
  • 1,100 jobs for the North East and £77m contributed to the local economy.
  • £273 million generated and 2,500 jobs supported in the East of England, where one of Drax Group’s B2B power supply businesses Haven Power, is based.
  • 750 jobs supported and £51 million generated in Wales, home to the Cardiff offices of Opus Energy – Drax’s other B2B retail business, which supplies energy to SMEs
  • 700 jobs supported in Scotland and £68 million generated in its economy.
  • 850 jobs sustained and £64 million contributed to GDP in the South West.

Apprentices at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire

Drax Group CEO, Will Gardiner, said:

“As a British energy company, we are committed to working with UK businesses right across our supply chain. This report shows that Drax now supports more than 17,500 jobs across the UK and our proposed acquisition of a number of assets from Scottish Power will bolster these numbers further.

Will Gardiner, CEO, Drax Group

“With the power station’s sophisticated supply chain and our growing retail business, we are making a positive economic contribution in every region of the UK. We are an important player in an energy sector and are keen to do whatever we can to help the country achieve a low cost, zero carbon future.

“Since upgrading two thirds of the power station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal, Drax has become the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.

“We plan to stop using coal well ahead of the government’s 2025 deadline, with proposals to repower our remaining coal generating units to use gas.

“This will enable more renewables onto the system, paving the way for increased carbon savings across the UK and helping us to meet our climate targets.”

Opus Energy

Osman Ismail, Senior Economist at Oxford Economics, said:

“Drax Group makes an important economic contribution to Yorkshire and the Humber, and the UK more widely. Its activities generated almost £1.6 billion in GDP last year, and sustained thousands of jobs across the nation.

“Opus Energy was successfully been onboarded into the group, in 2017, and Drax’s principal activities of generating energy and supplying energy services to businesses directly and indirectly impacts a number of different regions in the UK in terms of both job creation and contribution to GDP.”

 

Regional press releases:

ENDS

Full details of the study can be found at https://draximpact.co.uk

Media contacts:

Ali Lewis
Drax Group Interim Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: 07712670888

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177

Notes to editors:

  • Drax recently converted the fourth of its six generating units from coal to use sustainable biomass – around 70% of the power produced at the power station is now renewable.
  • It has plans to repower its two remaining coal generating units to use gas, which are being considered by the planning inspectorate. If approved, Drax could stop using coal well ahead of the government’s 2025 deadline.
  • It also has plans to start the first Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage pilot project of its kind in Europe this year. BECCs technology is vital if we are to meet our climate targets. It could enable the power produced at Drax to become carbon negative, meaning it would help to reduce the carbon dioxide accumulating in the atmosphere.


About Drax

Drax Group plc plays a vital role in helping change the way energy is generated, supplied and used. Its 2,300-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

The Group includes:

Drax Power Ltd, which operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby, North Yorkshire and supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs. The energy firm converted from burning coal to become a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator. Drax is the biggest renewable generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.

Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.

Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Drax Biomass, is based in the US and manufactures compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests, supplying fuel 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

About Oxford Economics

Oxford Economics was founded in 1981 as a commercial venture with Oxford University’s business college to provide economic forecasting and modelling to UK companies and financial institutions expanding abroad. It is now one of the world’s foremost independent global advisory firms, providing reports, forecasts and analytical tools on 200 countries, 100 industrial sectors and over 3,000 cities. Its best-of-class global economic and industry models and analytical tools give an unparalleled ability to forecast external market trends and assess their economic, social and business impact.

About the study

Oxford Economics assessed the economic benefits of Drax Group using a standard means of analysis, called an economic impact assessment. This approach is applied in each of the three stages of the study.

The full report can be viewed here: https://draximpact.co.uk/.

 

 

Ipswich-based Haven Power increases contribution to the UK economy by 43% to £696 million

Press releases

The findings were revealed in a new report looking at the economic impact of British energy company Drax Group.

Haven Power joined the Group in 2009 and has grown to become a leading supplier of electricity to British businesses, including Manchester Airport Group and Thames Water. It employs 450 people across its two offices at Ransomes Europark, near Ipswich and Franciscan House in the town centre

The report also found that in the East of England alone, Haven Power and Drax combined to generate £273 million in the local economy, up £50 million from 2016 and support 2,500 jobs.

Researchers at Oxford Economics used three measures to calculate Haven Power’s GDP contribution: the economic activity associated with the day-to-day running of the business; the activity created by the purchase of goods and services from its suppliers; and the wages the company’s employees and suppliers’ employees spend in their local area.

Employment supported by Haven Power’s activities covered a wide range of sectors including IT, professional business services and transport.

Drax Group Retail CEO, Jonathan Kini, said:

“This report shows that in addition to being a leading supplier of energy to British businesses, Haven Power also plays an important role in the local and national economy. Through the people we employ and the businesses we use, we have supported thousands of jobs and generated nearly £700 million of economic activity in Ipswich and beyond.”

Paul Sheffield, Haven Power Chief Operations Officer, said:

“We’re a well-established business and have strong links here, having been founded in Ipswich in 2006. In addition to employing people from the local area, we use a number of businesses in the region to provide us with products and services that enable us to deliver the best possible experience for our customers.”

Sandy Martin, Member of Parliament for Ipswich, said:

“I’m proud that Haven Power, an energy supplier with an impressive nationwide operation is based here in Ipswich. Haven creates and maintains employment, contributes substantially to the local economy and plays an active role in engaging with the local community”

ENDS

Full details of the study can be found at draximpact.co.uk

Media contacts:

Ali Lewis
Drax Group Interim Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: 07712670888

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177

Notes to editors:

  • Drax’s acquisition of Scottish Power’s generation assets is expected to complete at the end of the year, subject to shareholder approval.
  • Drax recently converted the fourth of its six generating units from coal to use sustainable biomass – around 70% of the power produced at the power station is now renewable.
  • It has plans to repower its two remaining coal generating units to use gas, which are being considered by the planning inspectorate. If approved, Drax could stop using coal well ahead of the government’s 2025 deadline.

About Drax

Drax Group plc plays a vital role in helping change the way energy is generated, supplied and used. Its 2,300-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

The Group includes:

Drax Power Ltd, which operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby, North Yorkshire and supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs. The energy firm converted from burning coal to become a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator. Drax is the biggest single site renewable generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.

Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.

Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Drax Biomass, is based in the US and manufactures compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests, supplying fuel 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

About Oxford Economics

Oxford Economics was founded in 1981 as a commercial venture with Oxford University’s business college to provide economic forecasting and modelling to UK companies and financial institutions expanding abroad. It is now one of the world’s foremost independent global advisory firms, providing reports, forecasts and analytical tools on 200 countries, 100 industrial sectors and over 3,000 cities. Its best-of-class global economic and industry models and analytical tools give an unparalleled ability to forecast external market trends and assess their economic, social and business impact.

About the study

Oxford Economics assessed the economic benefits of Drax Group using a standard means of analysis, called an economic impact assessment. This approach is applied in each of the three stages of the study.

The full report can be viewed here: https://www.draximpact.co.uk/public/Oxford_Economics-Economic_impact_of_Drax_in_the_UK_2017.pdf

New report shows Oxford-based Opus Energy generates £350 million for the UK’s economy

Press releases

In the space of a decade Opus Energy has grown from a challenger brand to the sixth largest supplier of gas and electricity to British businesses. It provides energy to over 300,000 customer meters, including national brands such as Lloyds Pharmacy and White Stuff. The company employs 150 people at its Summertown offices in Oxford, specialising in important roles such as risk management, trading, finance, sales, marketing and IT.

Opus Energy in Oxford

Opus Energy in Oxford

The report also found that in the South East of England alone, Opus Energy and Drax combined to generate £101 million in the local economy and support 1,200 jobs.

Researchers at Oxford Economics used three measures to calculate Opus Energy’s GDP contribution: the economic activity associated with the day-to-day running of the business, the activity created by the purchase of goods and services from its suppliers; and the wages the company’s employees and suppliers’ employees spend in their local area.

Opus Energy’s activities support employment in a wide range of sectors including renewable energy generation, IT, professional business services and transport.

 

Drax Group Retail CEO, Jonathan Kini said:

“This report shows that in addition to being a leading supplier of energy to British businesses, Opus Energy, and the rest of Drax Group also play an important role in the local and national economy. Through the people we employ and the businesses we use, we have supported thousands of jobs and generated nearly £1.6 billion of economic activity across the UK.”

Opus Energy COO, Nikki Flanders said:

“We have a strong link with Oxford, having been based here for several years. In addition to employing people from the local area, we use a number of businesses in the region to provide us with products and services that enable us to deliver the best possible experience for our customers.”

ENDS

Full details of the study can be found at draximpact.co.uk.

Media contacts:

Ali Lewis
Drax Group Interim Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: 07712670888

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177

Notes to editors:

  • Drax’s acquisition of Scottish Power’s generation assets is expected to complete at the end of the year, subject to shareholder approval.
  • Drax recently converted the fourth of its six generating units from coal to use sustainable biomass – around 70% of the power produced at the power station is now renewable.
  • It has plans to repower its two remaining coal generating units to use gas, which are being considered by the planning inspectorate. If approved, Drax could stop using coal well ahead of the government’s 2025 deadline.

About Drax

Drax Group plc plays a vital role in helping change the way energy is generated, supplied and used. Its 2,300-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

The Group includes:

Drax Power Ltd, which operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby, North Yorkshire and supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs. The energy firm converted from burning coal to become a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator. Drax is the biggest single site renewable generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.

Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.

Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Drax Biomass, is based in the US and manufactures compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests, supplying fuel 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 

About Oxford Economics

Oxford Economics was founded in 1981 as a commercial venture with Oxford University’s business college to provide economic forecasting and modelling to UK companies and financial institutions expanding abroad. It is now one of the world’s foremost independent global advisory firms, providing reports, forecasts and analytical tools on 200 countries, 100 industrial sectors and over 3,000 cities. Its best-of-class global economic and industry models and analytical tools give an unparalleled ability to forecast external market trends and assess their economic, social and business impact.

About the study

Oxford Economics assessed the economic benefits of Drax Group using a standard means of analysis, called an economic impact assessment. This approach is applied in each of the three stages of the study.

The full report can be viewed here: https://www.draximpact.co.uk/public/Oxford_Economics-Economic_impact_of_Drax_in_the_UK_2017.pdf

New report shows Northampton-based Opus Energy has given the East Midlands regional economy a boost in 2017

Press releases

The energy company which specialises in supplying renewable power to businesses and is headquartered in Northampton, contributed £233 million towards GDP in the East Midlands regional economy in 2017 and supported 2,700 jobs – a huge increase from £147 million and 1,900 jobs in 2016.

The analysis from Oxford Economics found that the company which also has offices in Oxford and Cardiff contributed £365m towards UK GDP in 2017 and supported 4,200 jobs across the country.

The findings were revealed in a new report looking at the economic impact of British energy company Drax Group, which Opus Energy joined in 2017.

In the space of a decade Opus Energy has grown from a challenger brand to the sixth largest supplier of gas and electricity to British businesses. It provides energy to over 300,000 customer meters, including national brands such as Lloyd’s Pharmacy and White Stuff.

Opus Energy in Northampton

The company employs around 700 employees at its new headquarters in Northampton, Opus Energy House in The Lakes Business Park, which it moved to in early 2018.

Researchers used three measures to calculate Opus Energy’s GDP contribution: the economic activity associated with the day-to-day running of the business, the activity created by the purchase of goods and services from its suppliers; and the wages the company’s employees and suppliers’ employees spend in their local area.

Opus Energy’s activities support employment in a wide range of sectors including renewable energy generation, IT, professional business services and transport.

Opus Energy COO, Nikki Flanders added:

“We have a strong link with Northampton, having been based here for several years and renewed our commitment to the area with our move to larger premises earlier this year. This has enabled us to bring all of our Northampton staff under one roof in state-of-the-art premises.

“In addition to employing people from the local area, we use a number of businesses in the region to provide us with products and services that enable us to deliver the best possible experience for our customers – and that investment is reflected in these outstanding figures.”

Drax Group Retail CEO, Jonathan Kini said:

“This report shows that in addition to being a leading supplier of energy to British businesses, Opus Energy, and the rest of Drax Group also play an important role in the local and national economy. Through the people we employ and the businesses we use, as a Group we have supported thousands of jobs and generated nearly £1.6 billion of economic activity across the UK.”

ENDS

Full details of the study can be found at draximpact.co.uk

Media contacts:

Ali Lewis
Drax Group Interim Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: 07712670888

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177

Notes to editors:

  • Drax’s acquisition of Scottish Power’s generation assets is expected to complete at the end of the year, subject to shareholder approval.
  • Drax recently converted the fourth of its six generating units from coal to use sustainable biomass – around 70% of the power produced at the power station is now renewable.
  • It has plans to repower its two remaining coal generating units to use gas, which are being considered by the planning inspectorate. If approved, Drax could stop using coal well ahead of the government’s 2025 deadline.

About Drax

Drax Group plc plays a vital role in helping change the way energy is generated, supplied and used. Its 2,300-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

The Group includes:

Drax Power Ltd, which operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby, North Yorkshire and supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs. The energy firm converted from burning coal to become a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator. Drax is the biggest single site renewable generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.

Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.

Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Drax Biomass, is based in the US and manufactures compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests, supplying fuel 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 

About Oxford Economics

Oxford Economics was founded in 1981 as a commercial venture with Oxford University’s business college to provide economic forecasting and modelling to UK companies and financial institutions expanding abroad. It is now one of the world’s foremost independent global advisory firms, providing reports, forecasts and analytical tools on 200 countries, 100 industrial sectors and over 3,000 cities. Its best-of-class global economic and industry models and analytical tools give an unparalleled ability to forecast external market trends and assess their economic, social and business impact.

About the study

Oxford Economics assessed the economic benefits of Drax Group using a standard means of analysis, called an economic impact assessment. This approach is applied in each of the three stages of the study.

The full report can be viewed here: https://www.draximpact.co.uk/public/Oxford_Economics-Economic_impact_of_Drax_in_the_UK_2017.pdf