Archives: Press Release

Drax HR team’s career advice for next generation of engineers

24 October 2018

Press releases

Human Resources (HR) staff from Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire shared tips on how to make a CV attractive to future employers during workshops with students at Sheffield University and spoke to students at Leeds Beckett University at its Graduate and Placements Fair.

The final year students also discussed the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) skills in finding work when they graduate. They also learned about potential opportunities for them to work as a year in industry student, or as a graduate at Drax – the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the biggest decarbonisation project in Europe.

Resourcing specialist Shelley Lawton from Drax’s HR team, who delivered the sessions for the students, said she was impressed by how enthusiastic they were about the future, adding:

“We got some really good questions from the students about how they can stand out when applying for jobs, which is obviously something on all students’ minds as their courses end.

“It can be a big scary world out there when you have to go out and find a job. We advised the students to be selective, to focus on the quality of their applications, not quantity and to apply for the jobs they really want. By explaining why they want the role, hopefully, their passion and their personalities will shine through.”

She added that students were interested in engineering roles with Drax but also in a range of other roles in the company, which recently announced the acquisition of £702m worth of flexible and renewable power generation assets from Scottish Power, including pumped storage and hydro.

Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO said:

“Engineering excellence has been key to Drax Power Station’s transformation into Europe’s biggest decarbonisation project, but our proposed expansion into new forms of generation, such as pumped storage and hydro power, means our requirement for highly skilled STEM graduates is only likely to increase.

“Taking part in these events at the brilliant universities in Sheffield and Leeds is all part of our long-term commitment to skills development. Every business in the Northern Powerhouse region has a role to play in creating opportunities for young people, reaching out to our communities and raising aspirations – encouraging them to develop the skills they’ll need in the future.

“We have world-class engineers in the North now, but we need to do more to ensure the next generation has the right education and skills, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) to carry on that legacy.”

Nine engineering apprentices began their careers at the Selby-based power station in September, a 50% increase on last year’s intake as Drax continues to invest in and promote STEM skills.

The energy firm also sponsors a number of PhDs at Sheffield University, producing cutting-edge research into area such as the impact of human behaviour on vehicle to grid technologies – where electric cars could store and discharge power back to the grid to support the electricity system.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Ali Lewis

Drax Group Interim Head of Media & PR

E: [email protected]

T: 07712 670888

Mark Duffell

MCD Communications Ltd

E: [email protected]

T: 01484 968238

M: 07969 080272

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.
  • The firm is also scheduled to begin an innovative Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage pilot project later this year which could help the power station deliver negative emissions, essential if the world is to tackle climate change.

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

 

Drax Power CEO Andy Koss comments on Aurora report

22 October 2018

Press releases

“The UK has a great track record on greenhouse gas reduction, but this research from Aurora provides a clear indication of the environmental risks associated with us not maintaining a strong carbon price – in particular a resurgence in coal generation. It is important that the Treasury stands by the government’s commitments when setting the Budget, to ensure the UK continues to decarbonise cost-effectively and deliver the clean growth we need to meet our climate targets.”

View the research: Carbon Pricing Options to Deliver Clean Growth

Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO, comments on ippr North energy report

Press releases

“The north is ideally placed to take advantage of the opportunities a lower carbon economy creates for clean growth – playing a vital role in helping the UK and the world to meet its climate targets.

“Over a decade ago, Drax started its journey to phase out coal. We are now by far the biggest renewable power producer in the UK, having converted two-thirds of our generating units to use sustainable biomass instead of coal. We have also reskilled our colleagues to use a renewable fuel and play an active role in the low carbon transition.

“We’re exploring new carbon capture technologies which could enable us to further decarbonise and deliver negative carbon emissions – vital if we are to meet the climate challenge set out by the IPCC.

“We plan to complete the phase out of coal well ahead of the government’s 2025 deadline but we will still provide flexible, dependable electricity by repowering our remaining two coal units to use natural gas – providing highly efficient, flexible power when it is most needed.

“This will not only help support the power grid as it transitions to a low carbon system, it will also preserve the life of the plant and help protect jobs.”

View research: Risk or Reward? Securing a just transition in the North of England ippr North websiteon the

Drax Group B2B power suppliers set new record for businesses using 100% renewable power

18 October 2018

Press releases

This is a new record number of UK business sites to receive certified 100% renewable power – making Opus Energy and Haven Power collectively the largest suppliers of renewable energy to UK businesses.

Jonathan Kini, CEO of Drax Group’s retail businesses, says power suppliers have a responsibility to encourage and support businesses to be more sustainable and enable the UK to achieve the clean growth needed to meet our climate targets.

A recent Haven Power survey found 59% per cent of businesses think renewable energy is key to a cleaner future, but 80% expect suppliers to take the lead in educating them about their renewable energy options.

Jonathan Kini said:

“Every business is different, but it seems most want to be more sustainable and play a part in reaching our climate targets – they just need us, the suppliers, to help them achieve these aspirations.

“By making renewable electricity the standard, businesses become instantly a lot more sustainable, which allows us to move the conversation with our customers on to talking about other steps they can take, such as reducing their energy consumption, generating their own renewable power or even using batteries.

“Opus Energy has more than 2,200 SMEs which are already generating their own renewable power – so the appetite for more sustainability is definitely there.

“Green GB Week and the tenth anniversary of the Climate Change Act is an ideal time for businesses to celebrate how far we have come in the last decade, and also to look ahead to what we still need to do to achieve our ambitions.”

-ENDS-

Media contact

Filipe Lima at FOCUS
020 3117 1800
[email protected]

Editor’s Notes

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. For more information, visit www.drax.com

About our retail businesses

Haven Power is one of the largest business electricity suppliers in the UK and was awarded the title Supplier of the Year at the Energy Awards in 2014 and 2016. Haven Power offers 100% reliable, cost effective renewable energy and services that help customers use energy more efficiently, control their spend and manage risk. For more information, visit www.havenpower.com

Opus Energy is the UK’s sixth biggest business energy supplier, supplying electricity and gas to more than 340,000 business locations across the UK. Opus Energy is a multi-award winning business, with recent highlights including being named ‘Utilities Provider of the Year’ at the 2017 British Small Business Awards and a finalist at the 2017 Lloyds Bank National Business Awards. For more information, visit www.opusenergy.com

Examination Process Starts

12 October 2018

Press releases

The hearings, which will be held whenever possible at the Village Hotel in Swansea, are open to the public, and will be attended by Abergelli Power, the City and County of Swansea Council, Natural Resources Wales and other registered parties.

Anyone is welcome to attend and view the proceedings, regardless of whether they have previously participated in the Examination. If you wish to attend and speak at hearings, you should notify the Planning Inspectorate in advance, by the deadline specified in the Examining Authority’s letter. If a person has not registered as an Interested Party and wishes to speak at the hearing, it is at the discretion of the Examining Authority whether or not to allow this. Details of the examination process (including dates of future meetings) can be found via the Planning Inspectorate’s website or by contacting the Planning Inspectorate case team on 0303 444 5000.

At Wednesday’s preliminary meeting, the Planning Inspector outlined the process that he will follow over the coming months. At the end of the examination period, the Inspector will make a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, as to whether or not the Project should proceed, with the final decision on whether a Development Consent Order should be granted resting with the Secretary of State. A decision could be expected in the Q3 2019.

Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner responds to IPCC and IEA reports on climate change and renewable energy

8 October 2018

Press releases

Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO said:

“The IPCC is right to highlight the scale of the challenge ahead if we are to tackle climate change. Net zero carbon emissions by 2050 will be required to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees and Drax is focused on creating a zero carbon, lower cost energy future.

“Since we converted two thirds of the power station in Yorkshire to use biomass instead of coal, we have transformed the business to become the biggest decarbonisation project in Europe – delivering carbon savings of more than 80% and enough renewable power for around four million homes. At the same time we are supporting sustainable forestry and improving the world’s long-term forest carbon sinks. But we’re not stopping there.

“We are now investing in a bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) pilot project – the first of its kind in Europe, which is due to get underway this autumn.

“This technology has the potential to make the electricity we generate carbon negative, reducing the CO2 accumulating in the atmosphere and helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

“Today’s IEA Market Report confirms bioenergy must play a critical role in delivering a secure and sustainable energy system of the future – it can support the grid as more renewables come online and has the potential to help other sectors such as transport and heat to decarbonise – vital if we are to meet the challenge set out by the IPCC.”

Leeds MP visits ‘ground-breaking’ carbon capture company

Press releases

During the visit to C-Capture’s premises, Rachel Reeves MP heard how a Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) pilot project is expected to get underway at Drax Power Station this autumn, which will be the first of its kind in Europe.

The chemistry being used in the pilot project has been developed by C-Capture – a Leeds University spin-out. During her visit to the company’s facilities, Rachel Reeves, who is MP for Leeds West, got to see some of the equipment which will be installed at Drax Power Station for the pilot.

Rachel Reeves said:

“This BECCS project between C-Capture and Drax is ground-breaking. If it works, it could put Yorkshire and the UK at the forefront of the race to develop the BECCS technology which is essential to tackling climate change. It’s very exciting and I look forward to hearing more as the pilot progresses.”

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 no longer contribute to climate change, but would start to reduce the carbon accumulating in the atmosphere.

Drax, the biggest power station in the UK, near Selby in North Yorkshire, is investing £400,000 in the BECCS pilot project with C-Capture. Since it converted two thirds of the power station to use biomass instead of coal it has become the biggest single site renewable power generator in the country and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.

Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO, said:

“This BECCS pilot has the potential to make the renewable electricity produced at Drax Power Station carbon negative. If we’re serious about meeting our climate targets, then negative emissions are a must – and BECCS is what’s going to get us there.”

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

“During the six month pilot at Drax, we aim to use our chemistry to capture a tonne of carbon a day and in the process demonstrate that if the project was scaled up we could achieve one of the holy grails of CO2 emissions strategies – negative emissions in power production. That’s where we believe the potential CO2 emissions reductions are likely to be the greatest.”

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 & PR
E: [email protected]
T: 07712670888

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

Editor’s Notes

  • Drax Power Station is the single largest user of sustainable biomass for power in the world – 65% of the electricity it produced in 2017 was 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.
  • 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 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

Drax puts innovative robot technology to the test

3 October 2018

Press releases

Hundreds of train movements each month at Drax, the UK’s biggest power station, could soon be managed by the robot – reducing the time needed to check-in fuel deliveries by up to six hours each day.

The innovative pilot project at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire will begin this month (October) within its commercial services team to see if the use of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) can help manage the booking in of millions of tonnes of fuel delivered to the power station each year.

An average of 20 freight trains a day deliver the biomass and coal needed at Drax so it can produce the power required to keep the lights on for around six million households.

Predominantly a biomass power generator, more than 70% of the electricity produced by Drax is renewable with the majority of rail deliveries bringing wood pellets into the power station to supply its four biomass generating units.

The process of booking in each rail delivery requires the use of eight separate systems and involves 167 individual steps for one staff member to complete the task, which takes them between four and seven hours to complete, depending on the number of deliveries.

The team believes that the use of a purpose-built, digital robot, which will handle the processes automatically, could deliver the same result in just 40 minutes.

People would then be required to intervene when the robot identifies anomalies and further investigation or more detailed work is required.

They believe the time needed for manual intervention would be cut from up to seven hours per day, to just one – giving individuals six hours back each day to focus on other, more rewarding and engaging tasks.

Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO said:

“We’re constantly looking for new ways to improve our operations, to increase efficiency and make staff roles as fulfilling as possible.

“If we can use this robot technology to free up time and allow people to put their skills and expertise to good use, so they’re not getting bogged down in the admin we all love to hate, then I think we’ll see all sorts of benefits, both in terms of efficiencies but also in levels of staff motivation.

“Innovation is at the heart of our business – we were pioneers in transforming the UK’s largest coal-fired power station to become the biggest decarbonisation project in Europe, and are exploring the use of Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage to help us deliver negative emissions and tackle climate change. The use of RPA is another example of how we’re using new technologies to deliver our strategy.”

Beth Clifford, Commercial Services Supervisor, who will be trialling the robot, said:

“Potentially, this could massively reduce the more mundane and tedious parts of my job.

“Having more time to focus on other tasks will hopefully mean I feel like I’m adding more value, will enjoy my job more and can also take on new work which will be more interesting. I can’t wait to see how this goes and my colleagues are the same.”

Vicky Harris, Commercial Service Centre Manager, who is leading the pilot project, said:

“We’ll be measuring how effective the trial is and whether it delivers the savings we expect before a final decision is made about rolling it out.

“But we’re confident this is going to be a really positive development and we will be scoping out other processes at the power station which we think would also benefit from this kind of automation.”

The pilot project using RPA to book-in Drax’s rail deliveries will run for up to a month.

RPA is a form of automation using a software robot that mimics human actions – such as mouse clicks on a computer, but does not engage in any decision-making or the kinds of ‘thought processes’ associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is the simulation of human intelligence by machines.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Ali Lewis
Drax Group Interim Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: 07712 670 888

Mark Duffell
MCD Communications
E: [email protected]
T: 01484 968 238 /07969 080 272

 

Editor’s Notes

  • Two thirds of Drax Power Station now runs on biomass, producing enough renewable power for around four million households.
  • It has plans to repower its remaining two coal generating units to develop high efficiency Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGTs) with battery storage.
  • If successful it could stop using coal as early as 2023, well ahead of the Government’s 2025 deadline for getting coal off the power system.
  • Drax uses around 7.5 million tonnes of biomass each year, the majority of which comes from north America and Europe.
  • Its UK biomass supply chain runs from coast to coast – Tyne, Hull, Immingham and Liverpool – with an average of 17 biomass trains arriving at the power station per day (over a six-day working week).
  • Each train contains sufficient fuel to provide 815 houses in the UK with enough electricity for a year.
  • Using rail saves approximately 270,000 truck journeys per year and is estimated to save 32,622.50 tonnes of C02 per year.

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

Drax staff raise £2,500 for Macmillan

1 October 2018

Press releases

Runners completed either a 5km or 10km route around Drax’s Skylark Nature Reserve as part of the company’s Macmillan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning event on Friday (September 28).

Each member of the Drax team donated £1 per kilometre to take part in the event with those completing the 10km route climbing to the top of local landmark Barlow Mound which is next to the power station, near Selby in North Yorkshire.

Staff also contributed to Macmillan’s ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’, by making home-baked cakes and treats to sell in aid of the charity – with staff contributing to cake stalls around the power station site.

The monies raised were then match funded by Drax. In total they raised £2,500 for the charity, which provides support and advice to people with cancer and their families.

Macmillan Area Fundraising Manager for North and East Yorkshire, Clara White, who was on hand to start the race, thanked the runners as they came over the finish line.

She said, “I was delighted to be able to attend the Big Skylark Fun Run – the money raised by Drax Power Station staff is vital to the work we do to help thousands of people affected by cancer and their families across Yorkshire very year.

“Congratulations to all the runners, and thanks also to everyone who baked and bought cakes during the coffee morning. I hope all the runners treated themselves to an extra large slice of cake afterwards – they certainly earned it!”

Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner, who participated in the 5k run, said:

“Congratulations to all the staff involved today – it was great to see such a fantastic turn out for a worthy cause. The run has been such a success we hope to make it an annual event.”

Drax Power CEO Andy Koss, who completed the 10k course added:

“The run was a lot of fun – the run up Barlow Mound was a little challenging, but worth it for the views from the top!”

“The work of Macmillan in supporting cancer patients and their families is vital – most of us have been affected by cancer at some point in our lives, so perhaps it’s no surprise that so many of our staff got involved and showed their support. The runners and bakers were brilliant – but the team which organised the event was also fantastic. Well done all.”

ENDS

Media contacts:

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

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

Editor’s Notes

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