The ambitious plan involves placing approximately 1,500 solar panels across the rooftops of the eight power stations that comprise the two schemes. The renewable electricity generated will primarily power the schemes’ own operations, while any surplus energy will be fed into the local distribution network, benefiting nearby homes and businesses.
This initiative aligns with Drax’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions across its value chain by the end of 2040. The company has already made substantial strides toward this target, having reduced total group supply chain emissions by an impressive 27% since 2020.
Ian Kinnaird, Drax’s FlexGen Assets Director, said: “We’re delighted to launch this solar power initiative at our historic Lanark and Galloway hydroelectric projects, marking a significant milestone in our sustainability journey. By combining modern solar panels with our historic hydro systems, we’re boosting our renewable electricity generation whilst reducing our environmental footprint.
“This project will not only power our own operations more efficiently but also deliver surplus electricity to the local grid, supporting homes and businesses in the area. These power stations have made a remarkable contribution to Scotland’s energy needs, generating renewable electricity for almost a century. Through this project, we are setting them up for a bright future for many more years to come.”
Both schemes are two of the most historically important hydro facilities in Scotland. Lanark, whose two power stations sit on the river Clyde, was completed in 1927 and is designated as a site of national architectural importance. The much larger Galloway scheme, which consists of six power stations and eight dams, also has protected status owing to its “finely detailed Modernist classical design”.
ENDS
Image 1 caption: Stonebyres Power Station, Lanark.
Image 2 caption: Glenlee Power Station, Galloway .
Media contacts:
Aidan Kerr
E: [email protected]
T: 07849090368
Editor notes
- The initiative’s progression and final design is subject to obtaining the appropriate development consents from relevant authorities.
- Drax is investing around £850,000 in the project, underlining our commitment to enabling a zero carbon, lower cost energy future.
- It is estimated that the project could generate around 482 MWh of renewable electricity each year.
About Drax
Drax’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Our strategic aims are to be a global leader in both carbon removals and sustainable biomass pellet production, and to be a UK leader in dispatchable, renewable generation.
Our operations
Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low-carbon and renewable UK power assets – biomass, hydro, and pumped storage generation – which provide dispatchable power and system support services to the electricity grid.
We are the UK’s largest source of renewable power by output, and Drax Power Station is the UK’s largest single source of renewable electricity by output.
Through our pellet production facilities in North America, Drax is the world’s second largest producer of sustainable biomass. Drax has 18 operational and development pellet production sites which will have a nameplate capacity of around 5.4 million tonnes once expansions are complete.
Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK industrial and commercial customers, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.
Our future
Drax is progressing options for carbon removals using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology globally and at our UK biomass power station.
In 2024, we launched Elimini, a US-based company to lead our global efforts to deliver carbon removals at megaton scale. Elimini’s purpose is to remove carbon for good. To achieve this, it is convening engineers, environmentalists, communities, investors, and innovators to scale the market for carbon removals, with the aspiration of transforming our economies from carbon emitters to carbon removers. For more information, visit elimini.com.
