Archives: Press Release

World-leading engineering team appointed to Drax’s Cruachan Expansion Project

31 October 2024

News

Drax is progressing an option to expand its existing Cruachan pumped storage facility in Scotland through the construction of a new 600 MW power station. Built adjacent to the existing underground plant, the new power station would effectively more than double the site’s total generation capacity to more than 1 GW.

Pumped storage plants act like giant water batteries by using reversible turbines to pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir, which stores excess power from sources such as wind farms when supply outstrips demand. These same turbines are then reversed to bring the stored water back through the plant’s turbines to generate power when the country needs it. This process both strengthens energy security and enables the grid to decarbonise.

COWI and PINI will provide dedicated support through the project’s Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase, with their expertise in pumped storage hydro being used in areas such as civil and marine engineering, geotechnics, mechanical and electrical systems. Both firms have a strong track record in hydro developments around the world.

Steve Marshall, Drax’s Development Manager for the Cruachan Expansion project, said: “We are delighted to welcome two world-leading engineering consultancies to our project, helping us move forward with the new power station’s design.

“A new generation of pumped storage hydro plants will strengthen the UK’s energy security through enabling more homegrown renewable electricity to come online, cutting the need to import power or fossil fuels from abroad.

“Projects such as Drax’s will not only be good for the grid, but it will also offer fantastic opportunities for local communities and businesses. Expanding Cruachan will be a major infrastructure project which will create jobs and provide a real boost to Scotland’s economy.”

During the construction phase, the expansion of Cruachan is expected to support around 1,100 jobs across the UK and contribute a potential £470m to the economy. It would be one of the most significant infrastructure projects in Scotland in a generation.

Andy Sloan, Managing Director, COWI in the UK, said: “COWI is thrilled to support Drax on this vital project and continue to play a key role in the revival of pumped storage in Scotland. This project allows us to apply our expertise in rock mechanics and tunnel engineering to a renewable energy initiative.

“Hydroelectric developments offer tremendous potential for addressing long-term energy storage needs, paving our way to a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come.”

Pierluigi Nionelli, Head of Business Line Hydropower, PINI Group, said: “The expansion of Cruachan will make a crucial contribution to the energy transition process in Scotland. Our Hydropower Business Line is dedicated to developing cutting-edge solutions for the sector on a daily basis.

“We are therefore truly honored to be able to transfer our know-how and skills, developed over the years across Europe, South America, Asia, and Oceania, to a project like Cruachan.”

The appointment of the joint venture comes just a few weeks after the UK Government confirmed it would be moving ahead with a new investment framework to support long duration electricity storage technologies, including pumped storage hydro.

In addition to the proposed construction of a new plant, Drax is currently progressing an £80 million major refurbishment of its existing Cruachan site. The refurbishment will see original parts replaced and the generating capacity of the power station upgraded from 440 MW to 480 MW.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Aidan Kerr, Senior External Affairs Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07849090368

Editor notes

  • Drax’s plans to build a new 600 MW pumped storage hydro plant at Cruachan was granted development consent through the Section 36 process from the Scottish Government in July 2023.
  • Cruachan was constructed over a six-year period by a large workforce of 1,300 men, affectionately known as the Tunnel Tigers. But before they could build the power station inside the mountain, they had to drill and blast into it. The men used handheld air drills to bore holes in the solid granite rock, which were then packed with gelignite and blasted.

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. We are progressing plans to develop 7 million tonnes of carbon removals through BECCS by 2030.

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.

Drax provides £1m funding for groundbreaking Smart Green Shipping project

22 October 2024

News, Press releases

Renewable energy leader Drax Group (Drax) and Smart Green Shipping are partnering on a groundbreaking project, to develop and use innovative wind-assisted ‘FastRig’ technology, which will be used to help decarbonise the shipping sector.

The project will see Drax inject £1m into the initiative, matched by funding from the UK Government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) grant, which will see Smart Green Shipping’s, lightweight, retractable wingsail, installed on a vessel, with a view to demonstrating how the technology can reduce fuel consumption and resulting emissions by up to 30% per year.

Smart Green Shipping is currently undertaking sea trials of FastRig on one of Nuclear Transport Solutions’ specialist vessels, the Pacific Grebe – a purpose-built ship designed to carry nuclear cargo around the world safely. The sea trials will conclude by the end of October and will provide Smart Green Shipping with accurate, independently verified performance data.

The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping contribute around 3% of all global emissions, having risen 20% over the last decade. An earlier feasibility study conducted in partnership with Drax demonstrated potential fuel savings on ships equipped with FastRig of up to 30% per year on transatlantic routes.

If the latest demonstration is successful, work to install the technology on a commercial biomass vessel can begin, helping to decarbonise this hard-to-abate sector. The technology could also prove vital to further reducing supply chain emissions from the bulk transport of Drax’s sustainable biomass, which is used to produce around 8% of Britain’s renewable power.

Drax aims to become a carbon negative company by 2030 by installing Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) at Drax Power Station, in Yorkshire. The power station has already been transformed by using sustainable biomass instead of coal, and the application of BECCS could enable Drax to further reduce its emissions by permanently removing up to eight million tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere each year.

Drax’s investment in the project will also be used to develop Smart Green Shipping’s suite of wind-assist solutions. This includes FastRoute, an industry-first digital system co-created with the University of Southampton, that combines artificial intelligence with high-performance computing to analyse weather data and optimise routes for ships equipped to harness wind power. Using historical and forecast weather data, FastRoute accurately predicts how FastRig will perform, optimising journeys for FastRig-enabled ships and giving investors confidence in fuel savings. Research shows that optimised weather routes significantly reduce fuel usage and GHG emissions.

Diane Gilpin, CEO and founder of Smart Green Shipping said: “Wind is abundant, free, and exclusively available to any ship equipped to use it. Modern 21st century easily retrofittable wing sails lower the cost of propelling ships, which reduces the dependency on commodity-based fuels – whether fossil or alternative fuels – and improves supply chain certainty. Smart Green Shipping shares a joint mission with Drax Group to use renewables to move renewables. We are immensely grateful for the support from Drax Group to create seamless and easy-to-access wind solutions for cargo owners and ship owners. The first commercial installation of FastRig is incredibly exciting and an important milestone as we derisk the transition to wind for the whole shipping ecosystem.”

Miguel Veiga Pestana, Chief Sustainability Officer at Drax said: “Smart Green Shipping’s technology represents a landmark moment for the maritime energy transition and Drax is proud to provide this funding, which re-affirms our commitment to becoming a carbon-negative business by 2030. We look forward to continuing our longstanding partnership as we work together on this exciting project, which could allow us to significantly reduce emissions from the shipping of sustainable biomass, and help to decarbonise a crucial part of our global supply chain.”

Maritime Minister, Mike Kane said: “Reducing shipping emissions is vital if we’re going to decarbonise the sector and achieve our mission of becoming a Clean Energy Superpower. It’s fantastic to see Government funding making a difference, and we will continue to support UK industry to deliver a cleaner, greener sector and develop the smart technologies of the future.”

ENDS

Media contact:
Kieran Wilson
E: [email protected]
T: 07729092807

Image credit: NTS/Smart Green Shipping

Editor notes

  • Drax plans to install Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage at its power station in Yorkshire by 2030, allowing Drax to remove millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere whilst producing renewable power and creating up to 10,000 jobs.
  • Drax Power Station plays an important role in UK energy security, contributing around 4% of the country’s total power and 8% of its renewable electricity.
  • Leading climate scientists and energy experts at the UK Climate Change Committee, UN IPCC and National Grid all recognise that BECCS is essential for reaching net zero.
  • The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) stated in its review of Maritime Transport 2023 that maritime trade is expected to grow 2.4% in 2023 and more than 2% between 2024 and 2028.
  • The report also states that without action, emissions could reach 130% of their 2008 levels by 2050.
  • Drax reports its supply chain emissions in its Annual Report, which is independently audited.

About Smart Green Shipping:

Smart Green Shipping unlocks wind power for the shipping industry by building and financing autonomous, retrofittable wind technologies to help reduce carbon emissions by 30%. The first product in the suite, FastRig – a 100% recyclable wingsail – is undergoing at-sea trials with NTS in October 2024 in a project part-funded by the UK Government. Smart Green Shipping works closely within the shipping ecosystem, including cargo owners Drax, shipowners MOL, Ultrabulk, NTS and has received support and investment from Scottish Enterprise. Its technical team comprises Humphreys Yacht Design, Houlder, Malin Group, Caley Ocean Systems, Argo Engineering, Lloyd’s Register and the University of Southampton.

About Drax:

Drax Group’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2030, using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.

Drax’s around 3,000 employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production and supply to third parties. For more information visit www.drax.com

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of renewable electricity generation assets in England and Scotland. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies five percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe. It is also where Drax is piloting the groundbreaking negative emissions technology BECCS within its CCUS (Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage) Incubation Area.

Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan.

The Group also aims to build on its BECCS innovation at Drax Power Station with a target to deliver 4 million tonnes of negative CO2 emissions each year from new-build BECCS outside of the UK by 2030 and is currently developing models for North American and European markets.

Pellet production and supply:

The Group has 19 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around 5 million tonnes a year.

Drax is targeting 8 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over 3 million tonnes of new biomass pellet production capacity. The pellets are produced using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests and are supplied to third party customers in Europe and Asia for the generation of renewable power.

Drax’s pellet plants supply biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses, and also to customers in Europe and Asia.

Customers:  

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK businesses, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.

To find out more go to the website www.energy.drax.com

Bright idea! – Kirk Sandall Junior School installs solar panels with funding from the Drax Foundation

14 October 2024

News
  • Drax Foundation funding has saved three schools an estimated 14.5 tonnes of combined carbon emissions this year, equivalent to 24 transatlantic flights between London and New York.

The Drax Foundation, the charitable entity of renewable energy company Drax Group (Drax), has funded the installation of solar panels at Kirk Sandall Junior School as part of a campaign to support UK schools and community-led organisations to become more energy efficient.

Funding for the panels has been provided from a £4.5m pot set aside by the Drax Foundation, which recently saw grants and solar panel installations at Abington Vale Primary School in Northampton and Barwic Parade Community Primary School in Selby.

The solar panels, fitted by the specialist solar installation company Low Carbon Energy, will save the school, near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, an estimated £4,100 per year in energy costs and reduce its carbon emissions by an estimated 5.2 tonnes per year.

Jane Breach, Drax’s UK Community and Education Manager, said: “We are proud to provide the funding for the installation of solar panels at Kirk Sandall Junior School, further underlining the Drax Foundation’s commitment to giving back to the communities where we operate.

“It is important that schools and community organisations are given the tools to become more energy efficient so they can help to play their part in the fight against climate change. “In 2024, Drax Foundation has funded three projects for the installation of solar panels at schools in Northampton, Selby and now Kirk Sandall, saving an estimated 14.5 tonnes of carbon emissions, the same as 24 transatlantic flights from London to New York, and reducing estimated energy costs by over £11,000 a year.”

Helen Redford-Hernandez & Garath Rawson, Co-CEOs of the Brighter Futures Learning Partnership said: “Brighter Futures Learning Partnership Trust, with staff at Kirk Sandall Junior School, are delighted that the trust has benefitted from the funding secured by Drax Power Station to help the school become more energy efficient.

“Over the summer the school has worked with Drax to install a number of solar panels which will support the trust’s ambition of reducing energy consumption as well as improving efficiency by reducing the schools carbon footprint. The trust values its obligations to future generations and feels that the project will support its ongoing work of helping the school to become ‘greener’, supporting the transition to Net-Zero.

“The project will also ensure that the projected financial savings are used and reinvested in the education and enrichment of our children. We are proud and grateful to Drax Foundation for its investment in our school and for being so committed to helping schools in its communities.”

Media contact:

Kieran Wilson
E: [email protected]
T: 07729092807

Editor notes:

About Drax

Drax Group’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2030, using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.

Drax’s c.3,500 employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production and supply to third parties. For more information visit www.drax.com

To find out more information about the Drax Foundation go to the website www.drax.com/community

 

Future generation – schools given opportunity to shine with Drax’s 50th anniversary art competition

10 October 2024

News
  • Schoolchildren are being invited by Drax to submit their designs for a poster that visualises the energy industry workers of the 21st century
  • Winners will see their designs showcased at the power station’s history display, as part of its golden anniversary celebrations.

Renewable energy pioneer, Drax, is offering schoolchildren in communities local to Drax Power Station the exciting opportunity to design a poster that visualises the ‘energy employee of the future’.

The competition is part of Drax Power Station’s golden anniversary, marking 50 years since it started generating power in 1974, celebrating the generations of employees who have worked there since then, as well as the energy pioneers of the future.

The design competition gives students the chance to create a poster with a 21st-century twist, by looking to the future of renewable power generation, taking inspiration from Drax Power Station’s own evolution.

Shona King, Head of Community at Drax said: “Young people will play an essential role in the energy system of the future as the UK continues on its energy transition journey. It is vital that we encourage conversations around careers in the energy sector and help school-aged children to foster an understanding of the diverse and evolving opportunities for careers in STEM roles, so that they have the skills to play their part in a decarbonised future.

“This competition to design a modern labour poster will also pay tribute to the generations of employees at Drax Power Station, who have kept the lights on for millions of homes and businesses across the UK, for half a century – whilst celebrating the exciting career opportunities which will be created in the next 50 years.”

Drax has been a leader in the field of bioenergy since converting the power station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal, transforming it to become the biggest decarbonisation project in Europe.

It now has ambitious plans to develop bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) at the site – a vital carbon removal technology, which will be essential in the energy transition and enabling the UK to meet its net zero targets.

Winners will see their designs displayed in the power stations’ dedicated history area at reception, which will also feature a collage of all entries in the shape of the Drax Power Station.

They will also receive a Lego replica of Drax Power Station and a framed print of their design, with copies displayed inside the power station. Alongside the competition, local schools will receive a grant of up to £2,000 towards STEM resources.

The graphic design competition will be open to three age group categories:

  • Category 1, 7-11 years old
  • Category 2, 11- 15 years old
  • Category 3, 16 – 18 years old

Entries for the competition are now open with winners selected by December 16th. More information can be found here. 

ENDS

Media contacts:

Kieran Wilson
E: [email protected] 
T: 07729092807

Editor notes

About Drax

Drax Group’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2030, using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.

Drax’s around 3,000 employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production and supply to third parties. For more information visit www.drax.com

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of renewable electricity generation assets in England and Scotland. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies five percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe. It is also where Drax is piloting the groundbreaking negative emissions technology BECCS within its CCUS (Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage) Incubation Area.

Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan.

The Group also aims to build on its BECCS innovation at Drax Power Station with a target to deliver 4 million tonnes of negative CO2 emissions each year from new-build BECCS outside of the UK by 2030 and is currently developing models for North American and European markets.

Pellet production and supply:

The Group has 19 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around 5 million tonnes a year.

Drax is targeting 8 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over 3 million tonnes of new biomass pellet production capacity. The pellets are produced using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests and are supplied to third party customers in Europe and Asia for the generation of renewable power.

Drax’s pellet plants supply biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses, and also to customers in Europe and Asia.

Customers: 

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK businesses, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.

To find out more go to the website www.energy.drax.com

School’s out! First visit of the academic year to Drax Power Station

9 October 2024

News

Children from the school’s year two class were given free travel and admission to Drax’s Skylark Centre, a nature centre at the Barlow Nature Reserve, which is home to a variety of wildlife including deer, sheep, herons, skylarks and a swan sanctuary. Schoolchildren spent the day learning about wildlife found on the reserve and completed a number of outdoor activities.

The Transport Fund was created in June 2024 to help support young people develop their science technology engineering and maths (STEM) skills. Providing schools meet the qualifying criteria, which includes being sited within 15 miles of a Drax Power Station and having at least 20% of their pupils being on free school meals, they can apply for transport grants of up to £500.

Helen Green, Year 2 Class Teacher, Howden Church of England Infant School said: “What an amazing start to the school year! Our Year 2 children visited the Skylark Centre at Drax to find out about living things in their environment. They made bug hotels, went on a big bug safari and went pond dipping. In the afternoon, they worked as teams to build dens.

“Educationally and socially, it was a wonderful experience for all children. In addition to free entry, we were fortunate enough to be given a transport grant for the trip. All children attended free of charge. The cost of coaches can be prohibitive when organising a school trip and put pressure on families. We greatly appreciated being able to give our children this educational opportunity without the heavy burden of coach fees. I have already enquired about visiting next year and hope that the same opportunity will be available, as it really was a valuable, local visit.”

Jane Breach, UK Community and Education Manager at Drax, said: “We are delighted to provide opportunities for local schools to visit our Skylark Centre at Barlow Nature Reserve. It is important for children of all ages to understand the responsibility we have towards ensuring nature, wildlife and their unique ecosystems can co-exist with energy infrastructure such as Drax Power Station, which helps to keep the lights on for millions of homes and businesses across the UK by generating reliable, renewable power.”

As well as being the home to a large number of endangered and rare species of wildlife, the area is farmed and features a number of rest areas and nature walks. The project for the nature reserve, named Barlow Mound, was conceived in the 1970s as a disposal solution for the by-products created by coal power generation. The site has gone on to provide a thriving natural habitat to be enjoyed by wildlife and local residents alike.

Our Tranport Fund awards grants up to £500 towards the cost of transportation to visit either Drax Power Station, Cruachan Power Station or Tongland Hydro Station. Use this link to check eligibility and to apply to the bursary fund.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Kieran Wilson
E: [email protected] 
T: 07729092807

 Editor notes

About Drax

Drax Group’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2030, using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.

Drax’s around 3,000 employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production and supply to third parties. For more information visit www.drax.com

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of renewable electricity generation assets in England and Scotland. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies five percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe. It is also where Drax is piloting the groundbreaking negative emissions technology BECCS within its CCUS (Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage) Incubation Area.

Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan.

The Group also aims to build on its BECCS innovation at Drax Power Station with a target to deliver 4 million tonnes of negative CO2 emissions each year from new-build BECCS outside of the UK by 2030 and is currently developing models for North American and European markets.

Pellet production and supply:

The Group has 19 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around 5 million tonnes a year.

Drax is targeting 8 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over 3 million tonnes of new biomass pellet production capacity. The pellets are produced using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests and are supplied to third party customers in Europe and Asia for the generation of renewable power.

Drax’s pellet plants supply biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses, and also to customers in Europe and Asia.

Customers: 

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK businesses, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.

To find out more go to the website www.energy.drax.com

Picture perfect – Photo exhibition for Drax Power Station’s golden anniversary

1 October 2024

News

Renewable energy leader Drax is marking 50 years since Drax Power Station began generating electricity with a brand-new public exhibition at Selby Abbey.

The exhibition, Drax Power Station: Powering Britain for 50 Years, celebrates the unique history of the power station, exploring the crucial role it plays in the UK’s power system and the positive impact it has made on local communities over the years. The exhibition also looks ahead at plans to make the power station the world’s largest engineered carbon removals plant by installing Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) technology.

The exhibition features photos from the construction of the power station which started in 1967, along with pictures of the finishing touches being applied to its iconic cooling towers, the control room, and its four biomass storage domes which can each hold 80,000 tonnes of compressed wood pellets.

Drax Power Station began the transition from coal-fired power to sustainable biomass generation in 2003 and following the decommissioning of its remaining coal units it is now the UK’s biggest renewable power source by output.

Drax’s BECCS plans will allow Drax Power Station to continue to play a critical role in supporting UK energy security and would enable it to remove approximately 8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year when fully operational.

Bruce Heppenstall, Drax Plant Director, said: “Drax Power Station has stood as an iconic landmark on the North Yorkshire skyline for 50 years and provides power for over four million homes and businesses, whilst contributing £358 million to the local economy and supporting 2,500 jobs.

“This exhibition of photos from the proud history of our power station embodies the collective spirit of hard work and innovation of all those who have worked at the power station. It represents Drax’s crucial role in UK energy security and celebrating its transition from coal to sustainable biomass, and heralding an exciting future with BECCS, which we aim to use to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere whilst generating renewable power.”

The exhibition is open to the public and runs from Saturday 28th September to Thursday 10th October at Selby Abbey. Opening Times: Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 12pm-4pm.

ENDS

Photo caption 1: Aerial view of Drax Power Station in 1975.

Photo caption 2: Construction of one of the cooling towers at Drax Power Station in the 1980s.

Photo caption 3: Drax Power Station control room in 1984.

Media contacts:

Kieran Wilson
E: [email protected] 
T: 07729092807

Editor notes

About Drax

Drax Group’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2030, using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.

Drax’s around 3,000 employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production and supply to third parties. For more information visit www.drax.com

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of renewable electricity generation assets in England and Scotland. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies five percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe. It is also where Drax is piloting the groundbreaking negative emissions technology BECCS within its CCUS (Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage) Incubation Area.

Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan.

The Group also aims to build on its BECCS innovation at Drax Power Station with a target to deliver 4 million tonnes of negative CO2 emissions each year from new-build BECCS outside of the UK by 2030 and is currently developing models for North American and European markets.

Pellet production and supply:

The Group has 19 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around 5 million tonnes a year.

Drax is targeting 8 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over 3 million tonnes of new biomass pellet production capacity. The pellets are produced using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests and are supplied to third party customers in Europe and Asia for the generation of renewable power.

Drax’s pellet plants supply biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses, and also to customers in Europe and Asia.

Customers: 

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK businesses, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.

To find out more go to the website www.energy.drax.com

Introducing Elimini: New carbon removal leader launches at New York Climate Week

24 September 2024

News
  • Elimini has launched at New York Climate Week with ambition to deliver carbon removals at megaton scale and 24/7 renewable power
  • US-based company group has entered into 11 carbon dioxide removal deals with eight companies, two fiber option agreements, the establishment of an esteemed Advisory Council, and the creation of four knowledge collaborations to advance research and understanding in carbon dioxide removal technologies
  • More than 20 potential bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) sites under review in North America alone for potential BECCS facilities, with additional projects under consideration in six more countries
  • New independent research reveals 74 percent of Americans are concerned about climate change, with only 37 percent believing the government is doing enough to support the development of carbon removal technologies

Elimini, a new US-based business with an ambition to be a leader in carbon removals, has today been launched at Climate Week NYC. The company is dedicated to permanently removing carbon from the atmosphere while generating renewable, 24/7 power.

By advancing bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in the United States and beyond, the new company will help meet soaring demand for both 24/7 renewable energy and high-integrity carbon removals. Nearly all realistic pathways to limit global warming to 1.5C and 2C require developing and deploying carbon removal technology at gigaton scale and tripling renewable energy capacity. Elimini will pair 24/7 renewable energy production with carbon capture technology through BECCS – the only technology that currently supports the delivery of both targets simultaneously.

The business has been launched as new research finds that 74 percent of Americans are concerned about climate change, with 56 percent believing the government should be doing more to support the development of carbon removal technologies – and for those already familiar with these technologies, that number jumps to 72 percent, suggesting that familiarity directly drives increased favorability.

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. As an independently operated, wholly owned subsidiary within Drax Group, Elimini will also sell carbon removals generated at Drax Power Station, which conducted the first BECCS pilot of its kind in Europe and with the right government support will convert that facility to BECCS.

Will Gardiner, Elimini Executive Chair and Drax Group CEO said: “Carbon removals are desperately needed to reverse the legacy emissions warming our planet – and that industry represents more than a $1 trillion opportunity once it reaches gigaton scale. Elimini will have the focus and agility needed to become a leader in the maturing carbon market, rapidly advancing high-quality carbon removals and renewable energy production at global scale.”

Today, Elimini announced the following:

Investment from first-mover climate leaders

Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) offtake agreements with:

And the conversion of two previous MOUs with C-Zero Markets to offtakes with Elimini.

Plus, brokerage agreements with:

An Advisory Council formed of experts from across the carbon removals value chain

Established to help Elimini shape the company’s strategy and hold it true to its purpose and values. Comprised of experts with diverse backgrounds who share our commitment to removing carbon for good:

  • David Hill, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New York Independent System Operator and Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy. Previously, he was Executive Vice President & General Counsel of NRG Energy and served as the US Department of Energy General Counsel.
  • Miranda Ballentine, former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Installations, Environment, and Energy) and Founding CEO of the Clean Energy Buyers Association; currently serving as Senior Advisor at Green Strategies, and as a Board Member and Independent Practitioner to clean energy organizations.
  • Melissa Lott, Professor, Climate School, Columbia University.
  • Freddie Davis, Director of the Rural Training and Research Center at the Federation of Southern Cooperatives.
  • Rajiv S. Joshi, Founder of Bridging Ventures and former Executive Director of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), the world’s largest civil society alliance, launched by Nelson Mandela, working to end poverty and inequality.

Knowledge collaborations

We’ partnering with innovative institutions to push the boundaries of carbon capture technology, including:

Biomass supply partners

Manulife Investment Management and Molpus Woodlands have signed options to provide sustainably sourced woody biomass to fuel Elimini’s BECCS operations in the US Southeast.

The Forest Landowners Assistance Program

Elimini will launch a new program for local, family-owned, or underserved landowners to receive assistance with managing their forests and providing feedstocks for BECCS facilities that will meet Elimini’s high sustainability standards.

The selection of its Owner’s Engineer to support the development of its first BECCS facility in the US 

Elimini has selected engineering firm Sargent & Lundy as the owner’s engineer to support with the development of a BECCS project in the United States. Full scale development is underway at our most advanced site for our first greenfield BECCS project.

Once fully operational, the 300-megawatt generation project will produce two terawatt hours of renewable energy while capturing 3Mt of CO2 annually – the equivalent of the average annual emissions of 100 commercial airliners.

Laurie Fitzmaurice, Elimini President said: “Elimini is entering the market at a critical time for our planet and the global economy, when unprecedented demand for power threatens to extend the world’s dependence on coal and other fossil fuels. By advancing BECCS and other carbon removal technologies in the United States and beyond, we will provide organizations and governments with realistic alternatives to power their communities and businesses while staying on track to achieve their climate commitments.”

David Hill, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New York Independent System Operator and Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy said, “Elimini’s stated purpose is to remove carbon for good. As a member of the Advisory Council, I look forward to working with the company as it seeks to address some very interesting and exciting opportunities.”

“Solving climate change will require many technologies, including a critical set of net-zero and net-negative power plants that are needed to supply the global economy with reliable, affordable, and clean electricity,” said Dr. Melissa Lott, Professor, Climate School, Columbia University. “It is exciting to see Elimini step fully into this space at this critical time in global efforts to deploy technologies at the speed and scale that is needed to reduce emissions and protect the health of our communities.”

Walid Rechache, Co-Founder and CEO at Holborn Trading said, “We are excited and proud to support Elimini on their carbon removal initiative. Holborn Trading is invested because we believe in securing a sustainable future. By supporting innovative solutions like decarbonization technologies and projects including carbon dioxide removal, we’re not just offsetting emissions – we’re actively restoring the balance of our planet’s atmosphere, ensuring a healthier environment for generations to come.”

Read more about our new company, team, and the latest research here.

30 organisations in Yorkshire awarded grants from Drax Community Fund

19 September 2024

News

Renewable energy leader Drax has announced that 30 organisations will receive £22,000 as part of the latest round of grants from its community fund.

The funding will go to 30 organisations in Yorkshire, where Drax owns and operates the UK’s largest power station. Drax Power Station near Selby, in North Yorkshire, generates enough reliable, renewable power for four million homes, using sustainable biomass and supports over 7,000 jobs, directly and throughout its supply chains, mainly in the North.

The donations, which range from £50 to £2,000, are for community-led projects and organisations, including schools, sports clubs, and community centres, helping to benefit the local communities near Drax Power Station.

Jane Breach, UK Community and Education Manager at Drax, said: “We are proud to support a diverse range of groups and projects in Yorkshire near our eponymous power station, helping to benefit the communities where we operate with the Drax Community Fund, established in 2023.”

“Drax is committed to being a good neighbour in the communities near Drax Power Station. This latest round of grants will help to support wonderful initiatives that empower young people with community sessions, offer schools much needed resources and provide local communities with equipment for seasonal celebrations.”

The groups in Yorkshire that will receive donations worth a total of £22,069 from the Drax Community Fund, include:

Henshaws Specialist College – A specialist college that works with students with special educational needs. £1000 has been awarded, which will be used to create a hair & beauty salon for students to learn new skills.

Door 84 Youth and Community Centre – A community centre for children, young people and the community in York. £750 has awarded for the ongoing provision of youth sessions at the centre.

South Milford Primary School – A Primary school in South Milford near Leeds. £1000 has been awarded for the school to buy resources & equipment for a new outdoor sensory garden for its children.

Eggborough Parish Council – The village of Eggborough is 9 miles away from Drax Power Station. The parish council have been awarded £750 towards funding for this year’s Christmas lights/motifs in the village.

Gemma Young, Senior Philanthropy Manager, Henshaws Specialist College said: “This new school of Hair & Beauty within our College will encourage our learners to practice and have some fun with independent living skills and self-care skills. Alongside this, it will give our students some brilliant experience within a vocational subject that can also support everyday life. From blow drying hair to painting nails, this space will allow our students to bond and to learn from each other in a relaxed and fun environment”

ENDS

Media contacts:

Kieran Wilson
E: [email protected] 
T: 07729092807 

Editor notes

About Drax

Drax Group’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2030, using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.

Drax’s around 3,000 employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production and supply to third parties. For more information visit www.drax.com

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of renewable electricity generation assets in England and Scotland. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies five percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe. It is also where Drax is piloting the groundbreaking negative emissions technology BECCS within its CCUS (Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage) Incubation Area.

Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan.

The Group also aims to build on its BECCS innovation at Drax Power Station with a target to deliver 4 million tonnes of negative CO2 emissions each year from new-build BECCS outside of the UK by 2030 and is currently developing models for North American and European markets.

Pellet production and supply:

The Group has 19 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around 5 million tonnes a year.

Drax is targeting 8 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over 3 million tonnes of new biomass pellet production capacity. The pellets are produced using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests and are supplied to third party customers in Europe and Asia for the generation of renewable power.

Drax’s pellet plants supply biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses, and also to customers in Europe and Asia.

Customers: 

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK businesses, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.

To find out more go to the website www.energy.drax.com

Over 100 businesses attend Cruachan Expansion event

18 September 2024

News
  • Event held in Oban, Argyllshire to give local communities, businesses and prospective suppliers the opportunity to find out more about the groundbreaking Cruachan Expansion Project.
  • New 600MW underground pumped storage hydro power station at Cruachan will more than double the sites’ electricity generating capacity.

Renewable energy pioneer Drax has welcomed over 100 businesses, prospective suppliers and local communities to an event for the planned expansion project at Cruachan Pumped Storage Hydro Power Station.

Organised in collaboration with NOF, a not for profit UK membership organisation helping to connect businesses in the global energy sector, the event took place at the historic Argyllshire Gathering Halls and provided an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the wider benefits the Cruachan Expansion Project will deliver, not just across Argyll and Bute, but across Scotland and the UK.

The project will see the development of a new underground pumped storage hydro plant located immediately east of the existing Cruachan Power Station on the northern shores of Loch Awe. The new plant will provide an additional 600MW of generation capacity, which would more than double the current site’s generating capacity to over one gigawatt, enough to power two million homes.

Opened back in 1965, the site has been supplying and absorbing excess power to the grid, acting as a ‘green battery’ by storing low-carbon energy when there is over supply and releasing it when demand is high. The ‘Hollow Mountain” as Cruachan is known, took six years to construct, with a 4,000-strong workforce who drilled, blasted and cleared the rocks from the inside of the mountain. These brave workers came to be known as ‘Tunnel Tigers’ and were pivotal in the construction of the power station and dam at the site.

Although designed when nuclear or coal-fired plants powered the grid, Cruachan’s technology remains at the cutting edge of pumped hydro storage. Cruachan now helps to balance more a volatile supply and demand as a result of the shift towards renewables and low-carbon energy sources in the 21st century.

During the construction phase, the expansion project is expected to support around 1100 jobs across the UK and contribute a potential £470m to the economy. Once fully constructed, the Cruachan expansion will be the first pumped storage hydro plant to be constructed in the UK since 1984.

Steve Marshall, Development Manager at Drax said: “We are delighted to engage with suppliers, businesses and local residents as we continue on the journey to expand the Pumped Storage Hydro Station at Cruachan. We want British businesses to be at the front and centre of our plans for the expansion, which will contribute millions to the local economy and help to support over 150 jobs in the area. We hope this event has educated and inspired those in attendance as we look forward to an exciting future for Cruachan.”

Joanne Leng MBE, Chief Executive of NOF, said: “NOF was delighted to work in partnership with Drax to deliver the Cruachan Expansion project event recently in Oban. To see such an amazing turn out from local businesses, stakeholders and individuals demonstrated the level of keen interest in the project. Feedback on the event so far has been extremely encouraging and to see Drax engaging so early with interested parties is exemplary.”

The expansion project, which secured development consent from the Scottish Government back in 2023, has progressed into the design phase through the development of front-end engineering and design (FEED), with Voith Hydro appointed to act as the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) for the mechanical and electrical components of the plant in July 2024.

Media contacts:

Kieran Wilson
E: [email protected]
T: 07729092807 

About Drax:

Drax Group’s (Drax) purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2030, using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.

Drax’s c.3,500 employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production and supply to third parties. For more information visit www.drax.com

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of renewable electricity generation assets in England and Scotland. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies four percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator. It is also where Drax is piloting the negative emissions technology BECCS within its CCUS (Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage) Incubation Area.

Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan.

The Group also aims to build on its BECCS innovation at Drax Power Station with a target to deliver 4 million tonnes of negative CO2 emissions each year from new-build BECCS outside of the UK by 2030 and is currently developing models for North American and European markets.

Pellet production and supply:

The Group has 18 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around 5 million tonnes a year.

Drax is targeting 8 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over 3 million tonnes of new biomass pellet production capacity. The pellets are produced using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests and are supplied to third party customers in Europe and Asia for the generation of renewable power.

Drax’s pellet plants supply biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses, and also to customers in Europe and Asia.

Customers: 

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK businesses, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.

To find out more go to the website www.energy.drax.com