We believe investing in our people goes hand-in-hand with enabling the green energy transformation and positive future growth.
Information about our business, partnerships and campaigns, as well as photos, graphics and multimedia assets for journalists, and educational materials for schools.
Information about our business, partnerships and campaigns, as well as photos, graphics and multimedia assets for journalists, and educational materials for schools.
We’re committed to enabling a zero carbon, lower cost energy future through engineering, technology and innovation.
We’re building for a sustainable future in how we source our biomass, generate energy, remove carbon dioxide and function as a business.
Read our carbon capture, sustainable bioenergy and power generation stories, as well as thinking from Drax’s leaders and business updates.
Drax Group’s ambition is to become a carbon negative business by 2030, through innovative greenhouse gas removal technology.
“COP26 is an important opportunity for the UK to showcase its plans for a new, net-zero, carbon goal for climate action.
“As a British business we’re proud to be playing our part in the transition towards a zero-carbon economy by working to deliver negative emissions with Biomass Energy Carbon Capture Use and Storage, by producing more renewable energy than any other UK company and by helping our customers reduce their carbon emissions.”
Drax is working with biotech start-up Deep Branch Biotechnology to explore the feasibility of using the power station’s carbon dioxide emissions to make proteins for sustainable animal feed products.
Deep Branch Biotechnology, a leading tech start-up based at Nottingham University, will place a pilot plant within Drax’s Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS) Incubation Area at its power station in North Yorkshire.
It will extract flue gases from the power station’s renewable electricity generation to feed to microbes, which can make single cell proteins for use in fish food and other sustainable animal feeds.
“By giving partners like Deep Branch Biotechnology access to our CCUS Incubation Area we can test emerging technologies and explore their potential in delivering for both the climate and the economy.
“We want to create a cleaner environment for future generations whilst generating new jobs and export opportunities for British businesses. Technologies like this could enable some of our more difficult to decarbonise sectors, like agriculture, to make positive changes to address the climate crisis.”
Drax Power Station is the biggest renewable electricity generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe having converted two thirds of the plant to use sustainable biomass instead of coal.
It is exploring the feasibility of using BECCUS technologies to help further reduce its emissions and contribute towards the UK meeting its climate targets. This is Drax’s first incubation project exploring a market for carbon dioxide. The power station has also held discussions with the British Beer and Pub association about the possibility of captured CO2 being used to carbonate drinks.
Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner (second right) accompanied Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry in a visit to the Drax Power Station BECCS pilot project in November 2018. Download graphic in high-res
A dedicated Incubation Area has been created at the power station to give other technology companies the opportunity to test their processes on its carbon dioxide.
“Carbon capture, usage and storage technologies are not only putting fizz in our drinks but feeding fish too.
“As we move towards net zero emissions and end our contribution to global warming, innovative projects like this will help reduce agricultural emissions and meet increasing demand for animal feed, demonstrating the enormous global potential CCUS has to tackle climate change.”
Peter Rowe, Deep Branch Biotechnology CEO, explained that the method they have developed for producing proteins from CO2, relies on an edible microbe that consumes carbon dioxide.
When fed carbon dioxide, the microbes grow and reproduce, enabling them to be continually harvested for protein whilst maintaining a growing culture. Under optimal conditions, up to 70 per cent of the material produced is protein.
Download graphic High Res (no logo) High Res (with logo)
The benefits of this process over other carbon capture technologies is that the CO2 does not need to be separated from the power station’s flue gases before being fed to the microbes.
“Meat production is set to double by 2050 as global populations increase, but using existing methods of producing animal feeds to meet this growing demand is completely unsustainable.
“The technology we’ve developed is an exciting solution. We can convert up to 60-70% of CO2 into protein, helping to both minimise the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere during power generation and other industrial processes, whilst producing protein for animal feeds which will help reduce the impact of agricultural sectors on the environment as well.”
The USA is the world’s biggest soy producer, producing one third of global supply, and uses 97% to produce animal feed. Over 60% of cereals grown globally are being used in animal feeds along with 20 million tonnes of ocean-caught fish.
Concerns about overfishing have seen the aquaculture (farmed fish) industry boom, yet this industry uses more than 15% of ocean-caught fish for feed, in the form of fishmeal.
The new proteins created using the Deep Branch biotechnology could help reduce the quantities of fish removed from the oceans. This not only minimises the impact on ecosystems, but decreases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, mitigating the harmful effects of climate change.
The Deep Branch pilot will get underway in the autumn, when a demonstration plant will be installed within the Drax CCUS Incubation Area.
It aims to capture enough CO2 to produce 100kg of protein to be used to create feedstocks for fish and livestock. The protein generated from the project will be used in a trial project with a major feed producer.
If successful, Deep Branch Biotechnology plans to build a larger production facility by 2020 so it can produce several tonnes of protein per year.
ENDS
Ali Lewis
Drax Group Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: 07712670888
Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177
Deep Branch Biotechnology
[email protected]
About Deep Branch Biotechnology: Deep Branch Biotechnology’s mission is to transform the polluters of today into the producers of tomorrow. Their technology removes carbon dioxide directly from emissions, generating single cell protein, a clean and sustainable alternative to soy and fishmeal, the conventional protein sources for livestock and aquaculture feed. They were recently recognised in Forbes’ European 30 Under 30 Manufacturing & Industry 2019.
For more information visit www.deepbranchbio.com
Drax Group’s ambition is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Its 2,600-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.
Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies five percent of the country’s electricity needs.
Having converted two thirds of Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.
Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan. It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.
Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:
Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.
For more information visit www.drax.com/uk
“A net-zero economy is vital if we are to avert the climate crisis. By upscaling the successful Biomass with carbon capture and storage pilot at Drax and developing the world’s first negative emissions power station we can deliver for the climate and the economy – well ahead of the Government’s 2050 target.”
Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner at Drax Power Station. Click photo to view in high res for download.hum
Leading energy companies announce new zero-carbon UK partnership from Drax Group on Vimeo.
Bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) pilot project at Drax Power Station. Click photo to view/download in high res.
This is the first significant action from industry since the UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC) recently published its Net Zero report, which found that CCUS and hydrogen technology developed in regional industrial clusters is essential if Great Britain is going to achieve a ‘net zero’ carbon economy by 2050.
The partnership could lead to the Humber becoming the world’s first net zero carbon region and home to a new world leading hydrogen economy.
View/download graphic with: grey background or white background
“The Committee on Climate Change was clear – the UK needs both bioenergy with CCS and hydrogen production at scale by 2030 to achieve a ‘net zero’ carbon economy. This partnership is committed to meeting this challenge putting Great Britain at the heart of the global energy revolution.
“With Drax’s carbon negative power station, the Humber region could lead the world in new technologies that can deliver for the climate and the economy, helping to create a cleaner environment for future generations whilst creating new jobs and export opportunities for British businesses.
“We’re excited to be working with National Grid Ventures and Equinor on this project – for decades the Humber has been a strategically important industrial cluster for the UK – it has the skills, industrial capability as well as offshore storage to transform itself into a cutting-edge low carbon hub.”
Drax Power Station, North Yorkshire. Click to view/download.
“As a global leader in CCS and a major gas supplier to the UK for many decades, we are committed to helping shape sustainable solutions for a low carbon future.
“We are pleased to be partnering with Drax and National Grid Ventures in looking at how the Humber region can be a launch pad for wider decarbonisation in the UK economy and be an example for others to learn from. Globally we must see substantial decarbonisation of industry and energy in the years ahead, and we believe CCS and hydrogen must play a significant role in this.”
Equinor’s Snøhvit offshore development in the Barents Sea. Click to view/download.
“We all agree that we must act now to start delivering a ‘net-zero’ carbon economy. That’s why we’re delighted to be working together with Equinor and Drax. This is a project of great potential for the UK and the Humber region and we look forward to leveraging our skills and expertise to enable this transition.
“We have seen rapid progress in decarbonising energy through established technologies such as wind power, solar and electricity interconnectors. CCUS and hydrogen create a new pathway to greater decarbonisation of the energy system and provide a platform for decarbonising other areas of our economy, which will be to the benefit of current and future generations.”
National Grid pipelines. Click to view/download.
Equinor’s Tjeldbergodden industrial facility at Nordmøre, Norway, has a methanol plant, a gas receiving terminal and an air separation plant. Click to view/download.
Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire is already capturing a tonne of carbon dioxide a day from its innovative bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) pilot project. If it is scaled up it could serve as the ‘anchor’ for a regional CCUS network capturing millions of tonnes of carbon each year from nearby industrial emitters.
Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry visited the Drax Power Station BECCS pilot project in November 2018. Click to view/download.
The consortium has the collective expertise and credibility to deliver on the CCC recommendation for large-scale trials of hydrogen, development of CCS transport and storage infrastructure, and the deployment of BECCS at scale.
A study outlining the technical, economic and societal opportunities for CCUS and hydrogen in the Humber region will be published by the partners later this year.
ENDS
Ali Lewis
Drax Group Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: +44 7712 670 888
Eskil Eriksen
Equinor Communication Manager
E: [email protected]
T: +47 9588 2534
Sara Revell
National Grid Ventures Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: +44 1926 653962
Drax Group’s ambition is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Its 2,600-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.
Power generation:
Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs.
Having converted two thirds of Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.
Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan. It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.
B2B supply:
Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:
Pellet production:
Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.
For more information visit www.drax.com/uk
Equinor is transitioning into a broad energy company committed to long term value creation in a low carbon future inspired by its vision of shaping the future of energy. Equinor continues to pursue its strategy of always safe, high value and low carbon through developing and maximising the value of its unique Norwegian continental shelf position, its international oil and gas business, its manufacturing and trading activities and its growing new energy business.
Equinor is a leading provider of oil and gas to the UK and has three offshore wind projects in the UK: Sheringham Shoal, Dudgeon and Hywind Scotland, the world’s first floating offshore wind farm. It is developing three further offshore wind projects at Dogger Bank which would make up a further 3.6 GW of capacity. It is also developing the Mariner and Rosebank projects on the UK Continental Shelf and is an active explorer with five exploration wells being drilled in 2019.
Equinor has more than 20 years’ experience with CO2 storage in both offshore and onshore locations. It is currently storing up to 1.8 million tonnes per year, equivalent to the emissions from 850,000 cars, and is the operator for Northern Lights, the transport and permanent storage section of Norway’s full-scale demonstration project for CCS.
In addition, Equinor has extensive expertise across the hydrogen supply chain, including through producing hydrogen for its methanol plant at Tjeldbergodden in Norway, and is engaged in feasibility studies to evaluate the conversion of a combined cycle power station from natural gas to hydrogen fuel.
National Grid Ventures is part of National Grid plc, one of the world’s largest investor-owned energy companies. Separate from National Grid’s core regulated businesses, NGV develops, operates and invests in energy projects, technologies and partnerships to accelerate the development of a clean energy future for consumers. NGV’s existing portfolio includes four gigawatts of operational electricity interconnector capacity connecting the UK with neighbouring markets, which enables the delivery of cleaner, more secure and more affordable energy. NGV is also constructing three more interconnectors to France, Norway and Denmark and has recently announced an agreement to acquire Geronimo Energy, a leading US-based renewable energy developer.
Harry Shann, now 83, was part of the team who worked at Drax Power Station 50 years ago constructing the 850ft high chimney, which has three flues linked to the site’s six generating units, four of which now run on sustainable biomass instead of coal.
The chimney took just four months to build after work started in early 1969 and was completed four months ahead of schedule by a team of around 30 workers, with the topping out ceremony held in May to celebrate its completion.
Now, Harry, who was just 33 when he joined the project and still lives locally in Selby, has spent time back at the Drax site to reflect on his involvement in the record-breaking construction project.
“I still see it pretty much every day. It was definitely the highest build I ever worked on.
“I’m very proud of it, even after all these years, and I can still remember the time I spent on site. Considering the size of it though, we weren’t there long. We really got a move on.”
Due to the height of the structure, reaching the top can only be achieved by an eight-minute journey in an industrial lift or by scaling the 1,460 steps spiralling up the central void of the chimney.
Views from the top can stretch as far as the Humber Bridge more than 30 miles away on a clear day – and Harry admits it was only a job for those who were comfortable working high above the ground.
“I just never had a fear of heights. I was in the Parachute Regiment before I became a scaffolder, so that might have had something to do with it,”
“Being back at Drax Power Station, I realise just how much it’s changed. When I worked here, looking down from the chimney the area was bare, with hardly any buildings. Now it’s just amazing, it’s a wonderful site and I feel proud that the chimney is still standing 50 years later.”
The North Yorkshire power station, which first began generating electricity in 1974 when the first of its six generating units was commissioned, now produces enough electricity to supply five per cent of the UK’s power and is the biggest decarbonisation project in Europe.
“Harry’s efforts, along with his colleagues’, in building such an important and iconic part of the power station are an integral part of Drax’s history and ongoing success.
“50 years on it is still the tallest industrial chimney in the UK – in many ways its completion marked the start of a rich heritage for engineering excellence and innovation at Drax, which has continued to the present day.”
Earlier this year, Drax confirmed that its groundbreaking trial of bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS), using technology developed by Leeds-based C-Capture, had become the first project of its kind in the world to capture CO2 from a 100% biomass feedstock.
Drax has converted two-thirds of its generating units at the site near Selby to use sustainable biomass instead of coal transforming the business to become the largest renewable power generator in the UK. 
ENDS
Chimney facts:
Drax chimney’s foundations are 70ft-deep.
The 44,000 tonne chimney cost around £1 million to build.
It’s almost twice the height of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
The record for the highest chimney in the world belongs to the Gres-2 Power Station in Kazakhstan. Built in 1987, it stands 1,377ft (420m) tall.
Mark Duffell
MCD Communications Ltd
E: [email protected]
T: 07969080272
Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177
Drax Group’s ambition is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Its 2,600-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.
Power generation:
Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies five percent of the country’s electricity needs.
Having converted two thirds of Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.
Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan. It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.
B2B supply:
Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:
Pellet production:
Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.
For more information visit www.drax.com/uk
The four teams were among seven schools from Selby who built the electric race car provided by Drax Group as part of its £35,000 initiative to boost STEM (science technology engineering and Maths) skills.
Staff from Drax worked with the youngsters to help them build their car, with the power firm also providing each school and college with the tools they needed for the project, which culminated in the special street race event at the end of April, organised by Greenpower.
Representatives from four of the schools received their awards at an event at Hull’s Guildhall.
The pupils from Selby Abbey Primary School went home with a trio of awards, including the overall award in the category for younger entrants and the Spirit of Greenpower award, presented on the night by Drax Power CEO Andy Koss.
Judges praised the Selby Abbey team for ‘representing the saying that it’s about the taking part, not the winning’, highlighting how they had worked together to solve issues on the day and even brought along cheerleaders to urge the team on.
Among the other winning teams were Selby College, which came home six minutes ahead of their nearest rivals in a one-hour endurance race, and Camblesforth Community Primary School, which picked up three awards on the night having finished first in one race and second in in two other challenges.
Barwic Parade Community Primary School picked up two awards, including one for having the best bodywork on the day – after the team designed their car to look like the school’s mascot, Herbie the Bear.
“It was a fantastic evening for the pupils and everyone who has contributed to this project at our school. They all thoroughly deserve this recognition.
“I’m incredibly proud of the time and effort everyone has put into this and it’s been a brilliant way to get our children engaged with STEM subjects. They have learnt new things and had a great time working as a team to build and then drive the car. It’s been a real centrepiece of our lessons and other pupils will benefit from it in the future too.”
“It’s great to see so many of our schools coming away with awards – my congratulations go to everyone who took part in this project.
“The commitment from all of the schools has been exceptional – it’s really sparked the students’ imaginations, which is what it is all about.
“It’s really important that we find fun and exciting projects like this to engage young people and encourage them to study STEM subjects. It’s vital if we are to ensure that the next generation has the skills that innovative businesses like ours need.”
ENDS
Mark Duffell
MCD Communications Ltd
E: [email protected]
T: 07969080272
Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177
Drax Group’s ambition is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Its 2,600-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.
Power generation:
Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies five percent of the country’s electricity needs.
Having converted two thirds of Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.
Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan. It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.
B2B supply:
Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:
Pellet production:
Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.
For more information visit www.drax.com/uk
UK Government Minister and Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Robert Jenrick MP, has visited Drax Power Station to find out about its world-first Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) pilot project.
Drax, the UK’s largest power station and Europe’s biggest decarbonisation project, has successfully converted four of its six generating units to run on sustainable biomass instead of coal, delivering carbon savings of more than 80 per cent.
Its innovative BECCS project started capturing carbon dioxide earlier this year and could transform Drax, which supplies 12% of the UK’s renewable energy, into the world’s first negative emissions power station. This would play a vital role in helping the UK to meet its climate change obligations.
If the BECCS pilot can be scaled up to deliver negative emissions, Drax Power Station would be helping to remove the gases that cause global warming from the atmosphere at the same time as electricity is produced.
The UK Committee on Climate Change’s Net Zero report stated that the country needs carbon capture, usage and storage technologies and hydrogen developed in regional industrial clusters if it is going to achieve a ‘net zero’ carbon economy by 2050.
Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO, who met with the Minister and the team from the treasury officials, said: “We are delighted to welcome Robert Jenrick and the team from the Treasury to Drax. Drax is the biggest renewable power generator in the country and has played a vital role in helping the UK to decarbonise faster than anywhere else in the world.
“Our BECCS pilot project could enable Drax to go further to become the anchor for a new zero carbon economy in the Humber region, delivering for the environment and the wider UK economy. We are proud of our contribution to the region’s economy and are committed to supporting future growth across the Northern Powerhouse.”
Drax supports more than 5,700 jobs in the North of England and generates over £600 million for the Northern Powerhouse economy.
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Robert Jenrick MP said: “The UK is a world leader in tackling climate change, and we have reduced our reliance on carbon faster than any other G20 country since 2000.
“But we will need new, innovative technologies to further reduce our emissions. Today I’ve seen first-hand Drax’s innovative Carbon Capture project which has the potential to make an important contribution to tackling climate change in the future.”
ENDS
Ali Lewis
Drax Group Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: 07712670888
Notes to editors:
Drax Group’s ambition is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Its 2,600-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.
Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs.
Having converted two thirds of Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.
Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan. It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.
Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:
Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.
For more information visit www.drax.com/uk
The funding will be used over four years to promote the region’s heritage, boost the local economy and support sustainability initiatives in local communities.
Drax Group acquired the historic Galloway Hydro Scheme as part of a portfolio of important renewable, low carbon and flexible power generation assets earlier this year.
The Galloway Hydro Scheme was commissioned in the 1930s and was the first large-scale integrated hydro-electric complex to be built in Britain. It consists of six power stations, eight dams and a network of tunnels, aqueducts and pipelines – all working together to produce enough renewable electricity for 90,000 households at times of peak demand.
Tongland Power Station is the largest of the Galloway Hydro Scheme’s electricity generation plants and provides an excellent example of early modernist architecture in an industrial setting.
Its uniqueness and the significance of Loch Ken, which is an important part of the system as well as the local landscape, brought the hydro-electricity scheme to the attention of the Galloway Glens Initiative.
“Through the Galloway Glens we aim to address the challenges faced by the area, by harnessing the potential of local heritage sites like this one. We are developing education and training initiatives, supporting the tourism economy and encouraging young people to stay and work locally. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Drax; I look forward to welcoming them to the Partnership Board and their donation will ‘turbo-charge’ our activities, putting Galloway on the map.”
“We’re proud of the fact that the Galloway Hydro Scheme is considered a prominent feature of the local landscape. Drax is committed to supporting the local communities within which we operate and doing all we can to ensure they thrive. We look forward to helping to continue the good work of the Galloway Glens Scheme in this area.”
“We welcome Drax to Dumfries & Galloway and are delighted they are formal partners of the Galloway Glens Scheme. Our priority is to support the local economy, and this is a great example of our amazing cultural and natural heritage driving genuine economic benefits on the ground.”
The Galloway Glens Initiative is formed of partnerships between the Dumfries & Galloway Council’s Environment Team, as well as organisations like the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere.
In 2017, it received an award of £2.7 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support its work in the region.
ENDS
Photo: Drax, The Galloway Glens Scheme & D&G Council meeting by Loch Ken
L-R Councillor Archie Dryburgh – D&G Council, Vicky Bullivant – Drax Group Head of Sustainable Business, Ted Leeming – Galloway Glens Scheme Chairman, Ian Kinnaird – Drax Group Head of Hydro.
Ali Lewis
Drax Group Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: 07712670888
Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177
Drax Group’s ambition is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Its 2,600-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.
Power generation:
Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs.
Having converted two thirds of Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.
Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan. It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.
B2B supply:
Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:
Pellet production:
Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.
For more information visit www.drax.com/uk
“We stand ready to implement the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendations and scale up the successful BECCS pilot at Drax to create the world’s first negative emissions power station in the mid-2020s. Bioenergy with carbon capture is the cornerstone around which a low carbon economy can be built: Crucial for tackling climate change, it will also create new jobs and export opportunities for British businesses.”
Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner at Drax Power Station. Click photo to view in high res for download.
Bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) pilot project at Drax Power Station. Click photo to view/download in high res.
