Archives: Press Release

Innovative robotics technology underway at Opus Energy

11 April 2019

Press releases

‘Billie’, ‘Reggie’ and ‘Scottie’: Robotics in action at energy supplier

Robotics technology is transforming the operations of one of the UK’s biggest business energy suppliers.

The project at [Northampton/Oxford-based] Opus Energy has seen the technology, known as Robotic Process Automation (RPA), introduced for a number of processes within the company’s operations.

One automation running over the Christmas period cleared 20,000 tasks in a matter of days, saving staff at the firm, part of Drax Group, the UK’s biggest renewable electricity supplier to businesses, hours of mundane checking and data entry. It was also carried out at a time when normally staff would not have been available.

Plans are now being developed to rollout the robotic automations further into the firm’s operations. The energy supplier says the aim is to free up staff time to focus on more rewarding and engaging tasks, as well providing service improvements.

So far, six processes at the business have had automation introduced covering credit work, registrations, billing, metering and back office processes, with plans for further automations to be carried out throughout this year.

And the high-tech arrivals have been welcomed into the business by being given nicknames by the teams they work in. ‘Billie’ is now classed as part of the Billing team and is joined by ‘Reggie’ for Customer Registrations and ‘Scottie’ for Change of Tenancy (COT) work.

Ian Blackburn, heading the Intelligent Automation programme at Opus Energy, said: “The feedback from our operational teams has been great. The extra thinking time that RPA is already creating for our people is also really appreciated.

“By using this technology, we can free up their time and allow people to put their skills and expertise to better use and prevent them getting bogged down in more repetitive admin work. We’ll then see the benefit in terms of efficiencies but also in levels of staff motivation.

“We believe our customers will also see the positives in further improvements to our billing and customer services so it’s something that will potentially benefit everyone.”

Jonathan Kini, CEO of Drax Retail, which includes Opus Energy and Haven Power, added: “Innovation is at the heart of everything we do and the energy world is evolving quickly. Data and the way we use it will help our customers change the way they use energy, saving them money in the process and helping make their businesses more sustainable.

“The latest generation of smart meters will produce far better data so the quicker we can process that the better. Our people will then be able to focus on spending more time helping customers rather than data inputting and admin.”

Last year, it was confirmed that Opus Energy and Haven Power together had provided more than 350,000 UK businesses with renewable electricity, a new record which made them collectively the largest suppliers of renewable power to businesses in the UK.

The company is also currently trialling innovative battery storage technology at a farm in Northamptonshire which, if successful, would enable sustainable businesses to store power generated from their own solar panels or wind turbines, and then sell it back to the grid at peak times, providing an additional revenue source.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Drax Power Station announced last year that it was going to pilot the use of robots in its administrative processes for checking in rail deliveries.

Media contacts:

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

Mark Duffell
MCD Communications Ltd
E: [email protected]
T: 07969 080272

About Drax

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:

  • Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
  • Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) 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

 

Drax Group director appointed to CBI board

Press releases

Energy company Drax Group Plc’s People Director, Samantha Brook, has been appointed to the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) Employment & Skills Board and will be contributing to the influential business organisation on its policy and campaigning work around the labour market, education and skills, employment law, employee relations, pay, pensions and health & safety.

Sam Brook said: “This is a great opportunity to play an important part in helping the CBI to enable British businesses everywhere to succeed. I look forward to providing insights from the energy industry to help the CBI to devise and deliver its work plans for the benefit of its members.

“As well as providing valuable insights gained during my own career, I’m looking forward to extending my own knowledge and experience by collaborating with key policy makers and business leaders on important policies and campaigns during this unprecedented time for the UK.”

The CBI is the UK’s most effective business organisation, speaking on behalf of 190,000 businesses of all sizes and sectors, employing nearly 7 million people, about one third of the private sector-employed workforce. It works with policymakers to deliver a healthy environment for businesses to succeed, create jobs and ultimately, drive economic growth and prosperity.

ENDS

Media contacts:

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

About Drax

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:

  • Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
  • Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) 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

 

 

 

Taiwanese ambassador visit to Drax

8 April 2019

Press releases

The Taiwanese Ambassador to the UK has visited the country’s largest power station to find out more about how it has transformed itself to become the biggest decarbonisation project in Europe. The visit was organised by Nigel Adams MP who was keen to demonstrate Drax’s innovative focus on renewable energy.

Ambassador David Y.L. Lin of the Taipei Representative Office visited Drax Power Station in Selby, North Yorkshire to meet with Drax Power CEO Andy Koss and MP for Selby and Ainsty, Nigel Adams MP, who explained how Drax, which was once the UK’s largest coal-fired power station and now produces enough renewable electricity to power four million homes.

He and the delegation had a tour of the power station and learned how Drax upgraded four of its six generating units to use sustainable biomass instead of coal to become the UK’s biggest single site renewable power generator.

In 2018, Drax signed up to the government’s Powering Past Coal Alliance, a UK-Canadian initiative which seeks to end the use of coal by 2030 in developed countries as part of efforts to tackle climate change.

Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO, said:

“We know that coal does not have a role to play in a low carbon future. By upgrading two thirds of the power station to run on sustainable biomass, we’re delivering carbon savings of more than 80% compared to coal.

“We want to share some of the engineering knowledge gained from successfully upgrading the power station to use biomass in the hope we can remove more coal from the system globally.”

He added: “We’re committed to reducing carbon emissions further and are piloting Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) technology, which could enable Drax to become the world’s first carbon negative power station.”

Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Aintsy said:

“Drax is a key economic asset both in Selby and the wider region. It is vital to the local community, directly employing 900 people, supporting 5,700 jobs through its supply chains and generating £600m a year for the northern economy.

“It is looking to the future both in terms of supporting education and skills through community outreach work, as well as exploring opportunities to use new technologies which will enable the power station to innovate and grow.”

Drax is progressing plans for repowering its two remaining coal units with high efficiency gas power generation and battery storage.

It welcomed more than 12,500 visitors to the power station last year. As a member of the Powering Past Coal Alliance, Drax is committed to the development of a low carbon future globally.

ENDS

Media contacts:

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

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712 677 177

About Drax

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:

  • Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
  • Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) 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

Public examination of Drax Repower plan closes

4 April 2019

Press releases
Artist's impression of Drax Power Station CCGT

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will make a decision about Drax’s proposals to repower its two remaining coal-fired generating units with new, high efficiency gas turbines by Friday October 4, 2019.

The Drax Repower project aims to deliver up to 3.6GW of reliable and flexible power generation and up to 200MW of battery storage to help enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said last year that by 2050 85% of the world’s electricity will need to come from renewables like wind and solar power if we are to meet our climate change targets. This means the remaining 15% will need to come from flexible and reliable technologies like gas, biomass, hydro and pumped storage.

Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO said:

“By using high efficiency gas turbines we can continue to deliver flexible and reliable generating capacity as well as system support services, which are vital for maintaining secure power supplies as more intermittent renewables come online.

“If the Repower project goes ahead we could stop using coal ahead of the government’s 2025 deadline, protecting jobs and preserving the life of the power station.

“Building modern, high efficiency gas power stations will enable ageing, less efficient plant to close, reducing emissions and supplying the reliable and flexible power needed to provide vital system support services.”

Now the examination phase of the application process has closed, the Examination Authority will consider the evidence given and has three months to make a recommendation to the Secretary of State at BEIS about whether to approve or reject the proposals.

Several other workstreams are running in parallel to the planning application, including site enabling works, to ensure Drax is in the best possible position to progress with its plans should the Repower DCO be approved.

In addition to the 900 people employed directly by Drax at the power station, near Selby in North Yorkshire, in 2017 Drax generated £600m for the northern economy and supported 5,700 jobs in the region.

Download animation

ENDS

Media contacts:

Ali Lewis
Head of News
Drax Group
01757 612165
[email protected]

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

Editor’s Notes

Prior to submitting its application for a Development Consent Order, Drax consulted with 264 people at eight public events.

During the Examination phase of the application there have been five public meetings.

The decision by the Secretary of State for BEIS will be published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.

The Committee on Climate Change and National Grid both say in their forecasts that we can bring new gas generation onto the system and at the same time meet our carbon targets in the 2020s and 2030s.

About Drax

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:

  • Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
  • Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) 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

Submission of DCO Application Deferred

30 March 2019

Press releases

The project is in a position to submit an application for a Development Consent Order to the Planning Inspectorate and APL will continue to monitor market conditions to determine the appropriate time for submission.

New tech to tackle climate change could fuel UK economy post-Brexit

28 March 2019

Press releases

Speaking at the ‘Fuelling an economy fit for the future’ panel event at the British Chambers of Commerce annual conference in London on Thursday March 28, Mr Gardiner said that we can create the zero-carbon economy that provides sustainable jobs and new opportunities in areas that have suffered industrial decline, whilst at the same time meeting our climate change objectives.

Will Gardiner, CEO, Drax Group. Click to view high resolution photo.

Mr Gardiner said:

“Climate change is the greatest challenge the world now faces – but it is also creating major new investment and job opportunities, which could be transformational after Brexit.

“Globally, by 2030, estimates show that the economic opportunity from creating a zero-carbon economy is upwards of £20 trillion – and the UK is ideally placed to drive the innovation required to take advantage of this.

“We’re already leading the world when it comes to decarbonising power generation – we’ve done more than any other country to remove coal from the grid. We must continue to drive innovation, to deliver further social, economic and environmental benefits through new technologies like carbon capture and storage, smart meters and electric vehicles.”

Drax has converted two thirds of the UK’s biggest power station at Drax in North Yorkshire from coal to use sustainable biomass, making it the biggest decarbonisation project in Europe – delivering carbon savings of more than 80%.

Wood pellet storage dome at Drax Power Station (centre) and chimney (left). A BECCS pilot is underway to show that 90% of the carbon dioxide emissions could be captured, stored or re-used. Click to view high resolution photo.

It now has ambitions to become the world’s first negative emissions power station by using bioenergy carbon capture and storage technology. Its BECCS pilot plant is the world’s first to capture carbon dioxide from a 100% biomass feedstock. If it can be scaled up, the power produced could help reduce the harmful gases accumulating in the atmosphere which cause climate change.

Humber Bridge

Mr Gardiner explained that Drax is working with the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership, and other interested parties to explore the role carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) can play in turning the Humber Estuary into the world’s first ‘net-zero-carbon cluster’ by 2040.

“The Humber is strategically important – it is the most carbon intensive industrial cluster in the UK. The deployment of a new technology like CCUS could be most transformational there – reducing carbon emissions, extending the life of carbon intensive businesses, protecting jobs and creating growth,” Mr Gardiner explained.

“New technologies are already transforming the way we live and work – they are changing businesses and communities, and have the potential to improve everyone’s quality of life as well as Britain’s ability to compete in a global economy.

We are funding a PhD at Sheffield University — customer interaction with vehicle to grid systems using smart technology.

“Electricity demand could increase by around 25% compared to today, as households and businesses switch to electric vehicles and electric heating. We need to ensure that this electric revolution is powered by clean, green electricity that provides a more sustainable economy for future generations.”

Drax Group is also the UK’s biggest supplier of renewable electricity to businesses through Haven Power and Opus Energy, its B2B energy supply businesses.

It supplies electricity to 396,000 business premises and is looking at ways in which batteries, smart technologies and EVs can deliver economic benefits for its customers.

Media contact

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

Editor’s Notes

  • Will Gardiner is speaking at the British Chambers of Commerce annual conference panel event at 11.40am on Thursday March 28, 2019, titled: “Fuelling an economy fit for the future’.
  • The British Chambers of Commerce includes 53 accredited Chambers which make up its network representing tens of thousands of businesses of all shapes and sizes, which employ almost six million people across the UK.
  • The New Climate Economy report by The Global Commission on the Climate and Economy states that analysis showed that ‘bold action could yield a direct economic gain of US$26 trillion through to 2030 compared with business-as-usual. And this is likely to be a conservative estimate’.
  • BECCS is a vital technology in the fight against climate change. The Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering have estimated that BECCS could enable the UK to capture approximately 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year by 2050 – around half of the remaining carbon in the economy that we will need to capture to become ‘net zero’.
  • Power generation with BECCS could also provide essential system services to the UK power grid, meaning a more secure, cost-effective electricity system.
  • The Humber is ideally located for accessing offshore stores for carbon dioxide in the North Sea such as the Endurance field, which is roughly 60 miles off the coast.
  • AS well as working with the Humber LEP Drax is in discussions with the BBPA about the possibility of its members using the carbon captured to help keep the fizz in the drinks industry and it is looking at how its CO2 could be used in the creation of synthetic fuels.
  • Drax Power Station is the largest renewable power generator in the country – producing enough renewable electricity for more than four million households.
  • The conversion of two thirds of the power station from coal to use sustainable biomass has played an important role in enabling the UK’s power system to decarbonise faster than any other in the world, whilst maintaining secure supplies for the millions of homes and businesses which rely on it.
  • More renewables, like wind and solar, are crucial for reducing carbon emissions and helping us to meet our climate targets – but flexible, lower carbon generation, is also vital for controlling the costs of maintaining a stable, low carbon power system.
  • The IPCC recognised in its special report last year that to meet our climate change targets, up to 85% of global power generation needs to come from renewables by 2050. This means the remainder will have to be provided by flexible sources, which can support the system and help to keep costs down – such as biomass, hydro, pumped storage as well as high efficiency gas.

About Drax

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:

  • Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
  • Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) 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

STEM subjects get revved up with electric cars from Drax

25 March 2019

Press releases

School pupils and college students from Selby could move into pole position when it comes to boosting their skills by taking part in a city centre electric car race – thanks to an exciting new initiative from the UK’s biggest power station.

Teams from six schools and a college from Selby, North Yorkshire, will build and race their own electric cars as part of Drax Group’s initiative to encourage young people to study STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) subjects, helping create the skilled workforce businesses need for the region’s economy to thrive.

Drax is investing £35,000 to support the schools and college near its North Yorkshire power station, including providing them with the car kits, as well as the tools and equipment needed to build them.

Engineers from the power station will also spend time with each of the seven teams to help assemble the cars and learn how to drive them ahead of a city centre race in Hull, on April 28, organised by the Greenpower Education Trust and sponsored by Drax.

Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO, said:

“Inspiring young people to study STEM subjects is the key to ensuring the next generation of potential employees has the skills that businesses like ours need. A skilled workforce will enable Drax and other businesses in the North to continue to grow, building a strong regional economy with thriving communities.

“We’re really excited about working with the schools on their electric vehicles. Seeing all the students from Selby with their cars on the starting grid in Hull is going to be a really proud moment for us – and who knows, maybe one or two of them will see the chequered flag.”

The Northern Powerhouse Partnership has published reports on social mobility including its Educating the North and Next Steps for the Northern Powerhouse.

Northern Powerhouse Partnership Director Henri Murison welcomed Drax’s latest scheme. He said:

“This initiative by Drax to inspire students of all ages is a brilliant way to bring STEM subjects to life and make their studies even more relevant to the highly-skilled jobs available in industries here in the North.

“Our research and that by the Children’s Commissioner, Anne Longfield, has shown that too many children in the North are falling behind their counterparts in other areas of the UK, leading to a serious skills shortage for employers.  Talents are not being fulfilled when those growing up in the North enter the world of work. We need more Northern Powerhouse employers and their employees to give their time to provide inspirational experiences for young people, like this one at Drax, keeping working class boys engaged by what they are learning whilst breaking the glass ceiling for girls and young women.”

Four primary schools – Barwic Parade, Camblesforth, Selby Community and Selby Abbey – receive a 15mph Goblin G2 battery-powered car, which will arrive in flat-pack form ready to be assembled by the students and teachers.

Older students from Selby High School, Holy Family Catholic High School and Selby College will build the more powerful Formula 24 car, which can reach speeds of up to 30mph.

Both types of car take around 15 hours to build, with the teams also being required to design their own bodywork.

They will all have assistance from Drax employees, who will help the students to learn about battery power, engine gearing and how a car works.

Liz Ridley, Deputy Principal, Selby College said:

“Being able to give some of our students the opportunity to build their own electric vehicle and then race it is incredibly exciting and a great way to get them engaged in STEM learning.

“Meeting people from Drax and working alongside them to build the cars is giving the students important insights, bringing the world of work to life. The race day will be a fantastic experience for everyone involved.”

Once the schools have built their electric vehicles, the students will take on competitors from across the country, in the race around the streets of Hull in April.

The project is part of Drax’s education programme, which aims to encourage more people, including female students, to study STEM subjects and increase the opportunities they have to secure skilled jobs.

ENDS

High resolution photos

Click on the photo to view/download.

Media contacts:

Mark Duffell
MCD Communications Ltd
E: [email protected]
T: 07969 080 272

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712 677 177

Editor’s Notes

The race in Hull will take place on April 28, when there will be two sets of events featuring the Selby school teams:

  • The primary school teams will take part in a series of drag and slalom races in their Goblin cars. The top drivers from each team will then race against each other in a final 1km circuit through the city centre.
  • Students from the secondary schools and colleges will race the F24 cars around the same circuit in an endurance test, with the winner being the team which can complete the most laps in 90 minutes. The teams will need to switch between three drivers and maintain their cars during the race. 

EV statistics

  • Official figures show that the global stock of electric cars rose to over 3 million in 2017, up from 14,260 in 2010. (House of Commons: BEIS Committee: Electric Vehicles: Driving the Transition, October 2018)
  • The International Energy Agency has estimated that the number of electric passenger cars and light commercial vehicles could reach 125 million by 2030 (International Energy Agency, Global EV Outlook 2018, May 2018)
  • In 2017 the UK ranked fourth worldwide by market share, with EVs representing 1.7% of all new car and van sales (Committee on Climate Change, Reducing UK emissions 2018 Progress Report to Parliament, June 2018)
  • Formula E is the pinnacle of electric motor sports, with races on city streets and tracks around the world. The latest 2019 Formula E cars can sprint to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds — and reach speeds of up to 174 mph (Bloomberg, November 13, 2018) although the world’s fastest EV is claimed to be the £2m Pininfarina Battista, unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. Maker Automobili Pininfarina claims it does 0-62mph in less than two seconds, 186mph in less than 12 seconds, has a top speed of more than 250mph, and does 280 miles on one charge.

About Drax

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:

  • Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
  • Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) 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

About Greenpower

  • The Greenpower Education Trust was founded in 1999 to inspire young people into STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through the unique challenge of designing, building and racing an electric street car.
  • The event in Hull on April 28 is hosted by Greenpower and Green Port Hull, which is supported by the Regional Growth Fund, and will feature three race categories contested on a 1km track:
    • Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Formula Goblin for nine to 11-year-olds tackling drag and slalom challenges;
    • IET Formula 24 for 11 to 16-year-olds taking part in two 90-minute endurance races;
    • IET Formula 24+ is a one-hour race for 16 to 25-year-olds.