Archives: Press Release

Drax Biomass completes headquarters transition to Monroe

21 August 2018

Press releases

MONROE, La. — Drax Biomass, Inc. has completed its headquarters move from Atlanta to Monroe, LA. Initiating the process earlier this year, the company has been building its new corporate staff which is now located on Tower Drive in Monroe.

“From an operational standpoint, we are well positioned to manage our three compressed wood pellet plants and the port operations in Baton Rouge from our new headquarters in Monroe,” said Greg Martin, Drax Biomass chief operating officer. “We’ve been really pleased with the caliber of talent and experience we’ve been able to retain and hire.”

Key Facts

  • Drax Biomass is a subsidiary of Drax Group, plc, which is playing a vital role in helping to deliver a better future by changing the way electricity is generated, supplied and used.
  • Drax Biomass operates three compressed wood pellet plants – Morehouse Bioenergy in Bastrop, LA; LaSalle Bioenergy in Urania, LA; and Amite Bioenergy in Gloster, MS.
  • The company also manages a port operation in Baton Rouge/Port Allen, LA.
  • Drax Biomass employs about 190 people in Louisiana and approximately 65 in Mississippi.
  • The corporate headquarters transition from Atlanta to Monroe began in January 2018. Approximately 20 of 30 corporate employees are now located in the Monroe office.
  • Drax Biomass has implemented a sustainable approach to doing business. This commitment to sustainability guides every aspect of the company’s operations, from wood sourcing to pellet production to shipment of finished products.
  • Drax Biomass’ compressed wood pellets allows Drax Power to reduce its dependence on coal, lower carbon emissions and provide new sources of safe, reliable and affordable power.
  • Drax Biomass shipped approximately 945,000 metric tons (a metric ton equals 2,205 lbs.) of wood pellets to the United Kingdom in 2017 for use in the Drax Group power plant.

Drax Biomass Leadership Team

  • Greg Martin, Chief Operating Officer
  • Mike Bellow, Director of Risk Management and EHS
  • Dana Day, Regional Human Resources Manager
  • Ben Garnett, Vice President Biomass Procurement and Sales
  • Richard Lamb, Senior Director of Operations
  • Richard Peberdy, Vice President, Sustainability
  • Annmarie Sartor, Communications Officer
  • Jim Stemple, Senior Director of Procurement
  • Todd Tolkinen, Director of Legal, Compliance and Administration
  • Randy Webster, Director of Engineering

###

About Drax Biomass

Drax Biomass Inc. is a manufacturer of compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests. Headquartered in Monroe, LA, with operations in the Southeastern U.S., the company is committed to supporting the communities in which we operate by promoting sustainable forestry and investing in local economic development.

Media Contact

Annmarie Sartor

annmarie.sartor@draxbiomass.com

 

Drax closer to coal-free future with fourth biomass unit conversion

20 August 2018

Press releases

Drax has switched on its fourth biomass generating unit – taking the power station in North Yorkshire a step closer to achieving its coal-free ambitions.

Work got under way on the conversion as part of a planned maintenance programme in June, with Drax’s team of engineers completing the work required, on schedule, in just over two months.

Having upgraded three of its coal units to use biomass, Drax is already the biggest decarbonisation project in Europe. The conversion of a fourth unit means it is on course to be off coal before the government’s 2025 deadline.

To convert the unit the project team has re-used some redundant infrastructure left from when the company was first co-firing biomass with coal on a large scale, around eight years ago.

A trial last year confirmed that by modifying the old co-firing fuel transportation system, compressed wood pellets can be delivered in the quantities required to fully convert the fourth generating unit.

Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO, said:

“This is another major milestone in the transformation of the power station. It will extend the life of the plant, protecting jobs, whilst delivering cleaner, reliable power for millions of homes and businesses.

“It is testament to the engineering expertise, skill and ingenuity we have at Drax. The team has developed some very innovative solutions for this upgrade, using all the knowledge we’ve gained throughout the work we have done so far to transform the business using sustainable biomass.”

The cost of conversion of the fourth generating unit is significantly below the level of previous conversions, at around £30 million.

Drax has already invested around £700 million in upgrading the first three units and associated supply chain infrastructure to use sustainable biomass instead of coal.

Nigel Adams MP for Selby said:

“I’m delighted to see Unit 4 in operation as a biomass unit, continuing the good work Drax is doing with its Beyond Coal strategy, protecting jobs and ensuring it continues to play a vital role in the Northern Powerhouse economy.”

The fourth unit will help the power station, at Selby in North Yorkshire, to deliver vital reliable and flexible power needed by the grid to maintain secure supplies as more renewables come online and the sector continues to decarbonise.

Drax will now continue its work to replace its remaining two coal units, with gas-fired power generating units. The Combined Cycle Gas Turbines it is looking to develop could deliver up to 3.6GW of capacity, as well as up to 200MW of battery storage.

Drax’s plans for the gas project have been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, which accepted the application for examination. The proposals will now be examined by the Planning Inspectorate and then considered by the Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy with a decision expected in 2019.

In the UK there has been an 84 per cent reduction in coal-fired power generation in the last five years as low carbon generation has increased.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Ali Lewis
Drax Group Interim Head of Media & PR
E: ali.lewis@drax.com
T: 07712 670888

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: jessica.gorton@drax.com
T: 020 3943 4305

Editor’s Notes

  • Drax welcomed the UK Government’s response to the consultation on cost control for further biomass conversions under the Renewable Obligation scheme, published in January.
  • It proposed that, rather than imposing a cap on Renewable Obligation Certificate (ROC) support for any future biomass unit conversions, a cap would be applied at the power station level across all units receiving ROCs.
  • This will protect existing converted generating units and limit the amount of incremental ROCs attributable to additional unit conversions to 125,000 per annum.
  • As a result, once the unit is converted this summer, Drax expects to optimise its power generation from biomass across its three ROC units under the cap, whilst supporting the Government’s objective of controlling costs under the Renewable Obligation scheme.
  • Drax also has a biomass generating unit which receives support under the Contract for Difference (CfD) scheme. This unit is unaffected by the government consultation on cost control for further biomass conversions under the RO scheme.
  • The fourth generating unit at Drax was switched on in 1986 when the second half of the power station known as ‘Drax B’ began generating power from coal. This was 12 years after the first half of the power station began generating power in 1974
  • Drax converted its first three coal units to use biomass between 2013 and 2016.
  • 65% of the electricity Drax produced in 2017 was renewable – enough to power four million households.
  • Drax signed up to the Powering Past Coal Alliance in April. The UK-Canadian initiative seeks to end the use of coal by 2030 in developed countries.
  • Drax is the most efficient power station in the UK’s coal fleet and Drax’s fourth unit would have been one of the last to close under the Government’s coal phase out plans. This means Drax is closing a coal unit nearly seven years earlier than anticipated.
  • In 2016 Drax supported more than 6,000 jobs in the Northern Powerhouse region, whilst generating £577m for the local economy.

About Drax

Drax Group plc plays a vital role in helping change the way energy is generated, supplied and used. Its 2,300-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

The Group includes:

Drax Power Ltd, which operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby, North Yorkshire and supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs. The energy firm converted from burning coal to become a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator. Drax is the biggest single site renewable generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.

Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.

Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Drax Biomass, is based in the US and manufactures compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests, supplying fuel used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com/us

Last spaces available for summer activity programme

23 July 2018

Press releases

Starting on Tuesday July 24 throughout the summer holidays, open tours of Drax Power Station are running alongside fun educational activities.

Activities include building a working electromagnetic train, using chemistry to explore the science of bubbles, taking on an engineering building challenge and using STEM learning to create the tallest structures possible.

Open tours of Drax Power Station are running throughout the summer too, allowing visitors to get up close and personal with the UK’s largest power station as they marvel as its sheer size and learn how renewable energy is produced.

Community Engagement and Visitor Centre Manager Jane Breach said: “Our summer activities programme is proving as popular as ever. We are booking up fast but there are still a few spaces left in August.

“The team has worked really hard to put together a fun, interesting and exciting educational programme that supports our commitment to STEM learning. I’d encourage anyone interested to get in touch with the visitor centre team to secure their place while there’s still availability.”

The summer activity programme includes a range of fun educational activities well as open tours every week on the following dates – 25th July 1st August, 7th August, 17th August, 22nd August and 29th August. Open tours run 10am to 12 noon and 1pm to 3pm.

For details of the activities and book your spot, visit our Eventbrite page.

For details of open tours email tours@drax.com.

ENDS

Media contacts

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: jessica.gorton@drax.com
T: 07712677177

Ali Lewis
Drax Group Head of Media Relations
E: ali.lewis@drax.com
T: 07712670888

About Drax

Drax Group plc plays a vital role in helping change the way energy is generated, supplied and used as the UK moves to a low carbon future. Its 2,300-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

The Group includes:

Drax Power Ltd, which operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby, North Yorkshire and supplies 7 percent of the country’s electricity needs. The energy firm converted from burning coal to become a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator. Drax is the biggest single site renewable generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.

Haven Power, based in Ipswich, provides businesses with electricity.

Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity and gas to businesses.

Drax Biomass, is based in the US and manufactures compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests.

For more information visit www.drax.com/us

 

Application for Development Consent Order submitted to the Planning Inspectorate

20 July 2018

Press releases

Millbrook Power Ltd (MPL, a subsidiary business of Drax Group) has today submitted its application for a Development Consent Order to the Planning Inspectorate. Upon receipt of MPL’s application, the Planning Inspectorate has 28 days to decide whether to accept it for examination.

If the application is accepted for examination, MPL will formally notify Central Bedfordshire Council and Bedford Borough Council, the local parish councils in the near vicinity of the site at Rookery South Pit, local landowners and other statutory consultees. These stakeholders will receive a copy of the accepted application documents.

In addition, a notice will be published at or near the site and in local newspapers to publicise the accepted application and to provide information to local people on where they can review the application and how and when they can make representations to the Planning Inspectorate. Anyone who makes a representation can register to become an Interested Party once the Examination process starts.

Assuming the MPL application is accepted, we could expect the Examination process to start in February/March of next year (2018).

A ‘preliminary meeting’ with Interested Parties, MPL and the Examining Authority will be held to coincide with the start of the Examination process. This meeting will be held locally and interested parties will be given at least 21 days’ notice of the meeting. At this meeting, the Examining Authority will inform MPL and Interested Parties of the examination procedure and schedule.

The post-application and examination processes, including the formal notification of the accepted application and the consultation on the Application documents (undertaken in accordance with Section 56 of the Planning Act 2008), are defined by relevant regulations and the Planning Inspectorate.

Application for Development Consent Order accepted for examination by the Planning Inspectorate

Press releases
Artist's impression of Drax Power Station CCGT

Drax Power Ltd has been notified by the Planning Inspectorate that its application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) has been accepted for examination. The application is for development consent to repower up to two existing coal-fired generating units (Units 5 and 6) at the power station with new gas turbines as well as battery storage and associated development.

The application for the Drax Repower project was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on 29th May 2018, after extensive engineering and environmental assessments and consultation with local councils, local people, landowners and other interested parties.

A copy of the application form and its accompanying documents, plans and maps (including the draft DCO and the Environmental Statement) are available until Wednesday, 29th August for inspection free of charge at the following places:

  • Selby District Council – Civic Centre, Doncaster Road, Selby YO8 9FT
  • North Yorkshire County Council – County Hall, Northallerton DL7 8AD
  • East Riding of Yorkshire Council – Customer Service Centre, Cross Street, Beverley HU17 9BA
  • Snaith Library – 27 Market Place, Snaith DN14 9HE
  • Goole Library – Carlisle Street, Goole DN14 5DS

If visiting North Yorkshire County Council, please ask at the reception to view the application documents.

The suite of documents is also available to view online through the Planning Inspectorate’s website.

Officers at Selby District Council, North Yorkshire County Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council are aware of the Inspectorate’s acceptance of the project for examination. Local parish councils, landowners and other prescribed consultees will shortly receive formal notification of the acceptance.

In addition, an official notice (Section 56 Notice) has been published today in The Times, the London Gazette and the Yorkshire Post and will be displayed in the local area.

Organisations and/or individuals who wish to register a representation and interest in the examination process can do so via the Planning Inspectorate’s website, giving notice of any interest in, or objection to, the application. The examination is likely to start in the autumn (the details and dates of the examination process have yet to be confirmed).

Representations or responses must be received by the Planning Inspectorate by 11.59pm on Wednesday, 29th August 2018. All representations will be made public by the Planning Inspectorate.

The independent examination of the Drax Repower project is expected to last a number of months, after which it will be considered by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Drax responds to CCUS Cost Challenge Task Force Report

19 July 2018

Press releases

“The Cost Challenge Task Force Report rightly identifies the important role bioenergy and CCS could play in a future low carbon energy grid. In addition to providing flexible low carbon electricity to complement wind and solar, bioenergy and CCS can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to tackle climate change and realise the UK’s vision of being a net zero economy by 2050.”

Korean electricity producers learn about powering past coal

6 July 2018

Press releases

A group from a Korean power station has visited Drax to understand how it transformed itself from being the UK’s biggest coal-fired power station to become the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.

The delegation from Korean South-East Power Co. visited Drax Power Station near Selby in North Yorkshire, where enough renewable electricity is now produced from sustainable biomass to power more than four million homes.

The group had a tour of the power station and heard about how Drax upgraded half of its generating units to use sustainable biomass instead of coal to become the UK’s biggest single site renewable power generator.

Drax signed up to the government’s Powering Past Coal Alliance earlier this year. The UK-Canadian initiative 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:

“Unabated coal does not have a role in our low carbon future. In the UK there has already been a dramatic fall in power generation from coal – an 84% reduction in the last five years, and a major shift towards lower carbon technologies.

“We want to share some of the engineering knowledge and expertise gained from successfully upgrading half of the power station to use biomass, with other power producers in the hope we can help to remove more coal from the system and develop a low carbon future globally.”

Drax is currently converting a fourth coal generating unit to use biomass, and is also progressing plans for repowering its two remaining coal units with gas power generation and batteries.

It welcomes over 13,000 visitors to the power station each year. As a member of the Powering Past Coal Alliance, Drax is committed to the development of a low carbon future globally.

New Drax Trains: Powering the Northern Powerhouse

5 July 2018

Press releases

Since it upgraded half of the power station near Selby in North Yorkshire to use sustainable biomass instead of coal, Drax has transformed its business to become Europe’s biggest decarbonisation project and the UK’s largest single site renewable power generator.

Key to its success is its supply chain – including the development of bespoke train wagons able to transport compressed wood pellets in the quantities needed to the power station.

Drax’s rail wagons, the first of their kind in the world, were designed and developed by Lloyd’s Register Rail (Ricardo) and WH Davis – the UK’s last independent freight wagon manufacturer.

Work is now being carried out at Davis Wagon Services’ facilities (a subsidiary of WH Davis) to re-brand all 225 of Drax’s rail wagons, complete with new Northern Powerhouse branding.

Drax is a member of the government’s Northern Powerhouse initiative, which is aimed at boosting the region’s economy by investing in skills, innovation, transport and culture.

Jake Berry, Northern Powerhouse Minister said:

“The development of Drax’s train wagons is a Northern Powerhouse success story – I’m delighted to unveil the first of the newly branded wagons.

“The energy sector has been and will continue to be a major source of jobs and economic opportunity in the North of England. It is worth over £5bn to the North and the region has more low carbon jobs per 1,000 employees than anywhere else in England.”

Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO, said:

“With these trains delivering up to 20,000 tonnes of biomass each day, we are now powering millions of homes and businesses across the UK with reliable, renewable electricity, whilst generating over £500m for the northern economy and supporting more than 6,000 jobs in the region – including some here at Davis Wagon Services’ facilities.

“We have invested £700m transforming the business from coal to biomass, including the development of an entirely new supply chain, and these rail wagons are a vital part of that investment.

“Our biomass comes into the ports on the east and west coasts from North America and Europe, and is brought to the power station by rail, because it is more efficient than road transportation – helping us to make carbon savings of more than 80 per cent compared to when we used coal to generate electricity.”

John Hall, Managing Director of Davis Wagon Services Ltd, said:

“Our parent company is the last UK rail freight manufacturer, and winning the contract with Drax firstly to develop and build these unique biomass wagons and now in maintaining them, has enabled us to retain a number of staff in skilled jobs and invest £850,000 in our facilities here in the North.

“We will be working with Drax as it rebrands all of its wagons over the coming two years, re-wrapping them with the new branding as part of a rolling maintenance programme.”

ENDS

Media contacts

Ali Lewis
Drax Group Head of News
E: ali.lewis@drax.com
T: 07712670888

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: jessica.gorton@drax.com
T: 0203 9434305

Editor’s Notes

  • 65% of the electricity Drax produced in 2017 was renewable – enough to power four million households.
  • Having upgraded three generating units to use biomass instead of coal, Drax is in the process of converting a fourth generating unit to use biomass which should be completed this summer. It has also submitted plans to repower its remaining two coal units with gas power and battery storage which are being considered by the Planning Inspectorate.
  • The majority of the biomass Drax uses comes from North America and Europe on ships to ports on the east and west coasts of the UK (Immingham, Hull, Port of Tyne and Liverpool). It is then taken to the power station from the ports by rail.
  • Drax has an average of 17 biomass trains arriving at the power station per day (over a six-day working week) in order to supply the pellets needed to generate and supply 15 per cent of the UK’s renewable electricity.
  • Each train contains sufficient fuel to provide 815 houses in the UK with enough electricity for a year.
  • The fuel is transported to Drax via rail rather than road, to further reduce carbon emissions, as it is more efficient than road transportation. Using rail saves approximately 270,000 truck journeys per year and is estimated to save 32,622.50 tonnes of C02 per year
  • Independent research by Oxford Economics using 2016 data showed that Drax supported over 18,500 jobs across the country – more than 6,000 of which were across the North of England (Yorkshire and Humber, North West and North East). In addition Drax generated £577m for the Northern Powerhouse regional economy and £1.7 billion for the whole of the UK.

About Drax

Drax Group plc plays a vital role in helping change the way energy is generated, supplied and used. Its 2,300-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

The Group includes:

Drax Power Ltd, which operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby, North Yorkshire and supplies 7 percent of the country’s electricity needs. The energy firm converted from burning coal to become a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator. Drax is the biggest single site renewable generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.

Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.

Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Drax Biomass, is based in the US and manufactures compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests, supplying fuel used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com/us

World Cup cuppas see Great Britain’s electricity demand surge

4 July 2018

Press releases

The nation breathed a collective sigh of relief after England’s victory in the tense penalty shootout against Colombia last night, and what better way to celebrate than with a cup of tea?

At half time, an additional 1,200MW of electricity was required from National Grid to cope with the number of kettles boiling, lights being switched on, toilets being flushed and pints being pulled.

The surge in demand was even greater than National Grid expected and equated to almost half a million kettles being boiled.

Demand surged to over 34,400MW during the game last night – 150MW more than National Grid had anticipated. However, the spike in demand was successfully plugged – largely by gas generation.

One of the biggest surges in sporting history still goes to the World Cup Semi Final in 1990 –  England v West Germany. The electricity demand was 2,800MW – equivalent to 1,120,000 kettles being boiled.

After that fateful penalty miss the population made for the kitchen. The match was watched by an estimated 26 million people in the UK. When full time was called they caused a 2,800MW surge in electricity demand.

The World Cup Quarter Final of 2002 – England v Brazil – also saw an enormous spike. Broadcast early on a Wednesday morning in the UK due to time differences with South Korea, where the game was played, the match saw England put up a solid fight against overall tournament winners Brazil.

A goal from Michael Owen provided early hope and at half time TV viewers left their screens to cause a huge 2,570MW spike in demand. By the time the game had reached its conclusion, Brazil had won thanks to a chipped Ronaldinho free kick that fooled England keeper David Seaman and those viewers who had lasted the duration caused a slightly smaller 2,300MW surge.

ENDS

Media contact

Ali Lewis
Drax Group Head of News
E: ali.lewis@drax.com
T: 07712670888

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: jessica.gorton@drax.com
T: 0203 9434305 

Editor’s Notes

About Drax

Drax Group plc plays a vital role in helping change the way energy is generated, supplied and used. Its 2,300-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

The Group includes:

Drax Power Ltd, which operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby, North Yorkshire and supplies 7 percent of the country’s electricity needs. The energy firm converted from burning coal to become a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator. Drax is the biggest single site renewable generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.

Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.

Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Drax Biomass, is based in the US and manufactures compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests, supplying fuel used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com/us

About Electric Insights

  • Electric Insights is commissioned by Drax and is delivered independently by a team of academics from Imperial College London, facilitated by the College’s consultancy company – Imperial Consultants. The database analyses raw data that are made publicly available by National Grid and Elexon, which run the electricity and balancing market respectively. Released four times a year, it will focus on supply and demand, prices, emissions, the performance of the various generation technologies and the network that connects them.
  • The quarterly reports are backed by an interactive website electricinsightsco.uk which provides live data from 2009 until the present.