Archives: Press Release

Drax donates £112,000 globally to support foodbanks over Christmas

21 December 2023

News

The foodbanks receiving this support serve communities close to Drax sites in England, Scotland, Canada and the USA, providing essential supplies to hundreds of people in these countries who are struggling with the cost of living.

Shona King, Drax Group Head of Community, said:

“Drax has a long history of charitable giving and supporting the communities where we operate. We are on track to donate nearly £3m to good causes during 2023.

“Christmas can be a challenging time of year for individuals and families and it is important that companies do what they can to help people. We hope that these donations will provide much needed support to foodbanks across England, Scotland, Canada and the USA to meet the demand for their services.”

USA

A combined total of £21,000 or $25,000 (USD) has been donated to foodbanks near Drax sites in the USA including:

  • Louisiana:
    • Food Bank of Northeast LA close to both Drax’s Monroe office and Morehouse Pellet Plant
    • Food Bank of Central LA near to LaSalle Pellet Plant
  • Mississippi:
    • Amite River Baptist Association Food Pantry near to Amite Pellet Plant
  • Alabama:
    • West Alabama Food Bank close to Aliceville Pellet Plant
    • Demopolis Food Pantry near to Demopolis Pellet Plant
  • Arkansas:
    • Mainstreet Mission Food Pantry by Russellville Pellet Plant
    • Kathy’s Closet and Food Pantry near to Leola Pellet Plant

“The Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana is grateful for the opportunity to partner with Drax Biomass to provide more nutritious food to our neighbors who face hunger,” said Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana Executive director Jean Toth. “Thanks to both financial and volunteer support from Drax Biomass, together we are creating a stronger, healthier community.”

England

A combined total of £32,000 has been donated to foodbanks near Drax sites in England including:

  • Bow Food Bank near to Drax’s London head office
  • 2 Rivers Community Pantry and Selby Community Fridge close to Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire
  • The Hope Centre, Kettering District Foodbank and Weston Favel Centre near Opus Energy in Northampton
  • BME Support, St Matthews Church Top Up Shop, Love Ipswich and All Hallows Top Up Shop near to Drax Energy Solutions (DES) in Ipswich

Additionally, nearly 300 festive hampers have been prepared by DES colleagues to be distributed by Love Ipswich to vulnerable people.

Chris Hailey-Norris, Chief Executive of Up for Yorkshire, said:

“Thank you so much for the generous donation from Drax. The funding will enable us to top up the Community Fridge with essential additional food items on a weekly basis.

“The Community Fridge is a lifeline to so many families across Selby District, and a wonderful opportunity to connect people with the other support and services we can provide. Your support means so much to our organisation.”

Scotland

A combined total of £20,000 has been donated to foodbanks near Drax sites in Scotland including:

  • Hope Kitchen Oban near to Cruachan Power Station
  • View Park Food Bank close to Daldowie Fuel Plant
  • Clydesdale Food Bank by Lanark Hydro Scheme
  • Stepping Stones by Galloway Hydro Scheme

Catriona Petit, Service Manager at Hope Kitchen Oban, said:

“It was a welcome surprise to receive this money. People we support are finding it particularly difficult this year with the cost of living crisis and so having money that we can use to provide people with food, activities and places to meet and get involved is invaluable.”

Canada

A combined total of £39,000 or $65,000 (CAD) has been donated to foodbanks near Drax sites in Canada including:

  • Boys and Girls Club Okanagan Armstrong Food Bank by Armstrong Pellet Mill
  • Lake District Family Enhancement Society near to Burns Lake Pellet Mill
  • WEE Community Food Bank close to Entwistle Pellet Mill
  • High Level Native Friendship Centre near High Level Pellet Mill
  • Lumby Food Bank near to Lavington Pellet Mill
  • Nourish Food Bank close to Meadowbank Pellet Mill
  • Salvation Army close to Drax’s Prince George office
  • Princeton Food Bank near to Princeton Pellet Mill
  • Salvation Army Bulkley Valley close to Smithers Pellet Mill
  • Greater Vancouver Food Bank by Drax’s Vancouver office
  • Salvation Army Prince Rupert near to Westview Wood Pellet Terminal
  • Salvation Army Williams Lake close to Williams Lake Pellet Plant

Tamara Robinson, Director of Family Services and Community Outreach at Salvation Army Williams Lake, said:

“On behalf of The Salvation Army Williams Lake I deeply thank Drax for their incredible generosity to our community, supporting us as we serve those in need. It’s because of caring hearts like yours that we are able serve in the capacity we do.”

ENDS

Media contacts:

Andy Low
Media Manager
E: andrew.low@drax.com 
T: 07841 068 415

About Drax

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

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

Power generation:

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

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

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

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

Pellet production and supply:

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

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

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

Customers: 

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

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

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

Drax Foundation Donates More Than $340,000 to Non-Profits Focused on Improving Access to STEM Education and Community Green Spaces for Underserved Communities

22 November 2023

News

Renewable energy company Drax has announced that six U.S. non-profits will receive $348,000 as part of the Drax Foundation’s latest round of donations. The Drax Foundation funds initiatives that support education and skills development in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), and those that improve community green spaces and enhance biodiversity. 

The non-profits receiving the donations are spread across Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, and include the Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME), the Houston Audubon, Project Learning Tree, The Boys and Girls Club of America (Mississippi), The Center for Planning Excellence and The Central Creativity Foundation. 

“These organizations breathe life into the communities they serve,” said Annmarie Sartor, Community Manager for Drax U.S. “We rely on the expertise and knowledge of our non-profit partners who help us prioritize funding for some of their harder-to fundraise for areas of work.” 

The funds will provide nearly 16,000 children across the southern U.S. with access to STEM education opportunities. Combined with the first wave of funding earlier this year from the Drax Foundation, more than 24,000 young learners will be afforded opportunities in STEM education. This funding will also help to protect more than 2900 acres of natural habitat.  

The Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME), which will receive $50,000, creates equitable experiences for students from underrepresented groups to explore futures in engineering.

“TAME welcomes The Drax Foundation into our alliance as we continue to prioritize cross-sector partnerships that improve access to engineering pathways for Texas students,” said Andrea Herrera Moreno, Executive Director of TAME. “The support from Drax enables us to amplify our impact by investing in our programs and capacity, and we’re very excited to engineer this new partnership.” 

The Houston Audubon, which will receive $50,000, is a regional non-profit and accredited land trust focused on protecting the natural environment for birds and people on the upper Texas coast.  

“With the generous support of the Drax Foundation, the Houston Audubon can continue to lead the conservation action needed along the Upper Texas Coast to help protect our land as well as the migratory, breeding, and resident birds that depend on us for habitat protection,” said Pete Deichmann, Land Director with the Houston Audubon. “Together with our partners, we can build sustainable management practices that benefit birds and people.” 

Project Learning Tree, which will receive $60,000, has the mission to advance sustainability through forest-based collaboration.

“We are thrilled and deeply appreciative to have the continued support of the Drax Foundation,” said Dr. Reagan Flowers, Chief Education Officer with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). “With this donation, we will bring our award-winning Project Learning Tree nature-based education and career pathway resources to underserved communities to cultivate a culture of environmental literacy and understanding.” 

The Boys and Girls Club of America (Mississippi), which will receive $60,000, offers nation-wide support to communities in need and will use their funding to provide STEM opportunities for helping children across Central Mississippi and along the Gulf Coast.

“At Boys & Girls Clubs of America, we know that providing exposure to science, technology, engineering and math early in the lives of kids and teens nurtures their natural curiosity and long-term interest and skills,” said Lisa Anastasi, Chief Development and Public Affairs Officer for Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “Through our new partnership with the Drax Foundation, we are excited to expand the number of young people engaging in high-quality STEM programs within select Mississippi Clubs, preparing youth for a great future after graduation.” 

The Central Creativity Foundation, will receive $68,795, is an organization based in Laurel, Mississippi, that will use their funding to partner with the Louisiana Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (LaSTEM) Program to host energy camps in Amite County, Mississippi, and Marengo and Pickens Counties in Alabama. 

“The Drax Foundation funding will support the expansion of LaSTEM’s award-winning energy camp next summer,” said Dr. Clint Coleman, Program Administrator of LaSTEM/Cybersecurity. “We strongly believe that STEM education is crucial for building a skilled workforce and we are committed to ensuring that no school is left without the necessary resources. The LaSTEM energy camp is designed as a comprehensive and ready-to-implement solution, offering a full week of interactive, engaging, and hands-on activities.”

The Center for Planning Excellence, awarded $60,000, is a Louisiana-based non-profit that will use the donation to build community resources.

“With the funding from the Drax Foundation, the Center for Planning Excellence is excited to have the opportunity to develop and disseminate “Rooted in Community: A Tree Canopy Cultivation Guide,” says Jeannette Dubinin, Director of Resilience & Adaptation. “This resource will help empower communities across Louisiana to build equitable climate resilience and improve their quality of life through the cultivation of tree canopies.” 

“Our goal at Drax is to make real, positive differences in the communities we operate,” said Matt White, Executive Vice President of Drax’s North America Operations. “This round of Foundation giving will help deserving organizations change the lives of thousands of children across the southern U.S.” 

To learn more about the Drax Foundation and Drax’s community efforts, visit www.drax.com/community. 

Contact Information: 

Michelli Martin
Communications Manager, US
318-372-3988
michelli.martin@drax.com

About Drax  

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

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

Power generation:

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

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

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

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

Pellet production and supply:

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

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

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

Drax partners with Patch to enhance carbon credit offering

8 November 2023

News

Patch’s software helps voluntary carbon market participants buy, sell, and manage credits. With the Patch Radius software solution, Drax customers will be able to seamlessly      purchase from a number of portfolios of carbon credits, including those from BECCS by Drax.

Drax has the ambition to become a global leader in carbon removals through the implementation of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology, with the aim of capturing 14 million metric tonnes of carbon removals a year by 2030. Supporting Drax’s ambition in carbon removals, this partnership aims to accelerate the carbon market by facilitating carbon credit sales to companies of all sizes looking to achieve their climate goals.

Marc Bradbrook, SVP Business Development said, “A strong carbon market will be essential to accelerating the deployment of technologies like BECCS, and business and organisations need to invest in building it now, if we are going to see removals at the volume needed to limit warming to 1.5°C.”

“We are delighted to be entering a partnership with Patch which we hope will enable us to better engage with customers in the carbon credit market and scale this critical industry.”

High integrity carbon credits are increasing in demand as more organisations look to hit their decarbonisation targets. In addition to using the Patch software to facilitate the sale of BECCS by Drax credits to Drax customers, Drax also plans to submit BECCS by Drax credits to be evaluated against Patch’s project acceptance criteria. Once successfully onboarded, BECCS by Drax credits will be available to Patch’s broader network of customers.

“Drax is leveraging Patch Radius to deliver to its customers exactly what they’re looking for: a way to seamlessly access carbon credits. We’re excited to partner with Drax to enable more companies to understand and engage with a range of carbon credits,” said Jan Mertens, VP of Global Revenue at Patch.

Drax has agreed deals with Respira for up to two million metric tonnes of carbon removals, and C-Zero, and is continuing to see commitments from emerging players across industries in this space.

Scientists at the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have reached consensus that the world needs to remove and manage gigatons of carbon dioxide to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

To learn more about carbon removals at Drax, visit: draxcarbonremovals.com.

ENDS  

Media contacts: 

Sloan Woods
Media Manager 
E: Sloan.johnson@drax.com
T: 07821665493

Photo Caption:

  • Members of the Drax and Patch teams meeting at VERGE 2023

Editor’s Notes:  

  • Drax is an international, growing, sustainable business at the heart of global efforts to deliver net zero and energy security, and is accelerating its progress in the development of global BECCS projects.
  • Nearly all pathways to limit global warming to 1.5C require carbon removal technologies, such as BECCS.
  • The IPCC believes that globally up to 9.5 billion tonnes of CDRs via BECCS will be required per year by 2050.

About Drax  

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

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

Power generation:

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

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

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

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

Pellet production and supply:

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

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

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

Customers: 

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

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

About Patch

Patch is the infrastructure powering the carbon market of the future. Patch software brings together corporate buyers, project developers, financiers, and policymakers to increase transparency and modernise climate action. Companies like Credit Suisse, Bain & Company, and Aviva use Patch to access the broadest network of vetted carbon credits available through direct purchases, multi-year offtake agreements, and digital transactions through an API. With over 400 million tonnes of carbon actively managed on Patch, project developers also look to Patch to streamline operations and scale their impact. To help rebalance the planet, visit patch.io.

Drax joins the Carbon Business Council

19 September 2023

News

As a Cornerstone Member, Drax will work with the Carbon Business Council to accelerate the scaling of carbon removal technologies and build a network of leaders within the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) space. Drax aims to be a global leader in CDRs through the implementation of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.

The Carbon Business Council (CO2BC) is a non-profit trade association of companies and organisations that have come together to responsibly restore the climate, and which now represent combined carbon management assets of more than $16.5 billion.

Drax’s expertise will assist the Carbon Business Council in developing CDR policy, building awareness of why carbon removals are an essential pillar of climate action, and fostering community within the CDR industry.

Ross McKenzie, Group Director of Corporate Affairs said, “Nearly all pathways to limit global warming to 1.5C require carbon removals like those delivered by bioenergy with carbon capture and storage.”

“At Drax, we want to become global leaders in carbon dioxide removals and are thrilled to be joining the Carbon Business Council as a Cornerstone member to further accelerate the development of the nascent CDR industry.”

In joining, Drax has signed the Ethical Oath to Restore the Earth, which calls for the responsible delivery of carbon removals, including the importance of removals working in tandem with emissions reductions.

Ben Rubin, the Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Carbon Business Council said, “From the printing press to penicillin, entrepreneurs have a history of approaching challenges with a problem-solving set of eyes. Because reversing climate change will require multiple solutions coming from both innovators and policymakers, it’s important to have market leaders like Drax at the policy table.”

Carbon removals are used by organisations to balance their hard-to-abate carbon emissions, achieve a net zero and, in some cases, a carbon negative status. Longer lasting and lower risk carbon credits, such as the types generated by carbon removals technologies, are increasing in demand as more organisations look to hit their decarbonisation targets.

Drax hopes to invest billions over the coming years in global carbon removals and renewable energy projects, with the aim of capturing 14 million metric tonnes of carbon removals a year by 2030.

Scientists at the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have reached consensus that the world needs to remove and manage gigatons of carbon dioxide in order to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

ENDS

Media contacts: 

Sloan Woods
Media Manager 
E: Sloan.johnson@drax.com
T: 07821665493

Editor’s Notes:  

  • Drax is an international, growing, sustainable business at the heart of global efforts to deliver net zero and energy security, and is accelerating its progress in the development of global BECCS projects.
  • Nearly all pathways to limit global warming to 1.5C require carbon removal technologies, such as BECCS.
  • The IPCC believes that globally up to 9.5 billion tonnes of CDRs via BECCS will be required per year by 2050.
  • Carbon dioxide removals can be used by organisations to balance their hard-to-abate carbon emissions, achieve a net zero and, in some cases, a carbon negative status.
  • Longer lasting and lower risk carbon credits, such as the types generated by carbon removals technologies, are increasing in demand as more organisations look to hit their decarbonisation targets.

About Drax  

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

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

Power generation:

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

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

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

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

Pellet production and supply:

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

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

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

Customers: 

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

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

About Carbon Business Council

Carbon Business Council (CO2BC), a member-driven and tech-neutral trade association of companies unified to restore the climate, is the preeminent industry voice for carbon management innovators. Together, the nonprofit coalition represents more than 100 companies across six continents with more than $16.5 billion dollars in combined assets.

Drax joins World Economic Forum’s First Movers Coalition

29 August 2023

News

Drax today announced its membership to the First Movers Coalition (FMC), playing its part in the development of the nascent carbon dioxide removals (CDR) market and working toward becoming a global leader in the potentially trillion-dollar sector.

The FMC, which was launched at COP26 by U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, is a coalition of companies who use their collective purchasing power to create early markets for innovative clean technologies. Led by the World Economic Forum and the U.S. Department of State, the FMC is currently focused on addressing eight hard to abate industries, which are currently responsible for 30% of global emissions, such as shipping and aviation.

Drax will join the Carbon Dioxide Removals group, comprised of businesses with commitments to purchase durable and scalable carbon removals from solutions such as Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), a vital new technology, in which Drax is a pioneer.

Carbon removals are used by organizations to balance their hard-to-abate carbon emissions, achieve a net zero and, in some cases, a carbon negative status. Longer lasting and lower risk carbon credits, such as the types generated by carbon removals technologies, are increasing in demand as more organizations look to hit their decarbonization targets.

“The commitments to carbon dioxide removals we are seeing in the market now are essential to accelerating the deployment of climate saving technologies like bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) which we will need to meet our climate goals,” said Will Gardiner, CEO of Drax Group. “We welcome the opportunity to join the World Economic Forum in their efforts developing early markets for innovative technologies like BECCS.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Drax to the First Movers Coalition and look forward to working alongside the company to drive the acceleration of the global carbon removals market,” said Nancy Gillis, Program Head of the First Movers Coalition at the World Economic Forum,

“The First Movers Coalition believes that reducing emissions to net-zero by 2050 is possible if the right technologies are brought to commercial scale within the next decade, and we need companies like Drax to champion this mission to enact the change we need,” said Gillis.

With the right government engagement, Drax plans to invest billions over the coming years in global carbon removals and renewable energy projects, with the aim of capturing 14Mt a year of carbon removals by 2030 globally and to be a global leader in carbon removal projects.

“Through BECCS, Drax aims to be a global leader in high-integrity carbon removals and as part of that ambition we welcome the opportunity to demonstrate leadership and investment in the sector,” said Gardiner.

Contact Information:

Michelli Martin
Communications Manager, US
318-372-3988
michelli.martin@drax.com

Editor’s Notes:  

  • Drax is an international, growing, sustainable business at the heart of global efforts to deliver net zero and energy security, and is accelerating its progress in the development of global BECCS projects.
  • Nearly all pathways to limit global warming to 1.5C require carbon removal technologies, such as BECCS.
  • The IPCC believes that globally up to 9.5 billion tons of CDRs via BECCS will be required per year by 2050.
  • Carbon dioxide removals can be used by organizations to balance their hard-to-abate carbon emissions, achieve a net zero and, in some cases, a carbon negative status.
  • Longer lasting and lower risk carbon credits, such as the types generated by carbon removals technologies, are increasing in demand as more organisations look to hit their decarbonization targets.

About Drax  

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

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

Power generation:

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

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

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

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

Pellet production and supply:

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

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

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

Customers: 

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

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

About First Movers Coalition

The First Movers Coalition is a global initiative harnessing the purchasing power of companies to decarbonize seven hard-to-abate industrial sectors that currently account for 30 percent of global emissions: aluminium, aviation, chemicals, concrete, shipping, steel and trucking, along with innovative carbon removal technologies.

The coalition’s members commit in advance to purchasing a proportion of the industrial materials and long-distance transportation they need from suppliers using near-zero or zero-carbon solutions, despite the premium cost.

Drax sponsors food drive to help feed homeless veterans

26 July 2023

News

As part of our efforts to engage with the communities where we operate and improve the lives of local community members, renewable energy company Drax helped to sponsor KTVE and KARD’s 5th Annual Homeless Veterans Food Drive in Monroe. 

The food drive in June was led by the news station and designed to help local homeless veterans as a way to celebrate Founders Day. It saw volunteers from Drax helping to deliver goods to The Wellspring’s food pantry, a food bank that the homeless have access to all year-round. The Wellspring organization focuses on helping individuals and families that results in improved quality of life and brighter futures. 

In addition to the food drive, Drax also sponsors a running segment on KTVE that salutes and honors local veterans. 

“Nearly a quarter of the nation’s homeless population are veterans, so it is imperative that we work together to help them and all in need in our communities,” said Annmarie Sartor, U.S. Community Manager for Drax. “This food drive is just one way Drax is working to give back to our local residents in Monroe.” 

Leading Think Tank Releases Report on Importance of Bioenergy with Carbon Capture (BECCS) to Achieve Global Climate Goals

5 July 2023

News

The Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) has released a new report focused on actionable pathways for deploying bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) at scale.

The report – Taking Root: A Policy Blueprint for Responsible BECCS Development in the United States –affirms how BECCS can advance decarbonization needs by providing the permanent removal of greenhouses gases from the atmosphere while also accelerating the decarbonization of the electric grid with firm and dispatchable climate-friendly power.

The report was released at an event Tuesday afternoon in Washington D.C. co-hosted by the EFI Foundation and Resources for the Future. The event included remarks from Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and former U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, President and CEO of the EFI Foundation.

“Leading projections for keeping global temperature rise to below two degrees rely in significant BECCS deployment,” said Moniz. “EFI has examined the opportunities and challenges for meeting this goal and recommends steps to get there.”

EFI’s roadmap outlines the clear need for establishing a holistic policy framework to guide BECCS development, highlighting the technology’s unique potential to offer net-negative emissions at a large scale while also providing a steady, economically feasible energy supply. Notably, the authors state that the emerging sector has the potential to make a significant difference if provided with improved financing.

“I am particularly interested in the opportunities that BECCS might provide for our forest managers and our communities,” said Sen. Heinrich. “It could help make profitable the removal of small diameter woody fuels that are often destined to act as ladder fuels for wildfires.”

As it relates to wildfire mitigation opportunities, the EFI report notes that integrated wildfire management and BECCS feedstock collection not only will close the carbon cycle; it also will reduce other atmospheric pollution caused by the current practice of thinning and prescribed burning.

“With regards to BECCS, the best is yet to come,” said Sen. Cassidy. “In Louisiana, we’ve long turned wood into wood pellets for use in bioenergy plants, and now we have multiple companies exploring the development of new BECCS plants in the region – creating more jobs and providing an avenue for Louisiana to remain a global leader in energy production.”

Eight major elements of the report are organized into three broad themes:

1) policies to expand and accelerate BECCS deployment;

2) leveraging the social, economic, and environmental co-benefits of BECCS; and

3) rules of the road to promote responsible development of BECCS.

The Biden Administration’s commitment to reducing economy-wide GHG emissions by at least 50 percent by 2030—along with the longer-term goal of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050— highlights the importance of rapid deployment of CDR technologies in the United States.

“We are very pleased to see the EFI report is emphatic in its embrace of BECCS as a key climate solution,” said Will Gardiner, CEO of Drax. “To achieve net zero, governments must support carbon dioxide removal solutions, including BECCS. If properly supported, the U.S. offers a promising environment to deploy BECCS, with the potential to remove up to 2.2 gigatons of CO2 per year,” said Gardiner.

“Over the past two years, Drax has been progressing a Global BECCS program, with a primary focus in North America. Two initial sites in the US South have been selected with nine more sites under evaluation, creating a pipeline of development opportunities by 2030,” Gardiner explained. “If the policy recommendations in the report were implemented, this would enable Drax to invest billions of dollars in deploying BECCS earlier and in turn unlock climate, economic and environmental benefits for our communities.”

The EFI report, which was sponsored by the Hewlett Foundation, Battelle, Drax and Enviva, can be viewed here.

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Contact Information:

Alex Schott 
VP, North America Communications 
318-372-4091 
alex.schott@drax.com

 

About Drax

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pellet production and supply:
The Group has 18 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around five million tons a year.

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

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

 

Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner issues statement on new U.S. think tank report about BECCS

27 June 2023

News

The report – Taking Root: A Policy Blueprint for Responsible BECCS Development in the United States –affirms how BECCS can advance decarbonization needs through dispatchable renewable power production and carbon capture with sequestration to further cement the U.S. as a climate leader in meeting net zero goals.

Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner, said:

“We are very pleased to see the EFI report is emphatic in its embrace of BECCS as a key climate solution. To achieve net zero, governments must support carbon dioxide removal solutions, including BECCS. If properly supported, the U.S. offers a promising environment to deploy BECCS, with the potential to remove up to 2.2 gigatons of CO2 per year. The detailed recommendations provided in the report clearly show the need for federal action to maximize the social, economic and environmental benefits BECCS offers for a clean energy future.”

 “Over the past two years, Drax has been progressing a Global BECCS programme, with a primary focus in North America. Two initial sites in the US South have been selected with 9 more sites under evaluation, creating a pipeline of development opportunities by 2030. If implemented appropriately, the policy framework outlined in the report would enable Drax to deploy BECCS earlier. We stand ready to invest billions in deploying BECCS by Drax in the US unlocking climate, economic and environmental benefits for our communities.”

Texas and Alabama Non-Profits Focused on Environment, Youth Enrichment Receive Funding from Drax Foundation

21 June 2023

News

Drax has announced its first round of grant recipients who will be receiving funding from the newly created Drax Foundation. Launched in March 2023, the Drax Foundation funds initiatives that support education and skills development in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), as well as those that improve green spaces and enhance biodiversity.  

In the U.S., the Drax Foundation has provided a total of $105,000 across four organizations in Texas and Alabama: The Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME), the Houston Audubon, The Galveston Bay Foundation and The Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability. 

The Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME), which was awarded $30,000, creates equitable experiences for students from underrepresented groups to explore futures in engineering.  

“TAME welcomes Drax Foundation into our alliance as we continue to prioritize cross-sector partnerships that improve access to engineering pathways for Texas students,” said Andrea Herrera Moreno, Executive Director of TAME. “The support from Drax enables us to amplify our impact by investing in our programs and capacity, and we’re very excited to engineer this new partnership.”

The Galveston Bay Foundation, which received $25,000, is a conservation nonprofit that has served as guardian of Galveston Bay since 1987 with a mission to preserve and enhance Galveston Bay as a healthy and productive place for generations to come.  

“We are excited to receive funding from the Drax Foundation for our Classroom STEM Workshops and Wetland Connections year-long program, allowing us to provide additional program scholarships to schools in need,” said Cindy Wilems, Director of Education at Galveston Bay Foundation. “These programs reach over 11,000 students and teachers each year and focus on encouraging environmental literacy, increasing STEM skills, connecting students to nature, confidence building, future thinking, and empowering the next generation of conservation leaders.”

The Houston Audubon, which received $25,000, is a regional non-profit and accredited land trust focused on protecting the natural environment for birds and people on the upper Texas coast.  

“With Drax’s generous support, Houston Audubon is helping to increase access to nature for historically under-resourced and marginalized communities through a pilot program that provides community centered birdwatching and other specially curated outdoor educational and recreational activities,” said Helen E. Drummond, Executive Director of the Houston Audubon. “As a leading bird conservation organization for the Houston Gulf Coast Region, we are committed to offering a wide range of programming in one of the most demographically diverse cities in the United States.” 

The Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability, which received $25,000, is an Alabama-based nonprofit that was established in 2018 to bring new environmental programs and facilities to the Gulf of Mexico’s Coast, including the promotion of sustainable tourism, environmental awareness, and the stewardship of the Gulf Coast’s natural resources. 

“We are immensely grateful to the Drax Foundation for supporting our Ambassadors of the Environment program,” said Travis Langen, Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Center. “We look forward to putting the funds to good use by inspiring a new generation of young leaders and environmental stewards.”

Combined, the first wave of funding from the Drax Foundation will benefit nearly 8,400 young learners in STEM education. 

“Our goal at Drax is to make real, positive differences in the communities we operate,” said Matt White, Executive Vice President of Drax’s North America Operations. “This first round of Foundation giving will help deserving organizations change the lives of thousands of children across the southern U.S.” 

There will be two rounds of funding each year with the Drax Foundation’s next focus on Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and programs that straddle all of the states in Drax’s operational footprint. Non-profit organizations in these states that meet Drax’s criteria are invited to get in touch via drax.foundation@drax.com.

To learn more about the Drax Foundation and Drax’s community efforts, visit www.drax.com/community. 

Contact Information: 

Michelli Martin
Communications Manager, US
318-372-3988
michelli.martin@drax.com

About Drax  

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

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

Power generation:

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

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

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

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

Pellet production and supply:

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

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

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