Archives: Press Release

Jesus the Good Shepherd School awarded Drax ‘Classroom of the Month’

5 October 2022

News

Their teacher Sara Jones said: “The Classroom of the Month Program is such a great way to support teachers and students and show appreciation for the exciting things happening in their classrooms. Introducing the students to college at an early age is so important in helping them to understand all their options. It’s great that the college community is getting involved in the area schools to spark the students’ interest in studying within our community.”

The program has been developed by Drax in partnership with the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) to inspire local students to start thinking about their future and what they can achieve, as part of the energy company’s ongoing commitment to supporting education in the communities local to its operations.

A different class each month is awarded ‘Classroom of the Month’ by Drax and receives a visit from ULM representatives to reward the pupils for their hard work and show them some of the options available to them as they advance through school.

Drax has arranged for representatives from the University’s athletics department to visit the schools to talk to the students, raise awareness of the college and answer any questions they might have. The students also receive two tickets each to a Warhawk football, basketball, or baseball game and meet Ace, the team mascot.

Twice during the school year, the Classroom of the Month winners will be invited to the campus for a tour. The students will get to experience the university campus and learn about higher education opportunities right in their hometown.

Drew Bellipanni, Partnership Services Coordinator at ULM, said: “This program is a chance to give back to our local schools and teachers who have worked hard throughout the pandemic to continue teaching our children. We hope Classroom of the Month will motivate students to continue studying as well as see what college has to offer.”

Executive Vice President of Drax’s Pellet Operations, Matt White, said: “It’s so important that the next generation has equal access to education. Even though these children are in the early stages of their school careers, we hope this program will inspire them by showing them what opportunities are available to them in the future.”

Drax is committed to supporting the communities local to its operations and is this year drawing up plans for a more targeted community spend.

In 2021, Drax supported education and skills in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama and provided donations to help communities hit by natural disasters and Covid and work to support sustainable forestry.

In Louisiana, support included Hurricane Ida relief efforts, sponsoring an environmental education workshop for teachers and launching a Classroom of the Month program.

ENDS

Pic caption: Third-grade students at Jesus the Good Shepherd School with Ace, the Warhawk team mascot

Media contacts:

Megan Hopgood
Communications Officer
E: [email protected]  
T: 07936 350 175

Editor’s Notes

  • Through its operations in Louisiana and Mississippi, Drax supports more than 1,200 jobs and contributes $175m to the region’s economy.
  • This includes more than 1,200 jobs in Louisiana and Mississippi with 300 direct jobs across these two states in Drax’s three pellet mills and at the port of Greater Baton Rouge.
  • Drax’s pellet mills also support the wider supply chain of loggers, truckers, railway workers, port workers and other logistics professionals.

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

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

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

Customers: 

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

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

Drax gives $5,000 for new scoreboard at Pine Hills Dixie Youth Baseball League

21 September 2022

News

In early 2022, Drax employees volunteered to refurbish the youth baseball field. Volunteers laid fresh dirt on the field, as well as gravel around the dugouts and concession stands.

The aim of these measures is to create a fun and safe atmosphere for youth in Gloster, Woodville, Centreville, and Liberty, Mississippi, to be able to experience the outdoors through sports, and benefit from the important life lessons that are learnt through participating in team events.

Josh Bigner, Dixie Youth Baseball President, said: “Pine Hills Dixie Youth Baseball would like to thank Drax for their support of our local organization. With Drax providing our field with a new scoreboard, dirt for our infield, and gravel for the walking areas we can continue to provide a nice facility where the youth in our area can learn to play baseball, meet friends, and make memories that will last a lifetime. The support is very much needed, appreciated and will be felt by many generations to come.”

Brian Womack, Woodyard Manager at Drax’s Amite pellet plant in Gloster, said: “It is so great to see the completion of the work with the baseball field. The field has been here for over 50 years, and with support from volunteers and organizations like Drax, it will be available to our communities for many more years to come.

“The baseball field provides kids with the tools to develop social and community bonds along with the potential to learn to face and overcome challenges individually, and with their team-mates. I’m excited to see the enjoyment and unity that the field will bring to the players and these communities.”

Brian Womack grew up playing baseball on the Pine Hills Dixie Youth baseball field. He encouraged his own son to play, and he has coached many of the teams in the last 20 years. Brian’s oldest son, Colton, followed in his father’s footsteps by also playing on the Pine Hills field.

Colton Womack, former Copiah-Lincoln Community College baseball player

Colton Womack, former Copiah-Lincoln Community College baseball player, said: “The Pine Hills Dixie Youth baseball field had a major impact on me. I was taught to work hard and be humble from such a young age. I built friendships there that I still have today. Without the ballfield, I wouldn’t have the skills I developed from playing there, and I wouldn’t have gone on to play at the Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

“The field will continue to foster these skills in kids, teaching them to interact with others on their teams as well as promote communication skills. I loved playing on the Pine Hills Dixie Youth baseball field, and I hope that kids can continue to play and learn there.”

According to the Aspen Institute, children that remain active and participate in a sport are eight times more likely to remain active by the age of twenty-four. A sports activity helps children develop and improve cognitive skills, as well as improve mental health. Physical activity. Sports, in particular, can positively affect aspects of personal development among young people, such as self-esteem, goal setting, and leadership.

Drax is committed to supporting the communities local to its operations and is this year drawing up plans for a more targeted community spend.

In 2021, Drax supported education and skills in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama and provided donations to help communities hit by natural disasters and Covid and work to support sustainable forestry.

ENDS

Featured image caption: Brian Womack, Woodyard Manager at Drax’s Amite pellet plant

Media contacts:

Megan Hopgood
Communications Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07936 350 175

Editor’s Notes

  • Through its operations in Louisiana and Mississippi, Drax supports more than 1,200 jobs and contributes $175m to the region’s economy.
  • This includes more than 1,200 jobs in Louisiana and Mississippi with 300 direct jobs across these two states in Drax’s three pellet mills and at the port of Greater Baton Rouge.
  • Drax’s pellet mills also support the wider supply chain of loggers, truckers, railway workers, port workers and other logistics professionals.

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

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

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

Customers: 

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

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

World’s biggest carbon removals deal announced at New York Climate Week

News

• Renewable energy leader Drax Group and impact-driven carbon finance business Respira International have announced a pioneering agreement that will stimulate the development of global voluntary carbon markets and the decarbonization of new sectors of the economy.
• Under the MoU, Respira will be able to secure up to 2 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide removals (CDR) certificates from Drax, which is pioneering bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS).
• Drax aims to deliver 12 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide removals per year using BECCS by 2030 and this deal will relate to the CDRs produced from Drax’s North American BECCS facilities.

Renewable energy leader and biomass pioneer Drax has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Respira, which could see the largest volume of carbon dioxide removals (CDRs) traded so far, globally.

Respira, which is an impact-driven carbon finance business, will be able to purchase up to 2 million metric tonnes of CDRs from Drax over a five year period, under the terms of the MoU. The creation of the CDRs would be linked to the future deployment of BECCS by Drax in North America.

Drax already aims to invest over £2bn in its UK BECCS project and its global supply chain by 2030, to remove 8 million metric tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere each year. In addition to this it is developing investment plans for BECCS projects outside the UK, including in North America, which could remove a further 4 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year.

BECCS is a critical technology required globally, because it is the only one available which can provide reliable, renewable power, supporting energy security, whilst permanently removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO

Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO said:

“This agreement with Respira will play a pivotal role in the development of voluntary carbon markets globally and the deployment of BECCS.

“The clear demand that we are seeing for engineered carbon removals, alongside the policies being developed by progressive governments in the US and UK to support BECCS, will enable the investment needed to kickstart a vital new sector of the economy, creating tens of thousands of jobs, often in communities which need them the most.

“BECCS in the US has the potential to offer a game-changing contribution to the fight against climate change, provide energy grid stability to those areas which need it most and also revolutionise the way companies approach decarbonizing their operations .  Drax aims to be a global leader in the deployment of BECCS and our deal with Respira is a landmark moment for our business as well as the fight against climate change.”

Respira invests in high-quality carbon credits to unlock capital to invest in the creation and acceleration of carbon reduction and removal projects around the world.

Ana Haurie, Respira International CEO and co-founder

Ana Haurie, Respira International CEO and co-founder said:

“Rising global temperatures underline that it is absolutely vital for corporates to augment existing carbon emissions strategies with further solutions to address the climate emergency. This partnership with Drax marks a new and exciting development for Respira as it is our first engineered carbon removals project.

“We are proud at Respira to be leading the way in the voluntary carbon market, supporting companies in their mitigation strategies by providing high-quality carbon credits. The deployment of critical technologies like BECCS by Drax, and the resulting engineered CDRs, very much have their place as an important instrument in the value chain management which supports corporate action”

In the US the $739 billion Inflation Reduction Act, which marked the largest investment in climate action in the country’s history, includes an enhanced level of support for carbon removal technologies. And a recent report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) underlined the importance of BECCS, in delivering the US’s target of 100% clean electricity by 2035, and the need for BECCS to achieve this.

Supportive regulatory frameworks for CDRs, including BECCS, are being developed at state level including in California, Louisiana and Texas.

Under the terms of the MoU with Drax, Respira would be able to purchase CDRs produced by Drax in North America, receiving up to 400,000 metric tonnes of CDRs a year over a five year period, to sell on a voluntary carbon market.

This would enable buyers, such as corporations and financial institutions, to achieve their own carbon emissions reduction targets.

The MoU between Drax and Respira supports a roadmap to secure binding commitments prior to a future final investment decision being made.

Since announcing its ambition to deliver 4 million metric tonnes of CDRs from BECCS in locations outside the UK, Drax has been working on models for developing BECCS projects, primarily in North America. To find out more about Drax’s high-quality, permanent CDRs, go to the website: www.drax.com/USBECCS

Graphic showing how BECCS works. [Click to view/download]

ENDS

Drax media contacts:

Ali Lewis
Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: +447712 670 888

Aidan Kerr
Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: +447849090368

Respira media contacts:

Novella
Tim Robertson / Claire de Groot
E: [email protected]
T: +44 (0) 20 3151 7008

Editor’s Notes

The deal between Respira and Drax is the biggest for carbon removals announced so far. The next biggest was for 100kt a year (400kt total) of DAC between Airbus and 1PointFive, a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum, which was announced in March 2022.

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

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

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

Customers:

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK businesses, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.
To find out more go to the website www.energy.drax.com

About Respira

Respira International is an impact-driven carbon finance business. Respira operates with an innovative offtake and profit share model which reinvests back into local communities. Respira’s high-quality carbon credits allow corporations and financial institutions to mitigate their environmental impact. Respira channels private capital into climate solutions ensuring long-term relationships with trusted carbon project developers that enable its clients to use predominantly nature-based solutions to build sustainable, climate-positive businesses and portfolios. Respira’s team combines deep and varied experience working in global financial markets with a robust understanding of carbon project development in leading international conservation organisations.

For further information, please visit respira-international.com

Drax donates $15,000 to support Junior League Classroom Mini-grants

20 September 2022

News

The program offers educators in Ouachita Parish an opportunity to receive up to $500 in funding for unique and developmental school programs.

The Junior League of Monroe encourages educators of all levels from Pre-K to grade 12 education to apply for the Classroom Mini-Grants, which will be awarded in the fall of 2022 to ensure that the implementation of the programs can take place in the current school year.

Click to view/downlaod

Haley Holley, the Junior League of Monroe Vice President of Communications, said:

“With Drax’s full sponsorship of the Classroom Mini-Grants, we will be able to provide more students with engaging and beneficial programs that take place right in their classrooms.

“The mini-grant funded projects help current students learn to their fullest potential. Classroom Mini-Grant projects prioritize creative learning opportunities which provides an outlet for individual expression and development of critical thinking skills. Students will also build close relationships with other students, their families, and their communities by being involved with these Classroom Mini-Grants.”

According to the Columbus Academy, studies have linked creativity to higher academic achievement, higher-order thinking, problem-solving ability and better memory retention.

Matt White, Executive Vice President of Drax’s Pellet Operations, said:

“The Junior League of Monroe’s Classroom Mini-Grants is a great program that will benefit our communities by offering an interactive and creative classroom where students can learn new things in new ways. I hope the support from Drax will help educators inspire students, helping to foster an eagerness for learning and to play a part within their communities. I can’t wait to see the positive impact this program will provide.”

The Junior League of Monroe is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

Applications for the Classroom Mini-Grants are due October 10, 2022, and the recipients will be notified by October 24, 2022.

Drax is committed to supporting the communities local to its operations and is this year drawing up plans for a more targeted community spend.

In 2021, Drax supported education and skills in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama and provided donations to help communities hit by natural disasters and Covid and work to support sustainable forestry.

In Louisiana, support included Hurricane Ida relief efforts, sponsoring an environmental education workshop for teachers and launching a Classroom of the Month program.

ENDS

Main image caption: Matt White, Executive Vice President of Drax’s Pellet Operations

Media contacts:

Megan Hopgood
Communications Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07936 350 175

Editor’s Notes

  • Through its operations in Louisiana and Mississippi, Drax supports more than 1,200 jobs and contributes $175m to the region’s economy.
  • This includes more than 1,200 jobs in Louisiana and Mississippi with 300 direct jobs across these two states in Drax’s three pellet mills and at the port of Greater Baton Rouge.
  • Drax’s pellet mills also support the wider supply chain of loggers, truckers, railway workers, port workers and other logistics professionals.

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

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

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

Customers: 

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

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

Drax donates supplies to help grow support for Monroe community garden

12 September 2022

News

The Ester Gallow Community Garden is a public garden that will be a collaborative space for seniors at Booker T. Senior Village, and children at Roy Neal Shelling Elementary School.

It will offer volunteers an opportunity to plant their own seasonal vegetables as well as providing an inclusive place to socialize and connect with others.

The land for the community garden was donated by Monroe resident Christopher Davis, whose late mother Ester Gallow was passionate about helping the local community and was influential in establishing the Booker T. Senior Village located next to the garden. Christopher believes she would have wanted the land to be used for a meaningful community project.

He said:

“We partnered with colleges, the city, and local organizations to try and put together a garden for the community. We wanted to promote involvement to seniors, students, and anyone in the area that could be a part of it. The garden has grown so much and become so much more special for the community than I could have imagined.”

Juanita Woods, City of Monroe Councilwoman, who was integral in setting up the garden explained how her work with the Roy Shelling Elementary School and her conversations with the residents of the Booker T Senior Village provided the seeds of an idea for a community garden.

“I was attending the school and helping the children to understand where the food they ate came from and I was also aware that the residents of the Booker T. Senior Village wanted to be able to grow their own produce,” she explained. “I decided to approach Christopher Davis to see if we could develop something, in honor of his late mother, that would benefit the community just as much as she did. From there, the idea for the Ester Gallow Community Garden has flourished.”

Juanita now aims to expand the outreach of community gardens all over District 3 in Monroe.

Matt White, Drax Senior Vice President, said:

“The Ester Gallow Community Garden is a great initiative that will benefit local residents by providing fresh produce everyone can enjoy, and enabling people to socialize, encouraging collaboration between the generations. I hope the support from Drax will help the volunteers to create a beautiful garden, that the whole community can be proud of, which could lead to many more gardens developed in the district. I can’t wait to see the positive impact it has.”

Darian Belton, Ester Gallow Community Garden Coordinator, said: “Without the support we have received from the community and partners like Drax, this land is just a garden. We want to reach the point where everyone involved can grow something, allowing us to produce more quality food that we can then share. When everyone does a small amount, so much can get done. This garden will provide access to quality food that is no longer available at grocery stores. We will be growing local, fresh plants that will benefit the health of everyone involved.”

Drax is committed to supporting the communities local to its operations and is this year drawing up plans for a more targeted community spend.

In 2021, Drax supported education and skills in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama and provided donations to help communities hit by natural disasters and Covid and work to support sustainable forestry.

In Louisiana, support included Hurricane Ida relief efforts, sponsoring an environmental education workshop for teachers and launching a Classroom of the Month program.

ENDS

Picture caption: Ester Gallow Community Garden Coordinator, Darian Belton and Drax Community Manager, Annmarie Sartor

Media contacts:

Megan Hopgood
Communications Officer
E: [email protected]  
T: 07936 350 175

Editor’s Notes

  • Other organizations that volunteered and donated to establish the Ester Gallow Community Garden included The City of Monroe, Louisiana Delta Community College, Ochsner LSU Health Monroe, Russell Moore Lumber, and Sonny Panzico’s Garden Mart.
  • According to the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, those most vulnerable to hunger are seniors and children. In Northeast Louisiana, 66,000 people may struggle with hunger.
  • Through its operations in Louisiana and Mississippi, Drax supports more than 1,200 jobs and contributes $175m to the region’s economy.
  • This includes more than 1,200 jobs in Louisiana and Mississippi with 300 direct jobs across these two states in Drax’s three pellet mills and at the port of Greater Baton Rouge.
  • Drax’s pellet mills also support the wider supply chain of loggers, truckers, railway workers, port workers and other logistics professionals.

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

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

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

Customers: 

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

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

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

8 September 2022

News

Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO said:

“On behalf of Drax Group, I send my deepest condolences to the Royal Family at this incredibly difficult time. The Queen’s dedication to public service, both in the UK and across the Commonwealth, ensured that she was loved and respected by the global community and through the good times and the bad she provided the inspirational leadership that we all need from a Head of State.

“Some of the people living in the community near our Cruachan Power Station in Argyll, Scotland, will no doubt fondly recall when the Queen visited in 1965 to formally open the site. As the world enters a period of mourning, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered with great admiration and affection.”

Drax donates $3,000 to help Morehouse Parish ‘Fight the Blight’

17 August 2022

News

The “Fight the Blight” project enables demolitions of vacant, unsafe, and dilapidated structures in Bastrop’s main corridors to improve safety as well as enhance the area’s appearance.

Matt White, Executive Vice President of Drax’s Pellet Operations, said:

“We’re pleased to be able to donate to an organization like Keep Morehouse Beautiful which plays such a positive role in the community. The work they do is so important to improving our surroundings and benefits us all by making the local area a safer and more pleasant place to live and work. I hope this donation will support them in their efforts to help Morehouse unlock its potential.”

KMB has completed more than 20 demolitions in the last 11 years, proving that their beautification efforts make a real difference for their community.

Vicki Carpenter, KMB Coordinator, said:

“KMB believes that ‘beautification is economic development.’  We work very hard to promote Morehouse Parish in the interest of environmental respect and stewardship. The demolitions done by KMB were only possible through partnerships with the property owners and generous donations from KMB supporters such as Drax.”

Kay King, Morehouse Economic Development Corporation CEO, said:

“KMB is a great economic development partner. Their focus has been on the properties on West Madison as a gateway ‘to and from’ Monroe. The objective is to incentivize property owners to get involved in the clean-up process to stimulate business growth along our major traffic corridors.”

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), selective demolitions can create employment and economic activities in recycling industries and provide increased business opportunities within the local community.

Keep Morehouse Beautiful is a non-profit organization made up solely of volunteers dedicated to economic development and environmental respect. The organization works to educate others on caring for their environment and building awareness for local environmental issues.

Drax is committed to supporting the communities local to its operations and is this year drawing up plans for a more targeted community spend.

In 2021, Drax supported education and skills in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama and provided donations to help communities hit by natural disasters and Covid and work to support sustainable forestry.

In Louisiana, support included Hurricane Ida relief efforts, sponsoring an environmental education workshop for teachers and launching a Classroom of the Month program.

ENDS

Pic caption: Matt White, Executive Vice President of Drax’s Pellet Operations

Media contacts:

Megan Hopgood
Communications Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07936 350 175

Editor’s Notes

  • Through its operations in Louisiana and Mississippi, Drax supports more than 1,200 jobs and contributes $175m to the region’s economy.
  • This includes more than 1,200 jobs in Louisiana and Mississippi with 300 direct jobs across these two states in Drax’s three pellet mills and at the port of Greater Baton Rouge.
  • Drax’s pellet mills also support the wider supply chain of loggers, truckers, railway workers, port workers and other logistics professionals.

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 17 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

Drax CEO Will Gardiner responds to the approval of the US Inflation Reduction Act

8 August 2022

News
Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner

Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner said:

“The proposed increase in the level of support for bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) projects in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, is game-changing for carbon removal companies looking to invest in deploying this vital technology and support the US meet its net zero targets.

“If enacted, Drax will be able to kick start its pipeline of BECCS projects in the US, accelerating the scale up of essential carbon removals needed to meet climate targets whilst creating green energy jobs in communities which need them most.

“The bill, approved by the Senate, demonstrates the kind of climate leadership companies like Drax need to see, so we can lead the creation of a whole new BECCS industry. I’m excited about the future for Drax in the US.”

Drax and KTVE support local veterans

28 July 2022

News

Volunteers from Drax and KTVE packed the donated food supplies into bags on June 16 to distribute via the Wellspring, a United Way of Northeast Louisiana partner agency. Mac’s Fresh Market also offered premade bags filled with non-perishable items that people could pay $6 to donate. The donations will be stored at the Wellspring, where homeless veterans can go to collect them year-round.

The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans estimates that on any given night, 200,000 veterans are homeless, and 400,000 veterans will experience homelessness over the course of a year.

Research has also shown that veterans living in poverty are at higher risk of food insecurity, homelessness and other hardships than those who have never served in the forces.

Evalise Poulin, Drax Learning Development Specialist, said:

“I love being part of a company that gives back so much to the communities we operate in, such as our recent opportunity to help homeless veterans through the United Way. Being able to support those who have sacrificed so much for us was very rewarding.”

The food drive coincided with the start of the television network’s new program ‘Salute to Veterans’, also sponsored by Drax, which aims to honor and thank local veterans for their service.

The program will include three-minute interviews with a different veteran each month, saluting them for their service. The interviews will be aired during KTVE’s news broadcast, and available to view on KTVE’s website.

Tammy Esswein, KTVE Account Manager, said:

“Over the past few weeks, 4.8 tons of food was donated, and over the past 4 years KTVE/KARD has done this project, we’ve donated 28 tons of food. On June 16, 2022, with the help and sponsorship from Drax, we were able to bag up this food and donate to the Wellspring. We are so thankful for our amazing community and Drax!”

Drax is committed to supporting the communities local to its operations and is this year drawing up plans for a more targeted community spend.

In 2021, Drax supported education and skills in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama and provided donations to help communities hit by natural disasters and Covid and work to support sustainable forestry.

In Louisiana, support included Hurricane Ida relief efforts, sponsoring an environmental education workshop for teachers and launching a Classroom of the Month program

ENDS

Photo caption: Volunteers from Drax and KTVE packed food supplies into bags donated by local business Mac’s Fresh Markets

Media contacts:

Megan Hopgood
Communications Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07936 350 175

Annmarie Sartor
Community Manager
E: [email protected]
T: +1 318 801 0046

Editor’s Notes

  • The Wellspring is a charitable non-profit organization aimed at strengthening and valuing individuals and families through professional services and community leadership with compassion and integrity.
  • According to Cohen et al. in “Food Insecurity Among Veterans: Resources to Screen and Intervene,” veterans living in poverty are at even higher risk than nonveterans for food insecurity, homelessness, and other material hardship, and homeless veterans have a 49% higher risk of suffering from food insecurity.
  • Through its operations in Louisiana and Mississippi, Drax supports more than 1,200 jobs and contributes $175m to the region’s economy.
  • This includes more than 1,200 jobs in Louisiana and Mississippi with 300 direct jobs across these two states in Drax’s three pellet mills and at the port of Greater Baton Rouge.
  • Drax’s pellet mills also support the wider supply chain of loggers, truckers, railway workers, port workers and other logistics professionals.

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 17 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