Glossary

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is the process of capturing and permanently storing carbon dioxide (CO²) that is generated during the production of electricity from sustainable biomass.

Instead of being released into the atmosphere, carbon is transported and stored in a secure, geological formation underground, producing what’s known as an engineered carbon dioxide removal.

^{Source: Drax (2026), Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS)}

The Biomass Supply Chain outlines the journey our woody biomass takes through the supply chain, from fibre origin to its final use at Drax Power Station or by third-party customers.

Drax will only source woody biomass from well-managed, sustainable forests including sawmill residues, low-grade roundwood and forest residues where these promote forest health or reduce the risk of fire or disease. Drax will also utilise alternative feedstocks such as agricultural residues or energy crops where these can support the circular economy and provide benefits for the climate, ecosystem, and communities.

^{Source: Drax (2026), Biomass Tracker; Drax (2026), Biomass sourcing policy}

The Contract for Difference (CfD) is a government mechanism that’s been supporting low-carbon electricity generation since 2014. It provides protection from volatile wholesale prices, while protecting consumers from paying increased costs when electricity prices are high.

When Drax confirmed that it has signed a contract with the UK Government for a low-carbon dispatchable CfD (Contract for Difference) agreement, independent analysis by Baringa indicated that the mechanism implementation is expected to result in a net saving for consumers of between £1.6-3.1bn over the agreement term. This is by avoiding the need to produce additional capacity, and reducing the UK’s reliance on gas and interconnectors – resulting in a lower overall wholesale price.

^{Source: Drax (2026), Support Mechanism for Drax Power Station}

Drax Power Station – UK’s largest power station situated near Selby in North Yorkshire, providing the most renewable power of any single location in the UK. Providing a secure, reliable and flexible source of renewable energy to support more intermittent renewables, such as solar and wind.

^{Source: Drax (2026), Drax Power Station}

Energy storage helps balance electricity supply and demand by storing energy when it is abundant and making it available when it is needed.

Energy storage systems can absorb electricity when power is abundant and release it when the system requires additional capacity, helping make more efficient use of renewable generation while strengthening network resilience.

^{Source: Drax (2026), Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)}

Flexible Generation (also known as FlexGen) is the part of the electricity system that can respond when supply or demand changes. It includes technologies and services that can generate power quickly, store energy for later use, or optimise when assets export electricity to the grid. In a power system with more intermittent renewables, this flexibility becomes increasingly important because renewable output varies with the weather and time of day.

^{Source: Drax (2026), Flexible Generation}

Grid resilience refers to the grid’s ability to withstand and reduce the magnitude and/or duration of disruptive events on the system. A resilient system can manage variability and remain secure, even during periods of geopolitical disruption or supply chain volatility.

Flexible generation, energy storage, optimisation services and system support capabilities can help improve this resilience.

^{Source: Drax (2026), How Biomass Delivers System Stability in an Uncertain Energy Landscape; Wikipedia, Resilience (power system)}

Solar and wind are intermittent renewables, meaning their electricity output varies depending on daylight and weather conditions. As renewable generation increases across the UK, the energy system must be able to respond when output is higher or lower than demand, while continuing to provide reliable power to homes and businesses.

^{Source: Drax (2026), Solar and Wind}

Net Zero means balancing the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere with the amount removed.

Our Net Zero target commits us to reduce emissions in line with the SBTi stated reductions and neutralise any residual emissions using permanent carbon removals. While we pursue options for carbon removals, we are also focused on finding opportunities to reduce our absolute emissions across Scopes 1, 2 and 3.

^{Source: BBC; Drax (2026), Our Purpose & Strategy; Drax (2026), Climate Positive}

Electric asset optimisation focuses on the effective management of electrical systems and technologies that consume, store, or generate electricity, enabling large energy-intensive businesses to improve operational efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and lower costs.

^{Source: Drax (2026), Flextricity}

Pumped storage hydro (PSH) is a large-scale method of storing energy that can be converted into hydroelectric power.

Pumped storage facilities have two water reservoirs at different elevations on a steep slope. When there is excess power on the grid and demand for electricity is low, the power is used to pump water from the lower to the upper reservoir using reversible turbines. When demand is high, the water is released downhill into the lower reservoir, driving the turbines the other direction to generate electricity.

With the UK increasingly reliant on intermittent sources of electricity such as wind power, pumped storage hydro is becoming even more important to national energy security.

^{Source: Drax (2026), Pumped Storage Hydro}

Solar panels convert solar energy into electricity, providing renewable generation during daylight hours.

Solar power is identified as one of the quickest and lowest-cost renewable technologies to deploy at scale.

^{Source: Drax (2026), Solar and Wind}

Page updated October 2026