Archives: Press Release

Drax inspires future female engineers at Science World’s Girls and STEAM Summit

12 December 2024

News

Drax proudly sponsored and participated in Science World’s “Girls and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Summit,” which took place in Vancouver on November 2, 2024. 

“Girls and STEAM”, an annual event hosted by Science World, inspires girls aged 12–14 to discover and pursue their interests in STEAM while learning from professional female mentors working in STEAM careers. 

This year, more than 300 girls participated in the event and a series of activities designed to help them identify and build on their interests in STEAM fields. Activities included a keynote by deep-sea scientist and speaker Moronke Harris, hands-on workshops, and an interactive mentorship session. Throughout the day, participants learned about the backgrounds, interests, education, and professional career paths of their STEAM mentors.   

“Attendees learned about the different fibre mix that goes into making Drax pellets and then matched the correct name and definition to the right fibre type,” said Sandy Sung, Drax Community Manager. The hands-on activity showed them that STEAM can take all shapes and forms in industry. 

Drax’s sponsorship at the event was provided through the Drax Community Fund. The Community Fund provides smaller donations of up to CA$10,000 to local community projects and initiatives. Focus areas for the Community Fund include STEM education and skills development, as well as enhancing biodiversity and green spaces in local communities.

“Science World is proud to partner with businesses and organizations in our community to bring STEAM education to young people,” said Issy Worrall, Manager, Public Programs and Engagement at Science World. “Having our partners participate in events such as the ‘Girls and STEAM Summit’ allows us to help showcase the broad opportunities of STEAM in industry and beyond.” 

“Sharing my experience as an engineer, and what that means for my job at Drax was really rewarding,” said Evangeline Saclamacis, Drax’s Carbon Reduction Engineer, who participated in the mentor roundtables. The girls visited our public showcase to learn more about what we do at Drax, and it was an opportunity to educate the next generation of engineers on how sustainable biomass can be used to create energy.” 

Contact Information:  

Caroline Bleay
Communications Manager, Canada 
780-502-1571
[email protected]  

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 http://www.drax.com/ca  

Introducing Elimini: New carbon removal leader launches at New York Climate Week

24 September 2024

News
  • Elimini has launched at New York Climate Week with ambition to deliver carbon removals at megaton scale and 24/7 renewable power
  • US-based company group has entered into 11 carbon dioxide removal deals with eight companies, two fiber option agreements, the establishment of an esteemed Advisory Council, and the creation of four knowledge collaborations to advance research and understanding in carbon dioxide removal technologies
  • More than 20 potential bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) sites under review in North America alone for potential BECCS facilities, with additional projects under consideration in six more countries
  • New independent research reveals 74 percent of Americans are concerned about climate change, with only 37 percent believing the government is doing enough to support the development of carbon removal technologies

Elimini, a new US-based business with an ambition to be a leader in carbon removals, has today been launched at Climate Week NYC. The company is dedicated to permanently removing carbon from the atmosphere while generating renewable, 24/7 power.

By advancing bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in the United States and beyond, the new company will help meet soaring demand for both 24/7 renewable energy and high-integrity carbon removals. Nearly all realistic pathways to limit global warming to 1.5C and 2C require developing and deploying carbon removal technology at gigaton scale and tripling renewable energy capacity. Elimini will pair 24/7 renewable energy production with carbon capture technology through BECCS – the only technology that currently supports the delivery of both targets simultaneously.

The business has been launched as new research finds that 74 percent of Americans are concerned about climate change, with 56 percent believing the government should be doing more to support the development of carbon removal technologies – and for those already familiar with these technologies, that number jumps to 72 percent, suggesting that familiarity directly drives increased favorability.

Elimini’s purpose is to remove carbon for good. To achieve this, it is convening engineers, environmentalists, communities, investors, and innovators to scale the market for carbon removals, with the aspiration of transforming our economies from carbon emitters to carbon removers. As an independently operated, wholly owned subsidiary within Drax Group, Elimini will also sell carbon removals generated at Drax Power Station, which conducted the first BECCS pilot of its kind in Europe and with the right government support will convert that facility to BECCS.

Will Gardiner, Elimini Executive Chair and Drax Group CEO said: “Carbon removals are desperately needed to reverse the legacy emissions warming our planet – and that industry represents more than a $1 trillion opportunity once it reaches gigaton scale. Elimini will have the focus and agility needed to become a leader in the maturing carbon market, rapidly advancing high-quality carbon removals and renewable energy production at global scale.”

Today, Elimini announced the following:

Investment from first-mover climate leaders

Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) offtake agreements with:

And the conversion of two previous MOUs with C-Zero Markets to offtakes with Elimini.

Plus, brokerage agreements with:

An Advisory Council formed of experts from across the carbon removals value chain

Established to help Elimini shape the company’s strategy and hold it true to its purpose and values. Comprised of experts with diverse backgrounds who share our commitment to removing carbon for good:

  • David Hill, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New York Independent System Operator and Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy. Previously, he was Executive Vice President & General Counsel of NRG Energy and served as the US Department of Energy General Counsel.
  • Miranda Ballentine, former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Installations, Environment, and Energy) and Founding CEO of the Clean Energy Buyers Association; currently serving as Senior Advisor at Green Strategies, and as a Board Member and Independent Practitioner to clean energy organizations.
  • Melissa Lott, Professor, Climate School, Columbia University.
  • Freddie Davis, Director of the Rural Training and Research Center at the Federation of Southern Cooperatives.
  • Rajiv S. Joshi, Founder of Bridging Ventures and former Executive Director of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), the world’s largest civil society alliance, launched by Nelson Mandela, working to end poverty and inequality.

Knowledge collaborations

We’ partnering with innovative institutions to push the boundaries of carbon capture technology, including:

Biomass supply partners

Manulife Investment Management and Molpus Woodlands have signed options to provide sustainably sourced woody biomass to fuel Elimini’s BECCS operations in the US Southeast.

The Forest Landowners Assistance Program

Elimini will launch a new program for local, family-owned, or underserved landowners to receive assistance with managing their forests and providing feedstocks for BECCS facilities that will meet Elimini’s high sustainability standards.

The selection of its Owner’s Engineer to support the development of its first BECCS facility in the US 

Elimini has selected engineering firm Sargent & Lundy as the owner’s engineer to support with the development of a BECCS project in the United States. Full scale development is underway at our most advanced site for our first greenfield BECCS project.

Once fully operational, the 300-megawatt generation project will produce two terawatt hours of renewable energy while capturing 3Mt of CO2 annually – the equivalent of the average annual emissions of 100 commercial airliners.

Laurie Fitzmaurice, Elimini President said: “Elimini is entering the market at a critical time for our planet and the global economy, when unprecedented demand for power threatens to extend the world’s dependence on coal and other fossil fuels. By advancing BECCS and other carbon removal technologies in the United States and beyond, we will provide organizations and governments with realistic alternatives to power their communities and businesses while staying on track to achieve their climate commitments.”

David Hill, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New York Independent System Operator and Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy said, “Elimini’s stated purpose is to remove carbon for good. As a member of the Advisory Council, I look forward to working with the company as it seeks to address some very interesting and exciting opportunities.”

“Solving climate change will require many technologies, including a critical set of net-zero and net-negative power plants that are needed to supply the global economy with reliable, affordable, and clean electricity,” said Dr. Melissa Lott, Professor, Climate School, Columbia University. “It is exciting to see Elimini step fully into this space at this critical time in global efforts to deploy technologies at the speed and scale that is needed to reduce emissions and protect the health of our communities.”

Walid Rechache, Co-Founder and CEO at Holborn Trading said, “We are excited and proud to support Elimini on their carbon removal initiative. Holborn Trading is invested because we believe in securing a sustainable future. By supporting innovative solutions like decarbonization technologies and projects including carbon dioxide removal, we’re not just offsetting emissions – we’re actively restoring the balance of our planet’s atmosphere, ensuring a healthier environment for generations to come.”

Read more about our new company, team, and the latest research here.

New report finds Drax contributes $1 Billion to Canadian economy

16 September 2024

News

A new economic analysis conducted by MNP, one of Canada’s leading professional services and research firms, has found that Drax Group contributed $1 billion towards the Canadian economy and supported more than 3,000 jobs in 2023.  

The study measured the economic impact of Drax’s Canadian operations, which includes 10 pellet plants across British Columbia and Alberta, producing sustainable biomass wood pellets to generate renewable power in the UK and Asia. 

“We take pride in the longstanding role we play in making Canada a renewable energy leader and we are grateful for the many employees, both our own and across our supply chain, for their dedication to building a strong clean energy workforce in communities across Canada,” said Liezl van Wyk, Drax’s Vice President of Northern Operations.  

The report also showed Drax’s commitment to sourcing from local suppliers by purchasing nearly 75% of its goods and services from those based within the respective province of their operations, which further supports local jobs and economies. Of the purchases made from suppliers outside of the province, over 90% are from Canadian businesses. 

“Canada has built a robust economy through smart policies supporting domestic production of renewable energy. We will continue to find new and innovative ways to further our sustainability efforts for the benefit of Canada’s natural resources,” said van Wyk. 

The total employment supported by Drax’s operations (3,101 jobs) is approximately equivalent to the employment supported by the construction of 1,447 new homes in Canada. 

Thousands of jobs are supported by Drax’s activities across Canada in a wide range of sectors including high-skilled manufacturing of industrial components, engineering and technical machinery and transportation, many of which are in rural communities​. 

For example, in the Entwistle and Burns Lake communities where Drax’s pellet plants are located, Drax provides 26% and 18% of their total employment income. 

“We commend the workers, policymakers and other stakeholders who help ensure energy security and economic growth, particularly during times of international instability,” said van Wyk. 

Companies such as local sawmills rely on Drax to purchase their residuals and by-products. The use of these materials by Drax also keeps them out of landfills and off forest floors, where they can become fuel for wildfires. The timber, forest and furniture industries, among many others, have been key collaborators in sourcing residuals and waste products for beneficial reuse by Drax. 

“Our research demonstrates the economic impact that Drax Group has made to the Canadian economy, with their operations in Canada generating $372 million in GDP in 2023,” said Susan Mowbray, Partner at MNP. “We also found that the economic activity generated by Drax’s pellet plants, port terminals and corporate offices, has a positive impact on local communities across Canada.” 

To view an executive summary and other highlights from the report, visit drax.com/ca/impact. 

Contact Information:  

Megan Hopgood
Communications Specialist, Canada 
778-871-4738
[email protected]  

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 http://www.drax.com/ca 

About MNP   

National in scope and local in focus, MNP is one of Canada’s leading professional services firms — proudly serving individuals, businesses, and organizations since 1958. Through the development of strong relationships, MNP provides client-focused accounting, consulting, tax, and digital services. MNP’s clients benefit from personalized strategies with a local perspective to fuel success wherever business takes them. For more information, visit www.mnp.ca.  

Drax Donates $260,000 to Canadian Organizations Focused on Supporting STEM Education

19 June 2024

Press releases

Renewable energy company Drax has announced that three Canadian non-profits will receive $260,000 through the fourth round of donations from the Drax Foundation. The latest round of funding will go to programs that promote STEM education, reaching over 3,000 children and adults and prioritizing underserved groups, which include The MindFuel Foundation, Scientists in School and The Exploration Place.  

“These organizations invigorate the communities they work in and have lasting impacts on the people and areas they serve,” said Sandy Sung, Community Manager for Drax Canada. “We are guided by the needs and expertise of our non-profit partners, and that’s why we prioritize funding for some of their harder-to-fundraise for areas of work.” 

All three non-profits work to better their communities through targeted programing, education, and supporting Indigenous communities in and around the areas where Drax has operations. 

MindFuel, which will receive $80,000, works to increase STEM skills in BC and Alberta schools with a focus on reaching indigenous youth in rural areas.  

“I’d like to thank the Drax Foundation for its generous support for STEM education and innovation and advancing equity and access to related programming, which resonates with MindFuel’s mission,” said Cassy Weber, CEO at the MindFuel Foundation. “In our recent 10-year study regarding youth innovation programming, we learned that 67% of respondents have created or been part of a team that has created an innovation in their professional career, and, critically, 75% attribute participation in a MindFuel program as key to their success.” 

“This partnership with Drax will help us engage more rural and Indigenous youth and significantly strengthen our combined work in building a future that’s inclusive,” said Weber. 

Scientists in Schools

Scientists in School, which will receive $100,000, also aims to improve access to STEM education for underserved populations in BC and Alberta.  

“I would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the Drax Foundation and their support which is a catalyst for Scientists in School’s evolution as a national charity shaping the STEM skills and futures of over 350,000 youth annually,” said Cindy Adams, Executive Director at Scientists in School. “The Drax Foundation has significantly enhanced our ability to reach children and youth in rural or otherwise under-served communities in BC and Alberta and enabled us to leverage this growth so we can reach thousands more in the coming years.” 

 “Together, we are building a strong foundation in science education for children across Canada, vital for Canada’s strength in research and innovation, and we are grateful to the Drax Foundation for being a part of our mission to ignite children’s curiosity about the world around them,” said Adams. 

The Exploration Space

The Exploration Space will receive $80,000 to fund their STEM program in Northern BC, reaching First Nations children and other rural communities.  

“Thanks to the generous support of the Drax Foundation in 2023, we were able to offer free school programs to over 6,000 students across Northern BC. With continued funding in 2024, we can expand this initiative, further increasing accessibility to STEAM education for students from Kindergarten through Grade 12,” said Robyn Curtis, VP Development and Partnerships at The Exploration Place. 

“This support is essential in breaking down financial and travel barriers, ensuring that all students in our region have access to high-quality, hands-on learning experiences. Our goal is to inspire and equip the next generation with the skills needed to navigate and thrive in an ever-evolving world, and funding from the Drax Foundation is key to helping us achieve this goal,” said Curtis.

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, enhance biodiversity and support Indigenous communities within the communities Drax operations. To learn more about the Drax Foundation and community projects that Drax has previously funded, visit https://www.drax.com/ca/news/.   

Previous organizations that have received funds from the Drax Foundation include Actua, the Nature Trust of BC and SCWIST.    

Contact Information:  

Megan Hopgood
Communications Specialist, Canada 
778-871-4738
[email protected]  

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/ca 

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.  

Entwistle update

10 May 2024

News

On May 9, during a regular inspection of the fibre piles at our Entwistle plant, workers observed smoke and followed standard procedure to extinguish the smolder with onsite hoses. Due to the high winds, flames rapidly formed and escalated.  Sparks and embers spread outside our property lines onto the Old Entwistle community sides of the tracks.  Our workers had called 911 for the fire department’s assistance and were able to extinguish the fire in that area before it spread into the neighborhood.

All Entwistle plant workers are safe and no injuries have occurred. The safety of our employees and Entwistle community is our top priority. The Entwistle plant has been placed into an idle state as we work with the fire department to contain the situation as quickly and as safety as possible. Also, CN Railroad has been contacted and is aware of the situation.

If any members of the Entwistle community have been impacted by the situation, we ask that you contact us at [email protected] for questions or assistance.

For the latest updates, please see below:

Monday, May 13 update

Equipment and contractors continued to successfully move the fibre piles and cooling the material. There were no significant hot spots found in the piles today and multiple tours of the wetland with thermal cameras show there were no heat sources.

This will be the last update, but if there are any changes that require further community awareness, we will post them here. If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected].

Saturday, May 11 update

Throughout the night the Drax team monitored for any hot spots. There was only one event where a small amount of smoke was visible, which the team quickly responded to, applied water and resolved the issue immediately. Close monitoring of the fibre piles and wooded areas continued through the night with no signs of smolders occurring.

The onsite team is preparing the facility for a restart with members focused on getting all equipment ready to support the pile rolling if required. Inspections of equipment will be completed prior to the restart of operations. All equipment and resources are onsite (excavator operator, bulldozer operator, independent fire truck, water trucks) to continue pond filling and support workers as they continue monitoring of the area. All required hoses, sprinklers and pumps have been placed as required. Winds remain calm – currently at 9 km/hr from the North with potential gusts to 30 km/hr throughout the day. The Drax team will prepare to bring the plant back online with production expected to resume around 11:00 am this morning once all systems are brought safely back online.

NOTE TO COMMUNITY: Unrelated to the facility fibre pile situation, there are reported forest fires in the Grande Prairie and FT McMurray areas which are several hundred kilometers away from the Drax facility but smoke is being blown into the area. This smoke is not coming from the Entwistle plant.

Friday, May 10 Update

At 10pm (May 9) last night, the fire was brought under control with no visible flames. With that positive development, the fire department stood down for the day. Additional contractors were scheduled to support the night shift and additional sprinklers were placed strategically around the fibre pile. There were no significant flare ups overnight. Workers continue to focus on inspections and identifying any small spot smolders around the area.

Drax donates $10,000 to Williams Lake Basketball Association to support female youth program

7 May 2024

News

Renewable energy company Drax today announced a donation of $10,000 to the Williams Lake Basketball Association (WLBA) as part of its commitment to improving the communities it operates in and advancing gender diversity.   

Drax’s donation will help with some of the expenses required for the creation and development of a girls’ basketball team including uniforms, equipment, practice facilities and travel to tournaments.  

“Our aim is to foster a love of the game of basketball as well as provide an inclusive environment where youth can go to feel part of a team and develop their confidence and interpersonal skills,” said Travis Nystoruk, President of the WLBA. “Drax’s donation will help us to expand on our successful basketball teams to include female youth in the Cariboo and take steps towards promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls in sports.”  

Brigette Peel, who coaches the girls’ team, added: “Thanks to the support of Drax, we’ve been able to empower a new generation of female athletes in our community. By investing in our youth, we’re not just funding a team, but opportunities for young women to thrive through sports, fostering confidence, leadership, and a lifelong love for the game.” 

The WLBA is a not-for-profit sports organization which provides basketball for youth aged 4-18 in the Cariboo region. It currently runs three boys basketball teams that competed across the province last year.  

“At Drax, we’re committed to making a lasting, positive impact in the communities and regions where we operate,” said Ian Tencarre, Plant Manager at Drax Williams Lake. “Our focus is to work with local groups and organizations to improve local communities and increase access to skills development. We’re excited to be able to support this initiative to make basketball available to female youth in the Cariboo region.”  

The Drax Community Fund provides grants and donations of up to $10,000 to support local projects and programs that deliver social and economic benefit within the communities where Drax operates. To apply for funding, go to www.drax.com/community-fund. 

Contact Information: 

Megan Hopgood 
Communications Specialist, Canada
1-778-871-4738
[email protected]  

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/ca    

Drax Foundation gives more than $4.6 million to boost communities 

2 April 2024

News

Drax has released an annual report for its Drax Foundation and Community Fund that shows more than $4.6 million has been donated to support communities across Drax’s global operations. The renewable energy company focused on funding organizations that help underrepresented groups, advance gender equality, and support indigenous communities.  

Organizations that have benefitted from Drax’s funding include those that improve STEM education, access to green spaces, and energy efficiency efforts in schools.   

In Canada, the Drax Foundation and Community Fund provided more than $960,000 to organizations in 2023, including STEM workshops and mentoring partnerships with the Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST) as part of its work to invest in girls and indigenous communities as future STEM leaders. Through this work over 470 women have participated in 57 STEM workshops and 24 women have participated in mentoring partnerships.  

“STEM skills are life skills, and with access to STEM knowledge, the youth of today can shape their own futures and chart a logical path in a rapidly changing world,” said JeAnn Watson, Director of SCWIST.

A three-year partnership with Science World to increase the educational opportunities for students in the most remote school districts and Frist Nations communities. So far, 1,976 children have participated in the programme covering 16 schools in four communities.  

The University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Faculty of Forestry received $81,500 in grant funding supporting 316 children from underserved communities with access to bursaries. The programme called Wild & Immersive encourages children and young people to care for the environment through nature-based experiences.  

“It’s important that we give back to the communities in which we operate and I’m very proud of the work the Drax Foundation has done in its first year,” said Will Gardiner, Drax CEO. “The engagement with our communities and partners has had a positive impact for a lot of people.”

Some additional highlights in 2023 from the Drax Foundation report include:  

  • Providing just over a quarter of its grants for STEM projects, funding education and training for 70,300 children and 637 adults globally.   
  • Providing money to help 20,860 people to access community green spaces and to restore or protect 1,230 hectares of land.  
  • Providing money for local foodbanks, community sports teams, resources for local schools and improved community buildings.   
  • In addition, Drax Group’s Communities in Crisis Fund supported seven disaster relief projects around the world.   

“We are passionate about supporting diverse organizations, to deliver STEM education for those who may not have traditionally had access,” said Gardiner. “And by improving green spaces and energy efficiency in schools, we’re making communities more sustainable. I look forward to seeing the continued support we provide to our communities through the Drax Foundation in the future.”  

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

Read the full Drax Foundation Annual Review here: https://www.drax.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Drax-Foundation-Annual-Review_2023.pdf

Contact Information:  

Megan Hopgood  
Communications Specialist, Canada
778-871-4738
[email protected]  

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 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.”

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.”

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.”

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.”

ENDS

Media contacts:

Andy Low
Media Manager
E: [email protected] 
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 applauds the government of Canada’s commitment to biomass technologies as highlighted in the Fall Economic Statement

27 November 2023

News

Drax commends the Government of Canada on the inclusion of biomass-using technologies in the Clean Technology and Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credits from the Fall Economic Statement (FES) released this week.

Biomass is a key component of the clean energy sector with the potential to reduce reliance on diesel fuel in rural and remote communities. It is a proven dispatchable, renewable fuel source in the fight against climate change, further supporting thousands of Canadian jobs and contributing millions to local economies and an important player in a broad spectrum of technologies needed to achieve net zero.

“We are encouraged by the Canadian government’s commitment to clean energy and the recognition of biomass-used technologies as a crucial component in achieving a cleaner future,” said Will Gardiner, CEO of Drax. “Leading climate bodies and scientists agree that biomass has an important role to play in climate mitigation – as a sustainable feedstock, as a renewable energy resource, and as a carbon removals technology through Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS).”

Sustainably sourced biomass is renewable and provides reliable, flexible generation that enables technologies such as wind and solar, to connect to the grid. Sustainable biomass also supports a vital carbon-negative emissions technology (BECCS) which will be needed around the world to meet climate commitments.

“Working on both sides of the Atlantic, Drax is focused on enabling a zero-carbon, lower-cost energy future,” said Gardiner. “Drax’s ambition is to be the world’s leading provider of carbon removals through BECCS.”

BECCS is vital to energy security. Drax’s ambition through BECCS is building large-scale carbon removal facilities, creating thousands of jobs in new clean energy technology and generating dispatchable, renewable power using sustainably sourced biomass for homes and industries – while supporting the growth of the forestry sector and other intermittent energy sources.

With the right policy framework, and further announcements such as the one in the FES, Drax believes that Canada could be an ideal location to deploy BECCS, given its access to one of the world’s greatest fibre baskets, well-established sustainable forestry sector, and suitable geology for CO2 storage.

“Supporting BECCS deployment in Canada would kick start a whole new sector of the economy, creating green growth on an even greater scale, creating additional jobs, and investing in rural economies unlike what we have previously seen,” said Gardiner.

In Canada, Drax has invested over $830 million in the Canadian forestry sector, supporting more than 10,000 jobs and contributing $1.1 billion to the nation’s GDP in 2021.

Drax looks forward to working closely with the Canadian government to advance the biomass industry further and create opportunities for forest workers, including through meaningful partnerships with First Nations communities and businesses.

Contact Information:

Caroline Bleay 
Communications Manager, Canada
780-502-1571
[email protected]

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/ca

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.