The funds and supplies are going to hurricane relief efforts driven by United Way of Northeast Louisiana (NELA) as part of their ‘Embrace Louisiana’ relief project.
Drax Biomass has recently been awarded ‘Pacesetter’ status by United Way NELA, which recognizes the company as a leader in the community to set the pace for other employee campaigns in the region.
This campaign encourages companies and their employees to give back by volunteering or donating to their communities. Drax Biomass showed a 17% increase in employee donations from their most recent campaign.
Executive Vice President of Drax’s Pellet Operations Matt White said:
“It’s a privilege to be able to work with United Way which has been here for the Northeast Louisiana community through countless disasters this year alone, supporting the wellbeing of so many people.
“Hurricane Ida has been devastating to many communities in the region. It’s important to support the people in the areas where we operate. That’s why we donated $5,000 to help local relief efforts. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the hurricane.”
Janet Durden, United Way of Northeast Louisiana President:
“We are so grateful for the incredible partnership between Drax and United Way of Northeast Louisiana. Regardless of the issue our community is facing Drax responds immediately and very generously. We are thankful for their generosity and commitment to service, both during times of disaster and year-round.
“The exceptional increase in employee giving at Drax certainly ‘sets the pace’ and will surely inspire other workplace partners to step up for our community through their Workplace Campaigns.”
In the past 12 months, Drax has supported families in Northeast and Central Louisiana who were impacted by Hurricane Laura and donated $20,000 to help rebuild the public pavilion in the town of Olla and to repair the roof of Urania’s recreational hall following the storm.
Photo caption: Supplies for hurricane evacuees as part of hurricane relief efforts co-ordinated by United Way of Northeast Louisiana. Credit: United Way of Northeast Louisiana
ENDS
Media contacts:
Annmarie Sartor
Drax Biomass Communications Officer
E: [email protected]
T: +1 318-801-0046
Selina Williams
Drax Group Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: +44 7912 230393
Editor’s Notes
Headquartered in Monroe, LA, with operations in the Southeastern U.S., Drax Biomass is committed to supporting the communities in which it operates by promoting sustainable forestry and investing in local economic development. It is part of British energy company Drax Group.
Drax Biomass produces sustainable compressed wood pellets, which are shipped to Drax Power Station in England and used to generate renewable electricity for millions of UK homes and businesses.
Around two thirds of the sustainable biomass Drax uses each year comes from the US, where Drax owns and operates three pellet plants producing compressed wood pellets sourced from sustainably managed working forests in Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi.
The plants also deliver economic growth and jobs in the US south.
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.
Its 3,400 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.
Pellet production and supply:
Drax owns and has interests in 17 pellet mills in the US South and Western Canada which have the capacity to manufacture 4.9 million tonnes of compressed wood pellets (biomass) a year. 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 mills supply around 30% of the biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.
Customers:
Drax is the largest supplier of renewable electricity to UK businesses, supplying 100% renewable electricity as standard to more than 370,000 sites through Drax and Opus Energy.
It offers 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
