Tackling climate change is at the heart of our purpose and we are committed to helping the UK and the wider world to achieve its climate change targets.
Our carbon negative ambition
Drax’s ambition is to become carbon negative by 2030, using technologies such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) to remove more carbon from the atmosphere than we produce throughout our direct business operations. We are committed to the Science Based Targets initiative, to further assure that our target is aligned with climate science.
A provider of dispatchable, renewable power
Our Generation business operates a portfolio of flexible, renewable energy assets to support the system’s growing use of intermittent renewable energy. In 2021, 93% of the power generated by Drax was renewable.
Our Customers business is a leading supplier of renewable sourced electricity to businesses across the UK and provides energy services and a route to market for 2,322 renewable generators. 100% of the electricity procured and supplied by Drax and Opus Energy during the 2020-2021 Ofgem reporting year was from renewable sources. Our Customers business also sold 2.4TWh of gas to customers in 2021.
Our Customers business fuel mix disclosures are available at:
opusenergy.com/our-energy-sources/
energy.drax.com/support/fuel-mix-disclosure/
Carbon and energy
Since 2012, our absolute carbon emissions (scope 1 and 2) have fallen more than 94%, with four of the six generating units at Drax Power Station converted to biomass from coal.
In 2021, our Group scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions decreased by 59% compared with 2020. This reflects the sale of gas assets in January 2021, and a decrease in coal generation, as we progressed the full closure of commercial coal generation at Drax Power Station. Pinnacle, acquired in 2021, contributes around 9% of Group scope 1 and 2 emissions through its pellet manufacturing activities.
We recognise the impact our carbon emissions have across the value chain. In 2021, we developed a scope 3 target that enables us to align to the SBTi (42% reduction in scope 3 emissions by 2030, against a 2020 baseline). The primary contribution to our scope 3 emissions comes from our fuel and energy related activities. This includes fuel supply chains, such as biomass and coal. The second largest contribution is purchased goods and services, followed by use of sold products, which includes the end use of gas purchased and sold by our Customers business.
Carbon emissions by greenhouse gas type
| Unit | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon Emissions | ||||
| Generation CO 2 emissions (1) | ktCO2 | 525 | 2,682 | 1,958 |
| Group total scope 1 (2) | ktCO2e | 932* | 2,762 | 2,049 |
| Group total scope 2 (location-based) (3) | ktCO2e | 323* | 318* | 322 |
| Group total scope 1 and 2 | ktCO2e | 1,255* | 3,080* | 2,371 |
| Proportion of Group emissions within the UK | % | 78* | 95.3* | 93.2 |
| Group total scope 3 (4) | ktCO2e | 3,121* | 3,135* | - |
| Biologically sequestered carbon (5) | ktCO2e | 13,415 | 13,273 | 12,795 |
| Carbon intensity | ||||
| Generation emissions per GWh of electricity generation | tCO2/GWh | 33* | §43 | 113 |
| Group emissions per GWh of electricity generation (6) | tCO2e/GWh | 78* | 164 | 137 |
| Total energy consumption | ||||
| Group total energy consumption | kWh | 44,112,891,484* | 48,253,807,865* | 46,025,306,198 |
| Group total energy consumption within the UK | kWh | 40,112,110,277 | 47,090,524,296 | 43,852,816,521 |
Note: Carbon emissions are reported against a criterion of operational control. Carbon emissions are reported in units of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) and include all greenhouse gases as required by the GHG Protocol. For the basis of reporting see www.drax.com/sustainability
(1) Generation emissions covers all direct emissions from our own business operations that fall under the scope of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) and formerly the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)
(2) Group total scope 1 covers all direct emissions from our own business operations, across all sites
(3) Group total scope 2 covers all indirect emissions associated with our electricity and heat consumption, across all sites
(4) Group total scope 3 excludes ‘downstream leased assets’; and categories ‘end of life treatment of sold products’, ‘franchises’ and ‘investments’ are not applicable
(5) The biogenic carbon emissions resulting from generation are counted as zero in official reporting to both UK authorities and under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme as the use of sustainable biomass is considered to be CO2 neutral at the point of combustion. This methodology originates from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(6) Group emissions are total scope 1 and 2 emissions as reported
* Limited external assurance by LRQA (qualified opinion) using the assurance standard ISAE 3000 and based on Drax using the Corporate Greenhouse Gas Protocol, for 2021 data as indicated. For assurance statement and basis of reporting see www.drax.com/sustainability
