Archives: Press Release

‘Renewable energy apprentices’ kickstart careers at Cruachan Power Station

26 September 2022

News

The apprentices have won places on apprenticeship schemes at Cruachan Power Station near Oban – the underground pumped hydro storage power station built in a hollowed-out cavern 1km inside Ben Cruachan – Argyll’s highest mountain.

The four-year programme gives new recruits the opportunity to gain expertise working alongside highly skilled engineers at the iconic ‘Hollow Mountain’ facility, which plays a critical role in supporting Scotland’s power system.

Drax’s Scottish Assets & Generation Engineering Director Ian Kinnaird said: “Providing these young people with the tools needed to become the skilled workforce of the future is not only essential to the success of our business, it’s also an incredibly rewarding part of what we do.

“Giving our apprentices the opportunity to work on renewable energy technology will ensure we’re nurturing our in-house talent and creating opportunities for people here in Scotland to lead the green energy revolution needed to get the UK to net zero.”

Marcus Lane, aged 18

Marcus Lane, aged 18 from Oban, who has joined Drax as a craftsperson apprentice, said: “I applied for an apprenticeship at Drax because I’ve always been interested in a career in engineering, and then after doing a week’s work experience with Drax it confirmed that this is what I want to do. I also knew that getting an apprenticeship with Drax would mean I’d receive great training to further my knowledge of renewable energy and increase the opportunities available to me in the future. I’m looking forward to working on such a wide variety of machinery and seeing exactly how the power station works.”

Marcus will start work on-site at Cruachan once he has completed formal training at the East Kilbride Group Training Association.

Iain Livingstone, aged 29 from Dalmally, is studying for a graduate apprenticeship in Design and Manufacturing and will attend Glasgow Caledonian University one day a week alongside his work at the power station.

Iain said: “Previously I worked in Marine Engineering in the oil and gas industry and thought that a graduate apprenticeship like this one would be a perfect transition from that industry into the renewable energy sector. This apprenticeship will also allow me to build on the knowledge and skills I’ve already gained and to further develop my academic qualifications. During the application process, I researched Drax and found that their goals and values aligned with my own and I’m looking forward to being a part of the company’s future.”

Drax recently submitted the planning application to build a new underground pumped hydro storage power station at Cruachan which will more than double the site’s electricity generating capacity.

The new 600-megawatt (MW) power station will be located inside Ben Cruachan – Argyll’s highest mountain – and increase the site’s total capacity to 1 gigawatt (GW).

ENDS

Photo caption: The apprentices in the workshop at the East Kilbride Group Training Association

Media contacts:

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

Notes to editors:

Drax is hiring a total of 20 apprentices this year across its sites in the UK, including four in Scotland. All opportunities are advertised on the Drax website.

Drax offers apprenticeships in business support areas such as HR, IT and finance as well as engineering disciplines and also runs several internships and graduate schemes as part of its dedication to improving skills and increasing opportunities for young people in the communities where it operates.

The energy company is also committed to helping its existing employees to boost their skills to ensure they are ready to work on new green technologies like BECCS. Around 50 employees across the group are studying for apprenticeship qualifications.

Drax runs a variety of initiatives to support STEM education and skills in Scotland including offering power station tours, interactive workshops and work experience opportunities.

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

New research outlines Drax’s contribution to the North’s economy

23 September 2022

News
  • Oxford Economics analysis shows that in 2021 Drax Group contributed £749 million towards the North of England’s economy and supported 5,720 jobs.
  • The Group’s ambitious plans for growth will see it invest a further £3bn into the UK by 2030, creating tens of thousands of jobs from as soon as 2024.

Independent analysis by Oxford Economics has shown that last year renewable energy leader Drax contributed £749 million towards the North of England’s economy and supported 5,720 jobs across the UK.

The analysis measured the economic impact of Drax Group’s UK operations, which includes Drax Power Station, near Selby in North Yorkshire – the country’s biggest renewable power generator, which produces enough renewable electricity for four million homes.

The figures come as Drax continues to progress its plans to deliver a green jobs boom in the UK in the years ahead by becoming a world leader in negative emissions technology BECCS and investing billions of pounds in renewable energy projects.

Drax plans to invest £2.5bn in its green energy projects in the UK this decade, supporting security of supply and the UK’s net zero ambitions. The plans include building the world’s largest carbon capture in power project at its North Yorkshire plant.

BECCS is the only technology which permanently removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere whilst also generating the reliable renewable electricity the world needs to deliver secure supplies of energy and enable it to move away from fossil fuels.

Bruce Heppenstall, Drax Plant Director, said:

“Not only is Drax playing a critical role in keeping the lights on for millions of homes and businesses across the country, but we are also proud to be supporting thousands of jobs in the UK and contributing millions of pounds to the economy at a time when it is under severe pressure.

“With the right support from government, Drax stands ready to invest hundreds of millions of pounds in developing BECCS so we can do even more for our communities and the climate. Not only will this projects permanently remove millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but it will also support tens of thousands of jobs during construction, and bolster UK energy security.”

Stephen Foreman, Associate Director at Oxford Economics, said:

“Our research demonstrates the significant contribution that a large and successful British company like Drax Group can make to the global economy. Drax Group’s operations in the U.K., U.S., and Canada generated £3.1 billion in GDP in 2021 and supported over 35,000 jobs across these three markets.

“We also find that the activity generated by Drax’s power stations, pellet plants, and corporate offices, is also having a positive impact on local communities across the U.K., the U.S. and Canada.”

Drax aims to source 80% of the services and materials for BECCS from British businesses, and it recently signed an agreement with British Steel to explore opportunities to source steel for the construction from the firm’s Scunthorpe and Teesside plants.

Thousands of jobs could start being created at Drax in just a couple of years’ time, with work to deploy BECCS at Drax Power Station set to get underway as soon as 2024, with around 10,000 jobs being created and supported during the project’s peak.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Aidan Ker
Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: +44 (0)7849090368

Ali Lewis
Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: +44 (0)7712 670 888

Editor’s Notes

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

New research outlines Drax’s contribution to the Scottish economy

News
  • Oxford Economics analysis shows that in 2021 Drax Group contributed £133 million towards the Scottish economy and supported 1,250 jobs.
  • The Group’s ambitious plans for growth will see it invest a further £3bn into the UK by 2030, creating tens of thousands of jobs from as soon as 2024.

Independent analysis by Oxford Economics has shown that last year renewable energy leader Drax contributed £133 million towards the Scottish economy and supported 1,250 jobs across the country.

The analysis measured the economic impact of Drax Group’s UK operations in 2021, which includes the iconic ‘Hollow Mountain’ Cruachan Power Station, near Oban in Argyll – an underground pumped hydro storage plant which acts like a giant water battery to balance the country’s power grid.

The figures come as Drax continues to progress its plans to deliver a green jobs boom in the UK in the years ahead by becoming a world leader in negative emissions technology BECCS and investing billions of pounds in renewable energy projects.

Drax plans to invest £2.5bn in its green energy projects in the UK this decade, supporting security of supply and the UK’s net zero ambitions. The plans include building the first new pumped storage hydro power station in the UK in more than 40 years at its existing Cruachan site.

Thousands of jobs could start being created by these projects in just a couple of years’ time, with work on Cruachan 2 potentially starting as soon as 2024. Around 900 jobs would be supported during six years of construction across the supply chain in a range of industries from quarrying and engineering, to transport and hospitality.

Ian Kinnaird, Drax’s Scottish assets director, said:

“Not only is Drax playing a critical role in keeping the lights on for millions of homes and businesses across the country, but we are also proud to be supporting more than a thousand jobs in Scotland and contributing millions of pounds to the economy at a time when it is under severe pressure.  

“With the right support from government, Drax stands ready to invest hundreds of millions of pounds in developing Cruachan 2 so we can do even more for our communities and the climate. Not only will extending Cruachan enable more wind power to come online, but it will also support hundreds of jobs during construction and bolster UK energy security.”

Stephen Foreman, Associate Director at Oxford Economics, said:

“Our research demonstrates the significant contribution that a large and successful British company like Drax Group can make to the global economy.

“Drax Group’s operations in the U.K., U.S., and Canada generated £3.1 billion in GDP in 2021 and supported over 35,000 jobs across these three markets. We also find that the activity generated by Drax’s power stations, pellet plants, and corporate offices, is also having a positive impact on local communities across the U.K., the U.S. and Canada.”

Jobs supported by Drax’s activities across the UK covered a wide range of sectors including high-skilled manufacturing of industrial components, engineering and technical machinery, IT, professional business services and transporting goods.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Aidan Ker
Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: +44 (0)7849090368

Ali Lewis
Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: +44 (0)7712 670 888

Editor’s Notes

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

 

Power stations’s blockbusting support for Argyll communities

22 September 2022

News

Cruachan’s iconic dam and underground power station was transported to a galaxy far, far away when it was used as a backdrop for the new TV series Andor.

Following the launch of the series on Disney+, Drax has made a five-figure donation to several charities and good causes across Argyll.

These include helping to fund a new vehicle for Oban Mountain Rescue, creating a rural defibrillator network with community councils and supporting the ongoing maintenance and restoration of St Conans Kirk.

Sarah Cameron, Cruachan Visitor Centre Manager

Sarah Cameron, Drax’s Visitor Centre Manager at Cruachan, said:

“Everyone at Cruachan has been incredibly excited to see the power station take a starring role in such an iconic film franchise.

“From the very beginning of this project, Drax’s aim was to create a lasting legacy from it which would benefit the local community. This series of donations will not just change lives, in many cases it will save them.”

Cruachan Visitor Centre is open Monday to Friday from 9.15am until 4.45pm, more information including how to book tours is available from the website: visitcruachan.co.uk

ENDS

Media contacts:

Aidan Kerr
Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07849 090 368

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

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’s cooling tower tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

16 September 2022

News

Bruce Heppenstall, Plant Director at Drax Power Station, said:

“It has been an incredibly moving week in which so many people across the world have shown their love and respect for the Queen. As we mourn her passing, our deepest condolences go to His Majesty King Charles III and all of the Royal Family.”

The image will be projected onto the 114m tall cooling tower at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire over the weekend of the Queen’s funeral and will be seen from miles around.

Earlier this year, Drax turned two of its cooling towers blue and red to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Drax is being projected from 8pm – 12am on Sunday 18th and Monday 19th September and will be visible from the west of the power station.

ENDS

Media contacts:

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

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

His Majesty King Charles III

10 September 2022

News

Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO said:

“On behalf of Drax Group, I welcome the announcement of His Majesty King Charles III as Head of State. The King has done an exemplary job as Prince of Wales, forging relationships across nations and showing great commitment to environmental and climate causes.

“His Majesty launched the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) in 2020 and invited me to join the Carbon Capture, Use and Storage taskforce, enabling industry executives to work on meaningful and actionable plans to help accelerate the world’s transition to a sustainable future. This is a critical cause that will continue to affect us all.

“His longstanding service to the British public, and across the Commonwealth, follows his mother’s outstanding example.

“My condolences remain with the Royal Family as they, and we too, mourn the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”

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 progresses plans to upgrade existing Cruachan Power Station

News

The project, which is separate from the company’s proposals to build a brand-new underground power station at the site, could see two of the existing generating units upgraded, increasing their generating capacity by a total of 40MW, so they could power around 80,000 more homes – equivalent to a town the size of Paisley.

The work would increase the output of two of the station’s existing units from 100MW to 120MW each by utilising new design capability in pumped storage turbines whilst maximising water cycle efficiency.

Local people will have the opportunity to learn more about the proposals during an exhibition at Taynuilt Village Hall on Wednesday 14th September, 2pm – 6.30pm, when members of the project team will be on hand to answer questions and discuss the plans.

Ian Kinnaird, Drax’s Scottish Assets Director, said:

Ian Kinnaird, Drax’s Scottish Assets Director, standing in-front of a generating unit at Cruachan.

“For more than half a century Cruachan has played a pivotal role in balancing the grid and keeping the lights on across the UK. By investing in this 40MW upgrade alongside the creation of a new 600MW power station at the site, Drax’s Cruachan pumped storage hydro power station would continue to play a vital role in bolstering the country’s energy security for many years to come.

“We are keen to hear from as many people as possible during the consultation event in Taynuilt, so we encourage local people to come along.”

Cruachan is an underground pumped hydro storage power station built inside a hollowed-out cavern 1km inside Ben Cruachan – Argyll’s highest mountain. Its reversible turbines enable the plant to act like a giant water battery by pumping water from Loch Awe to an upper reservoir on the mountainside to store excess power from the grid.

The stored water is then released back through the turbines to generate power quickly and reliably when demand increases. This process helps stop wind farms being paid to turn off when they are generating excess power, helping the country to decarbonise whilst cutting household energy bills.

In order to carry out the 40MW upgrade on the two existing generating units at Cruachan, Drax must secure consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 from the Scottish Government. This process is expected to take around one year to complete from the application’s submission.

If planning permission is granted, work to upgrade the existing two turbines could commence in 2026. The 40MW upgrade to the existing plant involves replacing existing turbines and generators and will not require excavation or blasting works.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Aidan Kerr
Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07849090368

Ali Lewis
Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: 07712 670 888

Editor’s Notes

  • Long-duration electricity storage (LDES) can be defined as technologies that are able to respond to supply and demand variations caused by daily peaks, weather events and seasonal patterns, providing power for more than four hours at their full capacity.
  • A recent report by Aurora showed that the UK may need an eight-fold increase in long-duration electricity storage capacity by 2035.
  • Separately, a report by LCP published earlier this year showed the practice of curtailing wind power – which LDES  technologies alleviate the need for – added £806m to energy bills in Britain in 2021.
  • No final investment decision has yet been taken on the Cruachan 1 upgrade and this is also the case with Cruachan 2, with that development also remaining subject to the right regulatory framework with the UK Government.

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

‘Renewable energy apprentices’ kickstart careers at Drax

25 August 2022

News

The apprentice engineers have won places on the technical apprenticeship scheme at Drax Power Station near Selby in North Yorkshire – the UK’s largest single site renewable power generator, which produces enough renewable electricity for four million homes.

The four-year programme gives new recruits the opportunity to gain expertise working alongside the world-class engineers at Britain’s biggest power station which has become one of Europe’s largest decarbonisation projects following its conversion from coal to using sustainable wood pellets.

Bruce Heppenstall, Drax Plant Director said:

“Meeting our new apprentices is one of the highlights of my job. Providing these young people with the tools needed to become the skilled workforce of the future is not only essential to the success of our business, it’s also an incredibly rewarding part of what we do.

“Giving our apprentices the opportunity to work on the cutting-edge, environmental technologies of the future will ensure we’re nurturing our in-house talent and creating opportunities for people here in the North to lead the green energy revolution needed to get the UK to net zero, supporting a post-covid economic recovery.”

Centime Breach-Frank

Centime Breach-Frank, aged 19 from Goole, who has joined Drax as an electrical apprentice, said:

“I applied for an apprenticeship at Drax because it offers incredible opportunities and the chance to gain experience for my future career. I’m most looking forward to meeting and working alongside highly skilled engineers, many of whom started out their careers as apprentices in the same way I have.”

Ryan Stocks

Mechanical apprentice Ryan Stocks, aged 19 from Barlby, near Selby said:

“I applied for an apprenticeship at Drax because of all the opportunities it offers and the innovations they’re currently working on such as the BECCS project. I think the future for Drax is exciting and I’m proud to be joining the team. I’m looking forward to working with experienced engineers to broaden my skills and knowledge of the industry.”

The apprentices beginning their careers at Drax Power Station this year are:

  • Centime Breach-Frank,19, from Goole
  • Ethan Dealtry, 18, from Goole
  • Ethan Stringer, 19, from Thorne, Doncaster
  • Jack Woods, 19, from Thorpe Willoughby
  • Joshua Whiteley, 17, from Osgodby, near Selby
  • Matthew Taylor, 17, from Knottingley, near Ferrybridge
  • Ryan Stocks, 19, from Barlby, near Selby

They will be trained within the maintenance department of the power station, with three of them in mechanical roles and four working alongside the electrical and instrumentation team.

L-R: Ethan Dealtry, Jack Woods, Ryan Stocks, Josh Whiteley, Drax Plant Director Bruce Heppenstall, Matthew Taylor, Ethan Stringer and Centime Breach-Frank

Drax offers apprenticeships in business support areas as well as engineering disciplines. A further six apprentices will start work in September in the HR, IT and facilities departments.

Drax aims to become carbon negative by 2030 by using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and recently submitted plans to build two BECCS units, creating and supporting tens of thousands of jobs across the North.

Work to build BECCS at Drax could start as soon as 2024 and once operational the two units combined will capture at least 8 million tonnes of CO2 per year, making a significant contribution to the UK’s efforts to address the climate crisis, whilst generating the renewable electricity the country needs.

ENDS

Photo caption: Top row: Ethan Stringer, Ethan Dealtry, Centime Breach-Frank, Josh Whiteley. Bottom Row: Ryan Stocks, Jack Woods and Matthew Taylor

Media contacts:

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

Notes to editors:

The apprentices will start work on-site at Drax once they have completed formal training at the Humberside Engineering Training Association.

Drax is hiring a total of 20 apprentices this year across its sites in the UK, including four in Scotland. All opportunities are advertised on the Drax website.

Drax has been running an apprenticeship scheme at its North Yorkshire power station for almost two decades and also runs several internships and graduate schemes as part of its dedication to improving skills and increasing opportunities for young people across the region.

The energy company is also committed to helping its existing employees to boost their skills to ensure they are ready to work on new green technologies liked BECCS. Around 50 employees across the group are studying for apprenticeship qualifications.

Drax runs a variety of initiatives to support STEM education and skills including offering power station tours, interactive workshops and work experience opportunities.

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