Archives: Press Release

Drax announces £100,000 for Galloway Glens initiative

13 May 2019

Press releases
Galloway Glens initiative visit

The funding will be used over four years to promote the region’s heritage, boost the local economy and support sustainability initiatives in local communities.

Drax Group acquired the historic Galloway Hydro Scheme as part of a portfolio of important renewable, low carbon and flexible power generation assets earlier this year.

The Galloway Hydro Scheme was commissioned in the 1930s and was the first large-scale integrated hydro-electric complex to be built in Britain. It consists of six power stations, eight dams and a network of tunnels, aqueducts and pipelines – all working together to produce enough renewable electricity for 90,000 households at times of peak demand.

Tongland Power Station is the largest of the Galloway Hydro Scheme’s electricity generation plants and provides an excellent example of early modernist architecture in an industrial setting.

Its uniqueness and the significance of Loch Ken, which is an important part of the system as well as the local landscape, brought the hydro-electricity scheme to the attention of the Galloway Glens Initiative.

Ted Leeming, Chairman of the Galloway Glens, said:

“Through the Galloway Glens we aim to address the challenges faced by the area, by harnessing the potential of local heritage sites like this one. We are developing education and training initiatives, supporting the tourism economy and encouraging young people to stay and work locally. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Drax; I look forward to welcoming them to the Partnership Board and their donation will ‘turbo-charge’ our activities, putting Galloway on the map.”

Ian Kinnaird, Drax Group’s Head of Hydro said:

“We’re proud of the fact that the Galloway Hydro Scheme is considered a prominent feature of the local landscape. Drax is committed to supporting the local communities within which we operate and doing all we can to ensure they thrive. We look forward to helping to continue the good work of the Galloway Glens Scheme in this area.”

Chair of Dumfries & Galloway Council’s Economy, Environment & Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Archie Dryburgh, added:

“We welcome Drax to Dumfries & Galloway and are delighted they are formal partners of the Galloway Glens Scheme. Our priority is to support the local economy, and this is a great example of our amazing cultural and natural heritage driving genuine economic benefits on the ground.”

The Galloway Glens Initiative is formed of partnerships between the Dumfries & Galloway Council’s Environment Team, as well as organisations like the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere.

In 2017, it received an award of £2.7 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support its work in the region.

ENDS

Photo: Drax, The Galloway Glens Scheme & D&G Council meeting by Loch Ken

L-R Councillor Archie Dryburgh – D&G Council, Vicky Bullivant – Drax Group Head of Sustainable Business, Ted Leeming – Galloway Glens Scheme Chairman, Ian Kinnaird – Drax Group Head of Hydro.

Media contacts:

Ali Lewis
Drax Group Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: 07712670888

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177

About Drax

Drax Group’s ambition is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Its 2,600-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted two thirds of 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.

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.  It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.

B2B supply:  

Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:

  • Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
  • Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Pellet production:

Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com/uk

Drax Group CEO responds to ‘Net Zero’ report from the Committee on Climate Change

2 May 2019

Press releases
sunset at Twistleton Scar in the Yorkshire Dales National Park

“We stand ready to implement the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendations and scale up the successful BECCS pilot at Drax to create the world’s first negative emissions power station in the mid-2020s. Bioenergy with carbon capture is the cornerstone around which a low carbon economy can be built: Crucial for tackling climate change, it will also create new jobs and export opportunities for British businesses.”

Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner at Drax Power Station. Click photo to view in high res for download.

For background:

  • The Committee on Climate Change’s Net Zero report due to be published on Thursday May 2, recommends that Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage is deployed at scale by 2030.
  • If Drax’s BECCS pilot can be scaled up to deliver negative emissions, Drax Power Station would be helping to remove gases that cause global warming from the atmosphere at the same time as electricity is produced.
  • Drax is talking to a number of industries about using the CO2 it is already capturing in their processes. This could be for the production of concrete, putting the fizz in the drinks industry or creating synthetic fuels to use in hard-to-decarbonise sectors like aviation.
  • Drax is also working with the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership, and other interested parties to explore the role CCUS can play in turning the Humber Estuary – the UK’s most energy intensive industrial cluster – into the world’s first ‘net-zero-carbon cluster’. It is ideally located for accessing offshore stores in the North Sea such as the Endurance field, which is roughly 60 miles off the coast.
  • If Drax can scale up its BECCS pilot it could create more opportunities for capturing and storing carbon dioxide from other industrial emitters in the Humber region, unlocking the potential to create a new hydrogen economy, creating jobs and delivering major environmental benefits globally.

  • Today Drax is capturing a tonne of carbon dioxide a day from its pilot – once scaled up it would be capturing 40,000 tonnes of carbon a day from its four biomass generating units. That’s at a 90% capture rate.
  • Read more about Drax’s Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) pilot here.

Bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) pilot project at Drax Power Station. Click photo to view/download in high res.

Dan’s double celebration: EV race champion and power station apprentice

29 April 2019

Press releases

Dan Callon, along with his Selby College team-mates, built the electric car provided by Drax Group as part of its £35,000 initiative to boost STEM (science technology engineering and Maths) skills at seven schools in the town.

The Selby College team, which gave up precious time during the Easter holidays to fine tune their car and test it, left other competitors from across the country trailing in their dust to take pole position in the Greenpower street race event in Hull yesterday (Sunday).

It rounded off a period of positive news for Dan, who also recently found out that he would be one of the next intake of engineering apprentices at Drax Power Station, based near Selby, later this year after successfully applying for the training role.

The six other schools from the Selby area, provided with kit cars and the tools to build them by Drax, also competed in the races in the centre of Hull, watched by hundreds of locals who lined the specially-coned off race track.

Goblin cars from Camblesforth (left) and Barwic Parade (right) on track in Hull. Click to download.

Car designs included a bear, a cannon and a tribute to the Humber while another recycled the packaging the car was delivered in to make its bodywork.

The pupils and students took part in a range of colourful events from drag races to a 60-minute endurance event on a special street circuit in the centre of Hull.

But top marks went to the Selby College team, which came home first in an hour-long race against 13 other teams – crossing the finish line six minutes ahead of their nearest rival to the delight of Dan and team-mates Sam Bygrave, Liam Dunn and Lauren Askin.

The Selby College team after the race (Dan Callon is the driver in the car). Click to download.

Dan, 17, from Selby, said:

“It’s been a great experience building the car with the rest of the team and then driving it was amazing. I can’t believe we won – it was the perfect ending.

“I’ve learnt so much while we’ve been building the car and now, I can’t wait to move on to the next stage of my career with my apprenticeship at Drax. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Drax Power CEO Andy Koss said:

“We are thrilled one of our teams won in Hull at the weekend. Our congratulations go to Dan, Sam, Liam and Lauren – they have done a marvellous job – and I look forward to hopefully seeing Dan at the power station later this year.

“The commitment from all of the schools has been exceptional – it’s really sparked the students’ imaginations, which is what this project is all about.

“Finding fun and exciting projects like this to engage young people and encourage them to study STEM subjects is the key to ensuring the next generation of potential employees has the skills that innovative businesses like ours need.”

He added:

“Too many children in the North are falling behind their counterparts in other areas of the UK when it comes to education and skills, leading to a serious skills shortage for employers. We want to change that with initiatives like this one.”

Liz Ridley, Deputy Principal at Selby College, said:

“We are absolutely delighted – winning the race is a fantastic reward for all of the hard work that the students and dedicated tutors have put into this project.

“The best part about it is that it doesn’t stop here – more of our students will benefit from this initiative, because we can dismantle the car and get new students to re-build it each year. We are extremely grateful to Drax for all of their support.

“Our whole aim as a college is to give students the experience and skills they need for their future careers and it’s brilliant that Dan has this opportunity with Drax. We wish him all the best, as we do all our students.”

The Cannon: Selby Abbey’s car, named after their teacher Mrs Cannon. Click to download.

Stacey Cannon, a teacher at Selby Abbey Primary, whose pupils named their car The Cannon in her honour, said:

“I’m really proud of them all and the effort they have put in to this and I’m proud to see the car out there with my name on it.

“I think they have grown so much throughout this project especially in relation to the STEM subjects. It will hopefully open their minds to the world of engineering.”

ENDS

Media contacts:

Mark Duffell
MCD Communications Ltd
E: [email protected]
T: 07969080272

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177

Editor’s Notes

Four primary schools – Barwic Parade, Camblesforth, Selby Community and Selby Abbey – received a 15mph Goblin G2 battery-powered car, which students and teachers then assembled.

  • Older students from Selby High School, Holy Family Catholic High School and Selby College built the more powerful Formula 24 car, which can reach speeds of up to 30mph.
  • Both cars took around 15 hours to build, with the teams also designing their own bodywork.
  • The primary school teams took part in a series of drag and slalom races in their Goblin cars. The top drivers from each team then raced against each other in a final 1km circuit through the city centre.
  • Students from the secondary schools and colleges raced the F24 cars around the same circuit in an endurance test. The teams had to switch between three drivers and maintain their cars during the race and the winner was the team which completed the most laps in 90 minutes.

Photo caption

Main photo: Dan Callon and the Selby College car on track. Download

About Drax

Drax Group’s ambition is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Its 2,600-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted two thirds of 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.

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.  It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.

B2B supply:  

Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:

  • Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
  • Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Pellet production:

Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com/uk

About Greenpower

  • The Greenpower Education Trust was founded in 1999 to inspire young people into STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through the unique challenge of designing, building and racing an electric street car.
  • The event in Hull on April 28 is hosted by Greenpower and Green Port Hull, which is supported by the Regional Growth Fund, and will feature three race categories contested on a 1km track:
    • Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Formula Goblin for nine to 11-year-olds tackling drag and slalom challenges;
    • IET Formula 24 for 11 to 16-year-olds taking part in two 90-minute endurance races;
    • IET Formula 24+ is a one-hour race for 16 to 25-year-olds.

Magnificent seven shine in EV street event

Press releases

Car designs included a bear and cannon while one school recycled the packaging their car was delivered in to make its bodywork as the pupils and students took part in a range of colourful events from drag races to a 90-minute endurance event on a special street circuit in the centre of Hull.

All seven built their cars in the build up to the race thanks to funding from Drax Group, which provided the kits to build the cars and all the necessary tools.

The £35,000 initiative from Drax is part of its efforts to inspire more children to study STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects and create the skilled workforce of the future that the Northern Powerhouse needs.

Selby Abbey Primary School’s car ‘The Cannon’ – named after their teacher Stacey Cannon by the pupils.

Engineers and staff from the power station also joined in, spending time with each of the teams to help assemble the cars ahead of today’s race, organised by the Greenpower Education Trust and sponsored by Drax.

Drax Power CEO Andy Koss said:

“The commitment from the schools has been exceptional – it’s really sparked the students’ imaginations, which is what this project is all about.

“Finding fun and exciting projects like this to engage young people and encourage them to study STEM subjects is the key to ensuring the next generation of potential employees has the skills that innovative businesses like ours need.”

He added:

“Too many children in the North are falling behind their counterparts in other areas of the UK when it comes to education and skills, leading to a serious skills shortage for employers. We want to change that with initiatives like this one.”

Pupils from Selby Abbey Primary School meet Lord Prescott prior to their race.

Stacey Cannon, a teacher at Selby Abbey Primary, whose pupils named their car The Cannon in her honour, said:

“I’m really proud of them all and the effort they have put in to this and I’m proud to see the car out there with my name on it.

“I think they have grown so much through this especially in relation to the STEM subjects. We’ve taught all subjects for the past few weeks by using the car and, as a teacher, it will hopefully open their minds to the world of engineering.”

ENDS

Media contacts:

Mark Duffell
MCD Communications Ltd
E: [email protected]
T: 07969080272

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177

Main image caption: Selby College student Sam Bygrave races the college’s F24 in a 60-minute endurance race

Notes to Editors

  • Four primary schools – Barwic Parade, Camblesforth, Selby Community and Selby Abbey – received a 15mph Goblin G2 battery-powered car, which students and teachers then assembled.
  • Older students from Selby High School, Holy Family Catholic High School and Selby College built the more powerful Formula 24 car, which can reach speeds of up to 30mph.
  • Both cars took around 15 hours to build, with the teams also designing their own bodywork.
  • The primary school teams took part in a series of drag and slalom races in their Goblin cars. The top drivers from each team then raced against each other in a final 1km circuit through the city centre.
  • Students from the secondary schools and colleges raced the F24 cars around the same circuit in an endurance test. The teams had to switch between three drivers and maintain their cars during the race and the winner was the team which completed the most laps in 90 minutes.

About Drax

Drax Group’s ambition is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Its 2,600-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted two thirds of 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.

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.  It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.

B2B supply:  

Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:

  • Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
  • Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Pellet production:

Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com/uk

About Greenpower

  • The Greenpower Education Trust was founded in 1999 to inspire young people into STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through the unique challenge of designing, building and racing an electric street car.
  • The event in Hull on April 28 is hosted by Greenpower and Green Port Hull, which is supported by the Regional Growth Fund, and will feature three race categories contested on a 1km track:
    • Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Formula Goblin for nine to 11-year-olds tackling drag and slalom challenges;
    • IET Formula 24 for 11 to 16-year-olds taking part in two 90-minute endurance races;
    • IET Formula 24+ is a one-hour race for 16 to 25-year-olds.

Drax revs up businesses with bespoke EV services

Press releases

Drax’s first EV customer, SES Water, has invested in 16 new charging points and is initially replacing 10 of its 120 strong fleet of diesel vans with electric vehicles. The switch will result in a carbon saving of 43 tonnes of CO2 per year and is another significant step forward in SES Water’s environmental commitments which last year saw the company switch to 100 per cent renewable electricity.

The comprehensive service provided to SES Water by Haven Power, part of Drax Group, includes charging infrastructure and operating software, the leasing of EVs, supporting devices such as vehicle telematics, and the renewable electricity needed to power the vehicles.

Drax, which is the biggest supplier of renewable electricity to businesses in the UK, will also supply SES Water with telematic systems to allow usage data from the trial to be monitored, paving the way for a broader roll out plan and potential ‘vehicle to grid’ trials at SES Water.

Henrietta Stock, Energy and Carbon Manager at SES Water said:

“Every day we use enough energy to power 13,000 homes so we are always looking at ways to balance the environmental impact of our essential activities and support the investment in renewable generation in the UK. We have already significantly reduced our carbon emissions over the last year and working with Drax has enabled us to create a bespoke EV solution so we can understand exactly how to save the most energy, further lowering both our carbon emissions and our costs”.

The service Drax is providing includes expert advice to determine what kind of vehicles and systems will work best for customers, analysis of different charging methods to minimise fleet downtime as well as data to help companies use their fleet efficiently.

Jonathan Kini, Drax Retail CEO, said:

“We know from supplying energy to our customers that no two businesses are alike, so a ‘one size fits all’ approach won’t deliver what they all need.

“Instead, we are working with customers like SES Water as an energy partner, to offer each of them a solution tailored to their specific needs. Giving them the optimal EV package will result in lower carbon emissions and costs, helping them to grow better businesses.” 

Jonathan Kini, Drax Retail CEO

High resolution image (above): DOWNLOAD

According to research from Arval so far in the UK just 14% of businesses have switched at least one vehicle to electric. However, this is set to increase to 42% within 3 years.

Jonathan Kini added:

“EVs are still a relatively new technology and making the switch can be daunting. We can take the stress out of the process, so customers have confidence that the decisions they’re making will be good for the environment, as well as their business.”

As the UK power system continues to decarbonise, EVs are better than ever for reducing carbon emissions, making a greater contribution to global efforts to tackle climate change.

ENDS

Main image caption: L-R, Jonathan Kini, Drax Retail CEO, Adam Hall, Drax Electric Vehicle Lead, Henrietta Stock, SES Water Energy and Carbon Manager, Tom Kelly, SES Water Wholesale Director and Andy Davidson, SES Water Fleet Manager.

High resolution image (main photo): DOWNLOAD

Notes to Editors

Drax’s end-to-end Electric Vehicle proposition for businesses aims to make switching to EVs simple and easy for customers.

The service includes:

  • Site assessment and civil work
  • EV charging infrastructure
  • Charging operating software
  • Lease of EVs
  • Vehicle telematics (e.g. GPS devices)
  • Renewable electricity to supply vehicles

The Drax EV service includes the supply of 100% renewable energy from Haven Power.

Drax Group includes Haven Power and Opus Energy, making it the biggest supplier of renewable electricity to businesses in the UK.

In 2018, 69% of the 17.9TWh of power it sold to businesses was renewable.

Media contacts:

Ali Lewis
Drax Group Interim Head of Media & PR
E: [email protected]
T: 07712670888

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712 677 177

General Enquiries:

Adam Hall
Drax Group EV Lead
E: [email protected]
T: 07736298171

About Drax:

Drax Group’s ambition is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Its 2,600-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted two thirds of 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.

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.  It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.

B2B supply:  

Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:

  • Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
  • Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Pellet production:

Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com/uk

About SES Water

SES Water supplies water to approximately 707,000 people in east Surrey, and parts of West Sussex, west Kent and south London. Our supply area is 322 square miles (835 sq km) extending from Morden and South Croydon in the north to Gatwick Airport in the south and from Cobham, Leatherhead and Dorking in the west to Edenbridge and Bough Beech in the east. Groundwater supplies provide 85 per cent of our water, with 15 per cent being extracted from one reservoir at Bough Beech near Edenbridge. For more information visit www.seswater.co.uk.

 

Racers give up Easter holidays to gear up for city centre EV race

25 April 2019

Press releases

The team from Selby College have been putting the finishing touches to an EV kit car provided to them by Drax Group, as part of its initiative to boost STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) education and skills.

The dedicated students went into college today (Thursday) during their Easter holiday to ensure they’re fully prepared to take on other teams from across the country at the race, in Hull (on Sunday April 28), organised by the Greenpower Education Trust and sponsored by Drax.

The college is amongst seven schools in Selby which have been provided with the electric cars as well as all the tools and equipment needed to build them by Drax Group, which owns and operates the UK’s biggest power station just outside the town.

The £35,000 initiative is part of Drax’s efforts to inspire more children to study STEM subjects and create the skilled workforce of the future that the Northern Powerhouse needs.

Engineers and staff from the power station have also been spending time with each of the teams to help assemble the cars ahead of the race.

Student Sam Bygrave, who will be one of three drivers at the wheel of the college’s car on Sunday, said:

“It’s been really enjoyable with everyone working together to get the car built and ready for the race. We’ve learnt a lot from this project.

“I’ve never driven a car like this before but I can’t wait for Sunday. We’re feeling confident, we’re in it to win it!”

Fellow student Lauren Askin, who has helped to build the car and will be there on Sunday to help the drivers and keep everything working, also said she was feeling confident for race day.

“It’s been a good experience and fun to build. I’m excited about watching the car race now and hope everything will be ok. I think we’ve got a great chance,” she said.

Drax Power CEO Andy Koss, one of the judges on race day, said:

“The students have shown real commitment to the project by coming into college during their holidays to make sure they’re in the best possible shape to do their best at the race on Sunday.

“Seeing that level of commitment means this project has hopefully gone someway to achieving what we set out to do, which is to inspire people – we want to give young people in our local communities exciting experiences to help ensure the next generation of potential employees has the skills businesses like ours need.

“A skilled workforce will enable Drax and other businesses in the North to grow, building a strong regional economy with thriving communities.”

Engineering Subject Area Manager Graeme Woodhall, from Selby College, said:

“This project has given our students an outstanding opportunity. It’s so exciting to have such a hands-on experience, with the support and encouragement from staff at Drax, all of which will culminate in the race this weekend.

“The students are taking the race very seriously – they’ve worked really hard on the car, and understand how to get the most out of it to hopefully put them in pole position on Sunday.”

Four primary schools – Barwic Parade, Camblesforth, Selby Community and Selby Abbey – receive a 15mph Goblin G2 battery-powered car, which students and teachers have assembled ready for the race.

Older students from Selby High School, Holy Family Catholic High School and Selby College have built the more powerful Formula 24 car, which can reach speeds of up to 30mph.

Both cars have taken around 15 hours to build, with the teams also being required to design their own bodywork.

The project is part of Drax’s education programme, which aims to encourage more people, including female students, to study STEM subjects and increase the opportunities they have to secure skilled jobs.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Mark Duffell
MCD Communications Ltd
E: [email protected]
T: 07969080272

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177

Editor’s Notes

The race in Hull will take place on April 28, when there will be two sets of events featuring the Selby school teams:

  • The primary school teams will take part in a series of drag and slalom races in their Goblin cars. The top drivers from each team will then race against each other in a final 1km circuit through the city centre.
  • Students from the secondary schools and colleges will race the F24 cars around the same circuit in an endurance test, with the winner being the team which can complete the most laps in 90 minutes. The teams will need to switch between three drivers and maintain their cars during the race. 

About Drax

Drax Group’s ambition is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Its 2,600-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted two thirds of 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.

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.  It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.

B2B supply:  

Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:

  • Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
  • Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.


Pellet production:

Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com/uk

About Greenpower

  • The Greenpower Education Trust was founded in 1999 to inspire young people into STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through the unique challenge of designing, building and racing an electric street car.
  • The event in Hull on April 28 is hosted by Greenpower and Green Port Hull, which is supported by the Regional Growth Fund, and will feature three race categories contested on a 1km track:
    • Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Formula Goblin for nine to 11-year-olds tackling drag and slalom challenges;
    • IET Formula 24 for 11 to 16-year-olds taking part in two 90-minute endurance races;
    • IET Formula 24+ is a one-hour race for 16 to 25-year-olds.

Children reach for the sky at workshop to mark airship’s centenary

Press releases

Children visiting the Skylark Nature Reserve on April 24th built the huge replica airship at a workshop run by Drax Power Station held in tribute to the R33, which took flight for the first time in March 1919 after being built in nearby Barlow.

The last of three giant airships constructed in the area, the so-called ‘gas bag’ was flown by the Royal Naval Air Service and used for a decade in both military and civilian tasks.

The site of the workshop where the R33 was designed and built is now known as the Barlow Mound, which is close to Drax Power Station and the 350-acre nature reserve created by the company.

Drax organised the event as part of its ongoing commitment to switch young people on to science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

Drax Power CEO Andy Koss said:

“The centenary of the R33 gave us an opportunity to celebrate an exciting part of our local heritage.

“Through events like these we can also inspire more children to consider studying STEM subjects and develop the skills businesses like ours need to continue to grow, helping to build a strong regional economy.”

As well as building the giant replica, weaving recyclable willow into six separate sections before combining it into one huge model, the young airship makers also paced out the entire 196 metres of the real R33’s length to give them an idea of its sheer scale.

Noah Thornton, aged seven, said:

“It must have been massive. Our model will be nine metres and that’s big. It’s taken a lot of work but it’s been good fun and I now know more about airships.”

Eight-year-old Mia Socha added:

“I built the second part of the model and weaving it all was the hardest part. It looks really good now it’s all put together. It’s been a great day.”

And seven-year-old Reuben Delaney said:

“All I knew about airships was that they flew but I know a lot more now and our model looks brilliant.”

As well as encouraging STEM learning, Drax is committed to developing the next generation of engineers – it has doubled the number of apprentices it is recruiting in 2019 compared to just two years ago.

The firm has also invested in a partnership with a number of local schools to enable them to build and race electric cars on the streets of Hull at the end of the month, again to promote greater engagement with STEM skills.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Mark Duffell
MCD Communications Ltd
E: [email protected]
T: 07969080272

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177

About Drax

Drax Group’s ambition is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Its 2,600-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted two thirds of 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.

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.  It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.

B2B supply:  

Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:

  • Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
  • Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Pellet production:

Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com/uk

Drax Group CEO comments on BEIS Select Committee CCUS report

Press releases

“Climate change is the biggest threat to our planet – but if we take steps now the UK could lead the world in pioneering CCUS, needed to meet our climate targets. Supporting the development of the CCUS industry in the UK will generate jobs and economic growth here whilst creating new export opportunities, helping other countries to make the progress needed to meet global climate targets.

“Drax’s BECCS pilot plant has proven that the innovative carbon capture technology we’re using could be scaled up to create the world’s first negative emissions power station, helping to remove the gases that cause global warming from the atmosphere at the same time as electricity is produced.”

Read more about Drax’s Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) pilot here.

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Photo caption:

L-R: C-Capture Chairman Tristan Fischer, Drax Power CEO Andy Koss, Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry, Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner and Drax Head of Research and Innovation Jason Shipstone.
Download photo

 

Marble-ous Easter fun days at Drax pull in visitors

23 April 2019

Press releases

The egg-stravaganza at the Skylark Nature Reserve, owned by Drax Power Station, near Selby, also featured a seasonal Humpty Dumpty Egg Drop workshop as part of four days of events.

Special woodland word-search activities and a craft session run by the visitor centre team rounded off the family fun throughout the week at the 350-acre nature reserve at Barlow, which forms part of the power station site.

The sold-out event saw dozens of families and other visitors join the fun at the nature reserve. Developed by Drax in the early 1970s, it is now home to a variety of wildlife and is also a valuable educational resource for schools, colleges and local nature groups.

Jane Breach, Community Engagement & Visitor Centre Team Leader at Drax, said:

“Our events are always really popular – it was fantastic to see families and visitors of all ages enjoying the Easter holidays with us.

“Easter is a great opportunity for families to spend time together and we’re delighted they choose to do that with us here. There will be plenty more great events coming up and we look forward to seeing everyone again then.”

More than 12,000 people visited Drax Power Station in 2018 for tours, with many more also visiting the nature reserve.

For information on future events at Drax and the Skylark nature reserve, visit Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DraxGroup/ or the Drax website at https://www.drax.com/uk/visit-us/#events.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Mark Duffell
MCD Communications Ltd
E: [email protected]
T: 07969080272

Jessica Gorton
Drax Group Press Officer
E: [email protected]
T: 07712677177

Notes to editors:

  • The Easter programme at the Skylark continues next week as children get the chance to build their own replica airship as part of celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the maiden voyage of the UK’s largest airship.
  • The huge R33 airship took to the skies for the first time on March 6, 1919 after being built at Barlow, next to Drax Power Station, near Selby, prompting Drax to host a celebratory airship workshop event as part of its drive to promote science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills.
  • Any members of the media wanting to come along to the airship workshop should contact Mark Duffell at MCD Communications: [email protected] or 07969080272

About Drax

Drax Group’s ambition is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future. Its 2,600-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.

Power generation:

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of flexible, low carbon and renewable electricity generation assets across Britain. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies six percent of the country’s electricity needs.

Having converted two thirds of 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.

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.  It also owns and operates four gas power stations in England.

B2B supply:  

Drax owns two B2B energy supply businesses:

  • Haven Power, based in Ipswich, supplies electricity and energy services to large Industrial and Commercial sector businesses.
  • Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, provides electricity, energy services and gas to small and medium sized (SME) businesses.

Pellet production:

Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in the US South which manufacture compressed wood pellets (biomass) produced from sustainably managed working forests. These pellet mills supply around 20% of the biomass used by Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

For more information visit www.drax.com/uk