Archives: Press Release

Drax Foundation helps 148 UK schools save £1.6m in energy costs and reduce their CO2 emissions by 1,700 tonnes

In the first year of operation, the programme has supported the energy education charity, Energy Sparks, and the energy efficient lighting and controls specialists, Goodlight, to work with a combined total of 148 schools, including in areas close to Drax’s UK sites, to reduce their energy bills and carbon emissions.

With support from the Drax Foundation, Energy Sparks has provided 128 schools with free access to its online energy management tool, education programme and support services. Similarly, Drax Foundation funding has enabled Goodlight to kit out 20 schools with energy-efficient LED lighting and sensors.

Through working with Energy Sparks and Goodlight, the schools have saved a combined estimated total of £1.6m on their annual energy bills and reduced their carbon emissions by an estimated 1,684 tonnes.

The Drax Foundation will continue to finance the activities of both organisations throughout 2024, enabling them to work with and support many more schools. The Foundation is also funding the installation of solar panels for some of these schools. To date, one installation has been completed in Northampton, and it will complete two further installations in the Selby area over the next few months again helping reduce energy bills and carbon emissions.

Drax Foundation’s work with Goodlight and Energy Sparks has been shortlisted for an award in the Community category in the British Renewable Energy Awards 2024.

Shona King, Head of Community at Drax Group, said:

“We are proud that Drax Foundation has supported nearly 150 schools to save money on their energy bills and reduce their impact on the environment. We want to go even further this year, installing solar panels and LED lighting for more schools and helping them to engage their pupils in energy efficiency and actions to mitigate the impact of climate change.

“It’s important to us to help children start thinking about saving energy and reducing their carbon footprint from a young age as these issues are going to be increasingly important for them in the future.”

Case studies:

Kirk Sandall Junior School:

With support from the Drax Foundation, Goodlight worked with Kirk Sandall Junior School, Doncaster to upgrade their lighting system to efficient LEDs. The upgrade has saved the school an estimated:

  • 85 tonnes of carbon emissions
  • £11,694 on their annual energy bills
  • 38,498 kWh of electricity

Kathy Thompson, Executive Headteacher at Kirk Sandall Junior School, said:

“It’s so important that businesses support their communities and this initiative by the Drax Foundation is a really great way to help us save money, especially at the moment when energy costs and prices in general are so high. It also teaches pupils about the impact we have on our environment and how we can act responsibly to save energy.”

Northampton Academy:

With support from the Drax Foundation, Energy Sparks worked with the Northampton Academy to rollout the use of their analysis tools. The school is one of the largest in the East Midlands with 1,700 students. The tools enabled the school to establish that the heating had been programmed to run when no one was at the site on Sundays, this has now been switched off saving the school around £200 each weekend.

Since starting to work with Energy Sparks the school reduce its gas consumption by 40% and save an estimated:

  • 80 tonnes of carbon emissions
  • £34,000 on energy bills
  • 450,000 kWh of electricity

David Reed, Facilities Manager at Northampton Academy, said:

“What we have done is nothing extreme. The main driver and trigger was actually the Energy Sparks programme because it inspired us to be more focused on what we were doing. The main thing for me was, don’t assume it’s right without checking, take time to have a look as it is worth doing for everyone.”

ENDS

Media contacts:

Andy Low
Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07841 068 415

About Drax

Drax Group’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2030, using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.

Drax’s c.3,500 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

To find out more information about the Drax Foundation go to the website www.drax.com/community

UK leads the world in global decarbonisation league – report

The country’s carbon emissions have fallen by 52% since their peak in 1971, a more significant drop than any other comparable nation.

The reduction in emissions contrasts starkly with other major economies whose emissions are still rising and have yet to peak. Countries including China, India, and Indonesia all still have rising emissions while their economies, which are powered by fossil fuels, rapidly grow.

The findings have been released ahead of the next instalment of the quarterly Drax Electric Insights report. The publication is an independent report by academics from Imperial College London commissioned by Drax through Imperial Consultants.

The Decarbonisation League Table: Reduction in national carbon emissions from all-time peak, across the thirty largest countries which each emit over 200 MtCO2 per year.

Drax Electric Insights sought to review the UK’s decarbonisation performance following the Government announcement in February that the country was the first in the world to halve its greenhouse gas emissions. In their modelling, 1990 was used as the comparison benchmark as the Kyoto Protocol – the world’s first treaty on climate change – used this year as its benchmark year for carbon emissions reduction targets.

The academics behind the Drax Electric Insights report wanted to construct a “fairer comparison” that accounted for the fact individual countries’ carbon emissions peaked at different times. For example, emissions in the United States have not fallen at all compared to 1990, but this masks the fact they have fallen by 18% in the last 17 years following their peak in 2005.

However, even when accounting for this new benchmark year, the UK continues to lead the world in decarbonisation.

Dr Iain Staffell of Imperial College London, and lead author of the quarterly Drax Electric Insights report series, said: “With governments across the world committed to tackling climate change, it is vital we have a way to track their progress that is both accurate and fair.

“By looking at when emissions from a country peaked, we have a fairer way of assessing how seriously countries are taking their commitments to reduce carbon emissions. This will be especially important when looking at the growing Asian economies such as China, India, and Indonesia.

“No other major economy has cut its carbon emissions faster than the UK, which is a real achievement. A large part of the progress made here has been phasing out coal-fired power stations and investing in renewables. However, even with the last remaining coal plant closing in the UK later this year, we will still need to find new ways to meet our 2050 net zero ambitions.”

European nations fill the top seven spots of the Global Decarbonisation League Table, with France and Germany coming 2nd and 3rd behind the UK. While the UK’s emissions peaked in 1979, most countries analysed in the report had emissions peaking in the 21st century.

Drax has played a leading role in the UK’s decarbonisation success. Its eponymous power station in North Yorkshire was Western Europe’s largest coal-fired plant, but through converting it to use biomass, it is now the country’s single-largest renewable generator.

The company plans to go even further in the years ahead and install Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) technology at the plant, with an aim of capturing around 4 million tonnes of CO2 each year from 2030. BECCS is the only technology which can simultaneously generate renewable electricity while permanently removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Miguel Veiga-Pestana, Drax’s Chief Sustainability Officer, said: “Climate change is the greatest challenge the world faces, and while the UK has already done a great deal, we are only halfway towards reaching net zero.

“To reach that goal, we must start permanently removing carbon from the atmosphere. That is why Drax has been pioneering BECCS technology so we can remove those emissions and at the same time generate renewable electricity for millions of homes and businesses.

“We continue to work with the government to ensure BECCS at Drax Power Station can help the UK achieve its net zero targets, create thousands of jobs, and help strengthen the UK’s long-term energy security.”

ENDS

Media contacts:

Aidan Kerr 
E: [email protected]
T: 07849090368

Editor 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 19 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around 5 million tonnes a year.

Drax is targeting 8 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over 3 million tonnes of new biomass pellet production capacity. The pellets are produced using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests and are supplied to third party customers in Europe and Asia for the generation of renewable power.

Drax’s pellet plants supply biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses, and also to customers in Europe and Asia.

Customers:  

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK businesses, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.

To find out more go to the website www.energy.drax.com

Cruachan ‘Hollow Mountain’ Visitor Centre wins five star VisitScotland rating

Located on the northern shores of Loch Awe in Argyll, Scotland, Cruachan is an underground pumped storage hydro power station housed within a man-made cavern large enough to fit Big Ben on its side. Built in the 1960s, the iconic power station took six years to construct, with thousands of workers involved in drilling, blasting, and clearing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of rock and spoil to make the subterranean world.

To earn its five-star rating, a ‘secret shopper’ style visit took place to assess how the visitor centre was performing. The facility earned top marks for the performance of its employees in areas including hospitality and friendliness, service and efficiency, cleanliness all areas, appearance.

Sarah Cameron, Drax’s Scotland Community Manager, said: “Everyone at Cruachan is delighted to be recognised among the top 1% of visitor attractions in Scotland. The power station is such a special and unique place, and it is wonderful to be able to share it with visitors from across Scotland and around the world.

“Tens of thousands of visitors come here each year to see this engineering marvel which is hidden inside a mountain. However, what’s above ground is also well worth a look. The centre has incredible views of Loch Awe, and you can enjoy them with a cup of tea and homemade scone from our café.”

David Adams McGilp, VisitScotland Regional Director said: “The Cruachan Visitor Centre team is committed to delivering a world class experience for their guests.

“We hope this hard-earned five-star rating will encourage even more people to visit this iconic power station and learn about its fascinating history.”

Visitors can take guided tours inside the subterranean world into the heart of the power station to learn about the history of the site and the critical role it plays today in keeping Britain’s lights on. The visitor centre has a host of interactive exhibits alongside a café, gift shop, and picnic area.

The visitor centre is open from 9.15am to 4.45pm Monday to Friday. Tours must be booked in advance and can be done online at visitcruachan.co.uk/request-a-tour/ or by calling 01866 962630.

ENDS

Media contacts:

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

Drax’s iconic Cruachan ‘Hollow Mountain’ power station set for £80 million upgrade

Drax has appointed global hydropower technology supplier ANDRITZ as the main contractor for the Cruachan upgrade project. ANDRITZ Hydro is one of the world’s leading suppliers of electromechanical equipment and services for hydropower stations and has installed around 470 gigawatts of capacity during its more than 180 years of operations.

The £80 million project will see the generating capacity of two of the plant’s four units increased by a combined 40 MWs to raise the facility’s total generating capacity to 480 MWs. The units were commissioned in 1965 and contain parts, including their turbines, which are now more than 50 years old.

Drax’s Cruachan Power Station is located on the shores of Loch Awe in Argyll and is one of just four pumped storage hydro facilities in the UK, playing a critical role in the country’s energy security.

Speaking in Ravensburg, Germany at the signing of the contract with ANDRITZ, Drax’s Interim Chief Operating Officer, Penny Small, said: “Pumped storage hydro is vital to the UK’s energy security, it’s a technology which works in partnership with renewables.

“These plants play a critical role in stabilising the electricity system, helping to balance supply and demand through storing excess power. When wind turbines are generating more power than we need, Cruachan steps in to store the renewable electricity so it doesn’t go to waste.

“By investing in Cruachan today, Drax is ensuring the power station can play an even bigger role in the energy system of tomorrow. We look forward to working with our contracting partners to deliver this exciting project.”

Dominik Fust, Managing Director at ANDRITZ HYDRO Germany, said: “We are proud to have been entrusted with the refurbishment of the Cruachan Pump Storage Power Plant. This project aligns with our mission to contribute to the global transition toward sustainable energy generation.”

The major upgrade to the two units will improve their operability and reliability, lengthening their lifespan. Drax’s investment is underpinned by the award of 15-year capacity market agreement worth around £221 million.

Pumped storage plants act like giant water batteries by using reversible turbines to pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir which stores excess power from sources such as wind farms when supply outstrips demand. These same turbines are then reversed to bring the stored water back through the plant to generate power when the country needs it.

The Cruachan upgrade project is separate to Drax’s plan to build a new 600 MW pumped storage power station adjacent to the existing Cruachan facility. A study by the influential trade body Scottish Renewables estimated that the project could create and support up to 1,100 jobs.

ENDS

Photo caption: Left to right – Ian Kinnaird (Drax Group Scottish Assets & Generation Director), Dominik Fust (Managing Director at ANDRITZ HYDRO Germany), Penny Small (Drax Group Interim Chief Operations Officer) and Alexander Bihlmayer (VP Global Sales at ANDRITZ) signing the contract in Germany.

Media contacts:

Aidan Kerr, Senior External Affairs Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07849090368

Editor’s notes

  • Site works will commence in 2025 with our contractor partner ANDRITZ to install new main inlet valves and then unitised outages in 2026 and 2027 for units 3 and 4 respectively.
  • The upgrade project received development consent from the Scottish Government in December 2023 and was awarded a capacity market agreement by the UK Government in February 2024.
  • The upgrade is separate to Drax’s plans to build a new 600 MW power station adjacent to the existing Cruachan facility.
  • No investment decision in the separate 600 MW expansion of Cruachan has yet been taken by Drax and development remains subject to an appropriate regulatory framework.

Drax Community Fund donates to Ipswich organisations

  • First round of funding from the Drax Community Fund will see donations given to 33 organisations across the UK.
  • Organisations that will receive funds include Grace Cook Primary School and Nursery and The Shelley Centre for Therapeutic Riding in Ipswich.

Renewable energy leader, Drax Group has announced the support it will provide to community organisations local to its operations though its new Community Fund, launched in 2023.

Drax’s Community Fund provides donations of up to £2,000 in the first round of funding for a variety of projects which support local communities.

Drax Energy Solutions, a B2B energy supplier is based in Ipswich, which works with businesses to help them use energy more sustainably, supporting their net zero ambitions.

Brendan Clark, Director of Drax Energy Solutions, said: “We take great pride in supporting a variety of organisations in Ipswich, from assisting Grace Cook Primary School and Nursery in developing outdoor spaces to aiding The Shelley Centre for Therapeutic Riding in purchasing and installing a new field shelter for their horses. Our donations aim to foster inclusivity, well-being, and community spirit throughout our local area.”

Ipswich projects that will receive donations include:

  • Grace Cook Primary School and Nursery: The organisation is seeking funding to develop our outdoor spaces in the next academic year, in order to support teaching and physical/mental wellbeing.
  • The Shelley Centre for Therapeutic Riding: Funding to purchase and install a new field shelter for the horses at the centre that looks to provide the opportunity to ride, or simply have sensory contact with horses, for people of all ages living with a disability.

Anne MacWillson, Coach at The Shelley Centre for Therapeutic Riding, said:

“The Shelley Centre for Therapeutic Riding is thrilled to receive a donation from the Drax Community Fund. Through our services, we provide therapy and sensory contact for all ages and disabilities, and we’ve seen that riding really does make a difference to people’s lives.

“This funding will go towards a new saddle for one of our newly arrived ponies, so that we can continue to support underserved groups through our therapeutic riding.”

To find out more about the Drax Community Fund and how to apply for funding, go to the website.

Notes to editors:

Drax Foundation, launched last March and awards larger grants of up to £50,000 for established, non-project organisations.

Drax recently announced the Community Foundation has given £2.7m in charitable giving for regional programmes and grassroots projects globally, of which £1.3m went to UK projects.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Andy Low, Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07841 068415

About Drax

Drax Group’s (Drax) 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 c.3,500 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 four 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. It is also where Drax is piloting the 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 Community Fund donates to four Northampton organisations

  • First round of funding from the Drax Community Fund will see donations given to 33 organisations across the UK.
  • Organisations that will receive donations include Northamptonshire Search and Rescue, Parklands Tigers FC, The Northants Knights American football team and Towcestrians Sports Club – rugby team U11s.

Renewable energy leader, Drax Group has announced the support it will provide to community organisations local to its operations though its new Community Fund, launched in 2023.

Drax’s Community Fund provides donations of up to £2,000 in the first round of funding for a variety of projects which support local communities.

Opus Energy, Drax’s renewable energy supply business works with small and medium sized companies and is based in Northampton.

Richard Shakespeare, Director of Opus Energy, said: “We are proud to support a diverse range of organisations in Northamptonshire, from aiding Northamptonshire Search and Rescue to assisting Parklands Tigers FC in encouraging local young people to get involved in local sport. Our donations aim to foster inclusivity, sportsmanship, and community spirit across our local area.”

Northampton projects that will receive donations include:

  • Northamptonshire Search and Rescue: supporting the charity to help the police with finding missing persons.
  • Parklands Tigers FC: funding to hold a summer football tournament for all community youth teams across Northampton.
  • The Northants Knights American football team: funding to provide individuals with equipment such as balls, helmet shoulder pads and uniforms to reduce costs and open the sport up to anyone that wishes to participate.
  • Towcestrians Sports Club – rugby team U11s: funding to support the under-11s rugby team to participate in a tournament.

Keith Hayhoe, Vice Chairman, Parklands Tigers FC, said: “We are delighted to be awarded a grant from Drax’s Community Fund this year to help with the organisation and promotion of our annual Summer Youth Football Tournament. Our tournament provides a safe and enjoyable space for young people and their families to participate in an outdoor sports event that promotes valuable life skills within the community.”

To find out more about the Drax Community Fund and how to apply for funding, go to the website.

Notes to editors:

Drax Foundation, launched last March and awards larger grants of up to £50,000 for established, non-project organisations.

Drax recently announced the Community Foundation has given £2.7m in charitable giving for regional programmes and grassroots projects globally, of which £1.3 million went to UK projects.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Andy Low, Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07841 068415

About Drax

Drax Group’s (Drax) 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 c.3,500 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 four 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. It is also where Drax is piloting the 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 Community Fund donates nearly £20k to Yorkshire organisations

  • First round of funding from the Drax Community Fund will see donations given to 33 organisations across the UK.
  • This includes donations to more than 20 organisations in the Yorkshire area, which deliver STEM education and skills development, enhance green spaces or improve communities.

Renewable energy leader, Drax Group has announced the support it will provide to community organisations local to its operations though its new Community Fund, launched in 2023.

The donations of £500 to £2,000 are for community-led projects which support STEM education and skills, enhance green spaces or improve communities local to its operations.

It has announced funding to 21 organisations in Yorkshire, where Drax owns and operates the UK’s largest power station. Drax Power Station near Selby, in North Yorkshire, generates enough reliable, renewable power for four million homes, using sustainable biomass and supports over 7,000 jobs, directly and throughout its supply chains, mainly in the North.

Bruce Heppenstall, Plant Director at Drax Power Station, said: “I’m really proud of the work Drax does to support the community local to the power station.

“The diversity of organisations that will benefit from the funding announced by our new Community Fund means we will be supporting lots more people across the county, including residents, charities and non-profits, which do really important work to enhance people’s lives here in Yorkshire.

“Through these donations we want to advance participation in STEM education and improve opportunities for people, and we aim to enhance green spaces, so residents have better access to nature.”

The projects in Yorkshire that will receive donations worth a total of £19,050, from Drax Community Fund, include:

  • Women in Tech, York: Encouraging young women to go into STEM careers, holding free monthly meetings, where local women can learn about career opportunities and meet role models in the industry.
  • Marshlands Primary School, in Goole: Pupils have been working with the local council to improve their local park, to install a wildflower patch and improve public facilities in the park.
  • Western Wolds Men in Sheds, East Yorkshire: Construction of nesting boxes designed for barn owls and little owls to encourage nesting in the local area.
  • Ryhill Junior, Infant and Nursery School, in Wakefield: Providing eight iPads to school pupils to further their education.
  • Goole Community Concert Band: Helping bring the local community together by starting a local community concert band in the town for all ages.

Graham West, Treasurer of Western Wolds Men in Sheds, said: “With the Drax Community Fund grant we are funding the building of owl boxes.

“At the moment we are working on 12 boxes and building is well in progress. Bob, who is a member and looks after our owl boxes, is now starting to put them up in trees in his area.

“The grant has given members an interesting project to work on – either cutting out the parts, assembling or painting so thank you again”.

Roger White, Member of Goole & East Riding Community Concert Band, said: “This donation from Drax will help launch our new community group of a fully inclusive concert band for our local areas in and around Goole.

“The money will be used to buy musical scores, and other essential equipment for the band giving our community a place to meet, play and enjoy music, something that has been absent in the local area for a long time. Welcoming musicians of all abilities and ages, we hope to perform at bandstands and other local events for the wider community to enjoy. Thank you, Drax Community Fund.”

To find out more about the Drax Community Fund and how to apply for funding, go to the website.

Notes to editors:

Drax Foundation, launched last March and awards larger grants of up to £50,000 for established, non-project organisations.

Drax recently announced the Community Foundation has given £2.7m in charitable giving for regional programmes and grassroots projects globally, of which £1.3 million went to UK projects.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Andy Low, Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07841 068415

About Drax

Drax Group’s (Drax) 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 c.3,500 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 four 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. It is also where Drax is piloting the 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 Community Fund donates over £9k to Scottish organisations

  • First round of funding from the Drax Community Fund will see donations given to 33 organisations across the UK.
  • This includes donations to six organisations in the Argyll and Bute and Glasgow areas, which deliver STEM education, skills development and local Council services.

Renewable energy leader, Drax Group has announced the support it will provide to community organisations local to its operations though its new Community Fund, launched in 2023.

The donations of £500 to £2,000 are for community-led projects which support STEM education and skills, enhance green spaces or improve communities local to its operations.

It has announced funding to five organisations in Argyll and Bute where Drax owns and operates Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage hydro facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan. Drax announced last year plans to build a new c.£500m underground pumped storage hydro plant at the site, that with the right support from the UK Government would create 1,000 jobs during construction. Additionally, Drax has donated to The Catherine McEwan Foundation in Glasgow, which helps people living with Crohn’s and Colitis access better treatment.

Ian Kinnaird, Director of Scottish Assets, Drax Group, said:

“Since the acquisition of Cruachan by Drax in 2019, our business has supported a range of initiatives and created apprenticeship opportunities for the local area. Linking us even closer with the communities we operate in and that many of our colleagues live within.

“Our new Community Fund has provided support to local primary schools, Oban Community Council and The Catherine McEwan Foundation. These donations will provide pupils with the latest technology, help with refurbishing buildings and contribute to school trips, all furthering our commitment to advancing STEM education in our local areas.”

The projects in Cruachan and Glasgow that will receive donations worth a total of £9,050, from Drax Community Fund, include:

  • The Catherine McEwan Foundation: Expanding opportunities for young people in the senior phase of secondary school living with Crohn’s disease or Colitis.
  • Lochnell Primary School: Purchasing DASH Robot, STEM equipment and additional ipads.
  • Oban Community Council: Funding local planning efforts around community engagement activities.
  • Home-Start Lorn: Helping to refurbish buildings and creating a family centre in Oban.
  • Oban High School: Funding a school rugby trip for the girls team to France.

Derek McEwan, Founder, The Catherine McEwan Foundation, said: “The Catherine McEwan Foundation is delighted to receive this support from Drax. Our scholarship is a unique initiative with incredible positive outcomes. To have this support means we can continue to support the education of young people living with Crohn’s & Colitis.”

Murray Hamilton, Principal Teacher of PE and HWB, Oban High School, commented: “We were delighted when we heard the support from Drax, it is a major boost to the girls’ fundraising. This is the first trip of its kind for a girls’ sports team at Oban High School; we are really proud of our girls and can’t wait to go to France and provide them with this opportunity. The support from Drax will help make it a truly memorable experience.”

Emma Rossiter, Primary 7 Principal Teacher, Lochnell Primary School, said: “The funding from Drax is game changing for us at Lochnell Primary School. We have been developing STEM opportunities within our curriculum. The Lego Spike Kits and iPads allow us to explore and develop our engineering and coding skills along with critical problem-solving skills and teamwork. Thank you Drax for making this possible.”

To find out more about the Drax Community Fund and how to apply for funding, go to the website.

Notes to editors:

Drax Foundation, launched last March and awards larger grants of up to £50,000 for established, non-project organisations.

Drax recently announced the Community Foundation has given £2.7m in charitable giving for regional programmes and grassroots projects globally, of which £1.3 million went to UK projects.

ENDS

Media contacts:

Andy Low, Media Manager
E: [email protected] 
T: 07841 068415

About Drax

Drax Group’s (Drax) 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 c.3,500 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 four 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. It is also where Drax is piloting the 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 Foundation gives £2.7m boost to communities globally

  • Drax Foundation and Community Fund has given £2.7m to support people living in communities where Drax operates, globally. 
  • The money was provided by the renewable energy company to organisations that help under-represented groups, advance gender equality and support indigenous communities.  
  • Initiatives which have benefitted from the funding included those which improve STEM education, access to green spaces and energy efficiency measures in schools.  

The Drax Foundation provided £2.7m of funding to build stronger communities for a net zero future, significantly boosting the support provided by the global renewable energy leader in 2023. 

The Drax Foundation’s Annual Review reports on the impact the funding has had in the communities Drax operates in, where it has helped non-profit organisations to improve access to STEM education, nature and community green spaces, as well as renewable energy and energy efficiency.   

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

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

In 2023, the Drax Foundation: 

  • Provided just over a quarter of its grants for STEM projects, funding education and training for 70,300 children and 637 adults globally. 
  • Provided money to help 20,860 people to access community green spaces and to restore or protect 1,230 hectares of land.
  • Funded energy analysis tools and climate education at more than 200 UK schools in the communities where Drax operates.  
  • Installed LED lighting in 8 pilot schools, as part of a £4.5 million investment over three years to help UK schools improve their energy efficiency.  
  • Provided money for local foodbanks, community sports teams, resources for local schools and improved community buildings.  

In addition, Drax Group’s Communities in Crisis Fund supported seven disaster relief projects around the world.  

In the UK the Drax Foundation provided £1.3m of funding, including: 

Supporting STEM education in areas of low social mobility through its partnership with the organisation STEM Learning and the Glasgow Science Centre.    

Gill Collinson, Director of Strategy and Partnerships at STEM Learning in the UK said: “We are delighted with the generous funding awarded by the Drax Foundation. The partnership will help STEM learning’s mission to change the lives of thousands of young people by supporting teachers and introducing young people to inspiring role models and raising their aspirations.” 

Providing energy-efficient LED lighting in eight schools in the UK and provided 240 more with energy analysis tools and education to enable them to be more sustainable. This was part of a £4.5 million commitment over three years to help schools improve their energy efficiency. 

Energy Sparks, which provides online training programmes to help schools reduce their energy consumption, benefitted from £150,000 which has put 120,000 pupils through Energy Sparks climate awareness programmes.  

The Argyll & the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust was also granted funding to help them expand outdoor STEM learning to more children and established a native tree nursery as a key part of their new Woodland Enterprise Hub.   

In Canada the Drax Foundation provided £576,000 of funding, including: 

STEM workshops and mentoring partnerships with the Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST) as part of its work to invest in girls and indigenous communities as future STEM leaders. Through this work over 470 women have participated in 57 STEM workshops and 24 women have participated in mentoring partnerships.  

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

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

The University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Faculty of Forestry received £47,500 in grant funding supporting 316 children from underserved communities with access to bursaries. The programme called Wild & Immersive encourages children and young people to care for the environment through nature-based experiences.  

In the US the Drax Foundation provided £671,000 of funding, including: 

Community engagement projects focusing on local wildlife through a partnership with Houston Audubon in Texas.   

Pete Deichmann, Houston Audubon’s Land Director said: “With the generous support of the Drax Foundation, Houston Audubon can continue to lead the conservation action needed along the Upper Texas Coast to help protect our land as well as the migratory, breeding and resident birds that depend on us for habitat protection.” 

The Drax Foundation also partnered with Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME) providing £66,000 in grant funding which resulted in 160 students, the vast majority from a minority background, participating in STEM programmes in the state.  

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

ENDS 

Media contacts: 

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

Editor notes 

The Drax Foundation was launched in March 2023 to provide grant funding for non-profit organisations that improve equitable access to STEM education, community green spaces, and renewable energy in regions where Drax operates in the UK and North America.    

Drax’s Community Fund was established to respond to the unique needs and opportunities in communities where the company operates, with donations to local community initiatives.  

About Drax  

Drax Group’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2030, using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.  

Drax’s around 3,000 employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production and supply to third parties. For more information visit www.drax.com 

Power generation:  

Drax owns and operates a portfolio of renewable electricity generation assets in England and Scotland. The assets include the UK’s largest power station, based at Selby, North Yorkshire, which supplies five percent of the country’s electricity needs.   

Having converted Drax Power Station to use sustainable biomass instead of coal it has become the UK’s biggest renewable power generator and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe. It is also where Drax is piloting the groundbreaking negative emissions technology BECCS within its CCUS (Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage) Incubation Area.  

Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in Scotland include Cruachan Power Station – a flexible pumped storage facility within the hollowed-out mountain Ben Cruachan.   

The Group also aims to build on its BECCS innovation at Drax Power Station with a target to deliver 4 million tonnes of negative CO2 emissions each year from new-build BECCS outside of the UK by 2030 and is currently developing models for North American and European markets. 

Pellet production and supply:

The Group has 19 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around 5 million tonnes a year. 

Drax is targeting 8 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over 3 million tonnes of new biomass pellet production capacity. The pellets are produced using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests and are supplied to third party customers in Europe and Asia for the generation of renewable power.  

Drax’s pellet plants supply biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses, and also to customers in Europe and Asia. 

Customers:    

Drax supplies renewable electricity to UK businesses, offering a range of energy-related services including energy optimisation, as well as electric vehicle strategy and management.  

To find out more go to the website www.energy.drax.com