DRAX
Date: 2022-05-13
In the UK, Yorkshire-headquartered renewable energy pioneer DRAX Group reports it has partnered with the University of Nottingham and Nottingham-based Promethean Particles Ltd. to trial a new bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (CCS) process at its North Yorkshire power station.

The new process uses Promethean Particles-developed solid sorbent called Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) which have a simple structure and can be tailored to separate and soak up specific molecules making them excellent for CCS. The two month trial will allow all three organizations to determine if this new carbon capture process performs well in real conditions on large-scale projects.

As previously reported, DRAXGroup converted Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire to use sustainable biomass instead of coal to become the UK's largest renewable generator. The company, which plans to deploy the essential negative emissions technology BECCS in the 2020s, would be the world's largest carbon capture power project, delivering a significant proportion of the negative emissions needed for the UK to meet its climate targets. (Source: DRAX Group, PR, May, 2022) Contact: DRAX Group, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com; Promethean Particles Ltd., +44 115 967 8119, www.prometheanparticles.co.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News Woody Biomass,  DRAX,  CCS,  Carbon Emissions,  Biomass,  

DRAX
Date: 2022-05-06
"Replacing fossil fuels with clean power from renewables like sustainable biomass and hydro has enabled the UK's electricity system to decarbonise faster than any other major economy, but industry needs to go further than just reducing emissions -- to permanently removing the CO2 in the atmosphere if the UK is to achieve its ambitious climate targets." -- Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com

North Yorkshire, UK-based biomass power producer DRAX Group operates 7 pellet plants in the US and is the world's leading producer and user of sustainable biomass.

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  

IPCC,Natural Resources Defense Council
Date: 2022-04-15
"Recently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its final new report in a three-part series, prepared over years by hundreds of the world's leading scientists. It sends a very clear and final warning that we must rapidly cut emissions to avert climate disaster. It also emphazises that using bioenergy -- especially the burning of trees -- is a VERY risky way to do this, and may not even work at all.

"The biggest takeaway from this report is that the IPCC has SIGNIFICANTLY reduced the amount of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) it thinks is necessary to achieve net zero. The IPCC assumes that, in the future, bioenergy will be used with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). But it recognizes that even then the climate benefits of BECCS are disputed, and that the environmental risks are clearer than ever. Because of this, it drastically reduces the role of BECCS in its net zero scenarios, predicting that BECCS will remove only 2.5 billion tpy of emissions compared with its previous predictions of up to 16 billion tpy. The report supports this decision with statements such as: "BECCS] may not prove as effective as expected, and its large-scale deployment may result in ecological and social impacts, suggesting it may not be a viable carbon removal strategy in the next 10-20 years.' It also states that 'life-cycle emissions impacts from bioenergy are subject to large uncertainties and could be incompatible with net zero emissions in some contexts.' This all builds off of the second report in the series in which it recognized more risks of bioenergy than ever before.

"It also recognizes the risks of bioenergy more than ever before. Both this report and the one the IPCC released in March highlight the major risks bioenergy can pose to nature -- e.g., desertification, land degradation, biodiversity, food production, and water availability. In 2021, evidence mounted showing the significant impacts of biomass on global biodiversity. For example, information on logging in Estonia's protected areas became so concerning that the Estonian government banned logging in these areas for more than two years. Further, new satellite image analysis shows that logging of forests in the US Southeast has exceeded their growth (contrary to biomass industry claims) and decreased their carbon stocks.

"In its moderated language, which must be signed off by all governments, this is IPCC code for a clear warning that, while its models include BECCS, they are just that -- models. They are not meant to describe reality and do not reflect the significant environmental and climate risks posed by this technology.

"But while the IPCC urges governments to immediately cut emissions, protect forests, and use BECCS only in a very minimal way (if at all), the UK Government plans to do the exact opposite by increasing reliance on large-scale burning of trees for electricity to meet its climate goals. Its 2050 Net Zero Strategy, published in autumn 2021, states that it plans to rely on a significant level of BECCS over the coming decades, which is impossible without destroying global forests or carpeting the UK countryside with bioenergy crops (or both). And the UK is already the world's subsidizer of biomass energy.

"We already know the impacts of both approaches. Drax power station recently published an annual report showing it burns over 8 million tonnes of wood every year. Drax is part of a growing global wood pellet industry driving the destruction of some of the world's forests. And the EU has tried the 'grow fields full of crops for fuel approach,' which actually increased greenhouse gases because it displaced food production, causing deforestation and climate damage elsewhere.

"The best chance for the UK Government to heed the IPCC's warnings? Its new Biomass Strategy -- due out later this year -- must recognize that bioenergy is NOT zero carbon and that it has serious environmental and social impacts. It must stop handing over £2.7 million per day in subsidies to bioenergy generators and refuse to grant new biomass subsidies, instead redirecting these funds to technologies that will actually cut emissions (e.g., wind, solar, home insulation to help lower people's energy bills)." (Source: Natural Resources Defense Council, Elly Pepper, 14 April, 2022) Contact: NEDC, www.brdc.org; IPCC, www.ipcc.ch

More Low-Carbon Energy News Natural Resources Defense Council,  IPCC,  Biomass,  Bioenergy,  BECCS,  CCS,  Carbon Emissions,  DRAX,  ,  

IPCC,
Date: 2022-04-14
"Recently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its final new report in a three-part series, prepared over years by hundreds of the world's leading scientists. It sends a very clear and final warning that we must rapidly cut emissions to avert climate disaster. It also emphasizes that using bioenergy -- especially the burning of trees -- is a VERY risky way to do this, and may not even work at all.

"The biggest takeaway from this report is that the IPCC has SIGNIFICANTLY reduced the amount of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) it thinks is necessary to achieve net zero. The IPCC assumes that, in the future, bioenergy will be used with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). But it recognizes that even then the climate benefits of BECCS are disputed, and that the environmental risks are clearer than ever. Because of this, it drastically reduces the role of BECCS in its net zero scenarios, predicting that BECCS will remove only 2.5 billion tpy of emissions compared with its previous predictions of up to 16 billion tpy. The report supports this decision with statements such as: 'BECCS] may not prove as effective as expected, and its large-scale deployment may result in ecological and social impacts, suggesting it may not be a viable carbon removal strategy in the next 10-20 years.' It also states that '[l]ife-cycle emissions impacts from bioenergy are subject to large uncertainties and could be incompatible with net zero emissions in some contexts.' This all builds off of the second report in the series in which it recognized more risks of bioenergy than ever before.

"It also recognizes the risks of bioenergy more than ever before. Both this report and the one the IPCC released in March highlight the major risks bioenergy can pose to nature (e.g., desertification, land degradation, biodiversity), food production, and water availability. In 2021, evidence mounted showing the significant impacts of biomass on global biodiversity. For example, information on logging in Estonia's protected areas became so concerning that the Estonian government banned logging in these areas for more than two years. Further, new satellite image analysis shows that logging of forests in the US Southeast has exceeded their growth (contrary to biomass industry claims) and decreased their carbon stocks.

"In its moderated language, which must be signed off by all governments, this is IPCC code for a clear warning that, while its models include BECCS, they are just that -- models. They are not meant to describe reality and do not reflect the significant environmental and climate risks posed by this technology.

"But while the IPCC urges governments to immediately cut emissions, protect forests, and use BECCS only in a very minimal way (if at all), the UK Government plans to do the exact opposite by increasing reliance on large-scale burning of trees for electricity to meet its climate goals. Its 2050 Net Zero Strategy, published in autumn 2021, states that it plans to rely on a significant level of BECCS over the coming decades, which is impossible without destroying global forests or carpeting the UK countryside with bioenergy crops (or both). And the UK is already the world's subsidizer of biomass energy.

"We already know the impacts of both approaches. Drax power station recently published an annual report showing it burns over 8 million tpy of wood. Drax is part of a growing global wood pellet industry driving the destruction of some of the world's most precious forests. And the EU has tried the 'grow fields full of crops for fuel approach,' which actually increased greenhouse gases because it displaced food production, causing deforestation and climate damage elsewhere.

"The best chance for the UK Government to heed the IPCC's warnings? Its new Biomass Strategy -- due out later this year -- must recognize that bioenergy is NOT zero carbon and that it has serious environmental and social impacts. It must stop handing over £2.7 million per day in subsidies to bioenergy generators -- and to refuse to grant new biomass subsidies, instead redirecting these funds to technologies that will actually cut emissions (e.g., wind, solar, home insulation to help lower people's energy bills)." (Source: Natural Resources Defense Council, Elly Pepper, 14 April, 2022) Contact: NRDC, www.nrdc.org; IPCC

More Low-Carbon Energy News NRDC news,  IPCC news,  Bioenergy news,  Biomass news,  BESS news,  CCS news,  GHG news,  Deforestation news,  Wood Pellet news,  

DRAX
Date: 2022-04-06
In the UK, North Yorkshire-based biomass power producer DRAX Group, the world's leading producer and user of sustainable biomass, is reporting the opening of its second pellet plant in Alabama. The new plant will produce roughly 360,000 metric tpy of sustainable biomass pellets.

With the new facility, DRAX operates seven pellet plants in the US south, which use biomass sourced from the region's sustainably managed working forests. DRAX also plans to develop bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), according to the release. (Source: DRAX Group, PR, April, 2022) Contact: DRAX Group, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Biomass,  Woody Biomass,  

Pacific BioEnergy,Pinnacle Renewable Energy
Date: 2022-01-12
In Canada, Prince George, B.C.-based woody biomass pellet manufacturer Pacific BioEnergy Corporation reports that following an agreement to assign some of its assets -- including long-term wood pellet sales contracts -- to Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc., part of the UK-based Drax Group plc the PacBioEenergy pellet plant in Prince George will close permanently at a date to be announced this year. (Source: Pacific BioEnergy Corp., PR, Dec, Jan., 2022) Contact: Pacific Bioenergy Corp, (250) 562-7229, www.pacificbioenergy.ca; DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com; Pinnacle Renewable Energy, Duncan Davies, CEO, 604.270.9613, 604.270.9914--fax, www.pinnaclepellet.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Pacific BioEnergy,  Wood Pellet,  DRAX,  Pinnacle Renewable Energy ,  

DRAX
Date: 2021-12-22
In the UK, North Yorkshire-based biomass power producer DRAX, which plans to invest roughly £40 million in the first phase of its bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) project, reports the selection of engineering, project management and construction firm Worley to begin the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase early next year. Worley may also work on the subsequent design and build phases of the BECCS project, subject to contract.

The announcement follows DRAX's previously reported decision to partner with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group as its technology partner. With an effective negative emissions policy and investment framework from the government, BECCS could be deployed at DRAX as soon as 2027 -- delivering the UK's largest carbon capture project and permanently removing millions of tpy of CO2 from the atmosphere, according to DRAX. (Source: DRAX, Website PR, 15 Dec., 2021) Contact: DRAX Group, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com; Worley, Chris Ashton, CEO, (713) 892-0999 -- Houston Office, www.worley.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Worley,  Woody Biomass,  BECCS,  

DRAX, Selby College
Date: 2021-12-10
In the UK, Selby College in North Yorkshire and biomass power generator DRAX are reporting receipt of more than £270,000 of grant funding from the UK Department for Education Strategic Development Fund in support of the College's planned training course in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. The funding will also support DRAX effort to develop the negative emission technology bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) at its power station near Selby.

The DRAX and Selby College initiative will help protect jobs, plug the skills gap, and build a workforce with the skills needed in the transition to net-zero while building on an existing £180,000, five-year partnership aimed at supporting education and skills.

The programme will start in fall, 2022, and will be available to organizations and individuals interested in developing their knowledge and understanding about carbon capture and storage (CCS). (Source: DRAX, PR, Website, 7 Dec., 2021) Contact: DRAX Group, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com; Selby College, +44 1757 211000, www.selby.ac.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Selby College,  BECCS,  CCS,  

DRAX
Date: 2021-12-03
In the UK, Yorkshire-based biomass power producer DRAX CEO Will Gardner has announce: "Drax has made excellent progress during 2021 providing a firm foundation for further growth. We have advanced our Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) project -- a vital part of the East Coast Cluster that was recently selected to be one of the UK's two priority CCS projects. And we're now setting out a strategy to take the business forward, enabling DRAX to make an even greater contribution to global efforts to reach net zero.

"We believe DRAX can deliver growth and become a global leader in sustainable biomass and negative emissions and a UK leader in dispatchable, renewable generation. We aim to double our sustainable biomass production capacity by 2030 -- creating opportunities to double our sales to Asia and Europe, where demand for biomass is increasing as countries transition away from coal.

"As a global leader in negative emissions, we're going to scale up our ambitions internationally. DRAX is now targeting 12 million tonnes of carbon removals each year by 2030 by using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). This includes the negative emissions we can deliver at Drax Power Station in the UK and through potential new-build BECCS projects in North America and Europe, supporting a new sector of the economy, which will create jobs, clean growth and exciting export opportunities", according to DRAX CEO Will Gardiner. To that end, DRAX has announced:

New woody biomass pellet production and sales targets -- increased biomass pellet production targeting 8Mt pa by 2030 (currently c.4Mt) and biomass pellet sales to third parties targeting 4Mt pa by 2030 (currently c.2Mt)

Continued progress with UK BECCS and biomass cost reduction -- BECCS at DRAXPower Station -- Biomass cost reduction -- continuing to target biomass production cost of $100/t

£3 billion investment in 2022-30 growth opportunities -- investment in pellet production, UK BECCS, pumped energy storage, and construction of new BECCS facilities.

Targeting 4Mt pa of negative CO2 emissions outside of UK by 2030. (Source: DRAX, Website PR, 1 Dec., 2021) Contact: DRAX Group, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Biomass,  Woody Biomass,  Wood Pellet,  BECCS,  

DRAX
Date: 2021-11-26
Further to our Sept. 24 coverage, in the UK, Yorkshire-headquartered DRAX Group CEO Will Gardiner this week announced the company is considering building a biomass plant in the US whose power generation will absorb more emissions than it creates.

Drax is currently developing bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology for its plant in North Yorkshire, UK. The technology could permanently remove 8 million tpy of CO2 from the atmosphere annually, accelerate economic growth for the Yorkshire and Humber region and put the region at the heart of a global green economy, said Drax. It is hoped the BECCS technology at Drax Power Station near Selby will be operational by 2027. (Source: DRAX, 23 Nov., 2021) Contact: DRAX Group, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Woody Biomass,  Wood Pellet,  bioenergy with carbon capture and storage ,  

DRAX
Date: 2021-09-24
In the UK, Yorkshire-headquartered DRAX Group reports construction is underway on the second of three satellite woody biomass pellet plants being constructed in . Russellville, Arkansas. The new facility is part of a $40 million project and is expected to be operational in 2022. The three pellet plants together are expected to produce 120,000 metric tpy of sustainable biomass pellets from locally sourced sawmill residues.

Drax owns and has interests in 17 pellet mills totaling 4.9 million tpy in the southern United States and western Canada. The plant's export wood pellets to DRAX power plants in England and Scotland. DRAX aims to increase biomass self-supply to 5 million tpy by 2027. (Source: DRAXPR, 22 Sept., 2021) Contact: DRAX Group, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Wood Pellet,  Woody Biomass,  

DRAX
Date: 2021-09-22
In the UK, Yorkshire-based power producer DRAX Group reports it is partnering with the UK National Farmers Union of England and Wales (NFU) to identify opportunities to scale-up and develop a roadmap for the production perennial energy crops.

The partnership will support DRAX's plan to source sustainable biomass from UK farmers and to develop bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) to help address climate change. DRAX currently imports the majority if its woody biomass pellet requirements from the US and its US and Canadian subsidiaries. (Source: DRAX Group, PR, Sept., 2021) Contact: National Farmers Union of England and Wales, www.nfuonline.com; DRAX Group, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News BECCS,  DRAX,  UK National Farmers Union,  Biomass,  Energy Crop,  Woody Biomass,  Wood Pellet,  

DRAX
Date: 2021-09-20
In the UK, Yorkshire-based woody biomass power producer DRAX Group reports it has cut the carbon emissions from its once coal-fired power generation by over 90 pct since 2012 when it began its switch from coal to sustainable biomass and hydro. The facility is now one of Europe's lowest carbon intensity power generators, and moving closer to achieving its goal of becoming carbon negative by 2030, according to the company release.

Since deploying Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Ctorage (BECCS) at its Yorkshire, Teeside power station, DRAX is set to go even further -- generating the negative emissions needed to meet the UK's net-zero climate target.

DRAX presently generates 12 pct of the UK's renewable electricity -- sufficient power for 5 million or more homes while supporting the deployment of intermittent renewables such as wind and solar. (Source: DRAX, Website PR, 9 Sept., 2021) DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Carnon Emissions,  Biomass,  CCS,  Bioenergy Carbon Capture,  BECCS,  

DRAX, Bechtel
Date: 2021-06-07
In the UK, Yorkshire-based DRAX Group reports it is partnering with Reston, Virginia-based U.S. engineering giant Bechtel up to identify opportunities and to construct new bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) power plants around the world, primarily in North America and Western Europe.

DRAX presently has a pilot BECCS project at its power station in Yorkshire. Bechtel will study potential regions for new BECCS plants and how to optimise plant design for maximum efficiency and lowest cost.

BECCS is a negative emissions technology which extracts bioenergy from biomass and then captures and stores the carbon dioxide but is not yet at commercial scale. (Source: DRAX, PR, 3 June, 2021) Contact: Bechtel, www.bechtel.com; DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News BECCS,  DRAX,  Bechtel,  CCS,  Biomass,  

DRAX
Date: 2021-05-10
In the UK, Yorkshire-based woody biomass power producer DRAX Group reports construction is expected to get underway on the first of three new Arkansas "satellite" woody biomass pellet plants before the month end and the other two plants shortly thereafter.

Together, the new facilities will produce roughly 120,000 tpy of sustainable biomass pellets from sawmill and forestry dry waste.

DRAx will invest $40 million in the project. The company is aiming to be carbon negative by 2030. (Source: DRAX, PR, May, 2021) Contact: DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Woody Biomass,  Wood Pellet,  

DRAX, Pinnacle Renewable Energy
Date: 2021-04-19
Following up on our 17 March covereage, UK-based energy company DRAX is reporting closing of its previously reported purchase of B.C.-based wood pellet producer Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc.

With the purchase, DRAX becomes the world's leading sustainable bioenergy generation and supply company, operating across North America, the UK, Europe and Asia. The purchase of Pinnacle's 11 sites will increase DRAX' operations to 17 pellet plants and development projects and boosts its production capacity to 4.9 million from 2.9 million. DRAX will also gain a terminal in Prince Rupert.

Pinnacle will operate as a subsidiary of DRAX and remain headquartered in British Columbia. (Source: DRAX, PR, Yahoo, 17 Apr., 2021)) Contact: DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com; Pinnacle Renewable Energy, Duncan Davies, CEO, 604.270.9613, 604.270.9914--fax, www.pinnaclepellet.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Woody Biomass,  Pinnacle Renewable Energy,  

DRAX, Pinnacle Renewable Energy
Date: 2021-03-17
Further to our 8 Feb., coverage, UK, Yorkshire-based power station operator Drax Group reports its indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary Drax Canadian Holdings' previously announced acquisition of Vancouver, British Columbia-based wood pellet producer Pinnacle Renewable Energy is moving forward.

The deal, which is subject to shareholder approvals, is expected to add 2.9 million tpy of biomass power production capacity to DRAX group and significantly reduce its average cost of production. (Source: DRAX, PR, Website, 15 Mar., 2021) Contact: DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com; Pinnacle Renewable Energy, Duncan Davies, CEO, 604.270.9613, 604.270.9914--fax, www.pinnaclepellet.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Wood Pellet,  DRAX,  Woody Biomass,  Pinnacle Renewable Energy,  

DRAX
Date: 2021-03-03
In the UK, Yorkshire-based woody biomass power producer DRAX Group reports it plans to used bioenergy with carbon capture and ctorage (BECCS) to remove millions of tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere and create a negative carbon footprint for the company.

The planned project is subject to its application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) -- a process which takes around two years to complete. If approved construction on the first of two 8 million tpy BECCS units could get underway in 2024.

As we reopoert in Dec. 2020, an Imperial College London report for DRAX Electric Insights found the UK's electricity grid has decarbonised faster than other countries in the last decade and that renewable power has grown six-fold in the last 10 years, helping the UK cut its carbon intensity by 58 pct -- double the reduction seen in other major economies over the 2010-2120 period. The report also noted coal-fired power generation dropped from 30 pct to just 2 pct with renewables rising simultaneously from 8 pct to supplying 42 pct of the UK's electricity over the last decade.

The shift to renewables means individual UK households have cut reduced their CO2 emissions by .75 tpy, according to the report. (Source: DRAX, PR, Yorkshire Post, Mar., 2021) Contact: DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  Bioenergy,  CCS,  BECCS,  

DRAX, Pinnacle Renewable Energy
Date: 2021-02-08
UK-headquartered DRAX Group is reporting a £226 million agreement for its wholly-owned subsidiary DRAX Canadian Holdings' acquisition of British Columbia-based wood pellet producer Pinnacle Renewable Energy. The deal, which is subject to DRAX shareholder, regulatory approval and other customary conditions, is expected to close in Q3 this year.

According to the release, DRAX and Pinnacle combined will have 17 wood pellet plants, 3 major fibre baskets, 4 deep water ports, 4.9 Mt capacity from 2022 with 2.9 Mt available for self-supply, 2.6 GW of renewable biomass generation, with potential for BECCS, global growth opportunities for sustainable biomass. (Source: DRAX, Website, Various Media, 8 Feb., 2021) Contact: Pinnacle Renewable Energy, Duncan Davies, CEO, 604.270.9613, 604.270.9914--fax, www.pinnaclepellet.com; DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 (0) 1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Wood Pellet,  DRAX,  Woody Biomass,  Pinnacle Renewable Energy,  

DRAX
Date: 2020-12-02
In the UK, aa report conducted by Imperial College London for Drax Electric Insights has found the UK's electricity grid has decarbonised faster than other countries in the last decade. The report notes renewable power has grown six-fold in the last 10 years, helping the UK cut its carbon intensity by 58 pct -- double the reduction seen in other major economies over the 2010-2120 period.

Over the last decade, coal-fired power generation dropped from 30 pct to just 2 pct with renewables rising simultaneously from 8 pct to supplying 42 pct of the UK's electricity. The shift to renewables means UK households have each reduced their CO2 emissions by .75 tpy, according to the report. (Source: DRAX, DRAX Electric Insights, Imperial College London, PR, 30 Nov., 2020) Contact: Imperial College London, Dr Iain Staffell, i.staffell@imperial.ac.uk, www.imperial.ac.uk: DRAX, Richard Peberdy, +44(0)1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX,  

DRAX, Forest Trust
Date: 2020-10-30
In the UK, Yorkshire-based DRAX Group reports it is partnering with the not-for-profit Earthworm Foundation -- fka Forest Trust -- on Healthy Forest Landscapes (HFL), an evidence-based tool to measure and evaluate the health of a forest in four key areas -- forest cover, carbon stock, biodiversity, and community well-being, all key focus areas for Drax and its woody biomass-fired power generation plants. The tool will give businesses like Drax the information needed to ensure its operations positively impact the forests where it sources its biomass feedstocks.

HFL measures changes in the forest landscape using empirical evidence such as big data from government statistics and input from earth observations from satellites, other remote sensing technologies, and its own socio-economic evaluation methodology to assess community wellbeing. (Source: DRAX, Bioenergy Insight, 28 Oct., 2020) Contact: Earthworm Foundation, www.earthworm.org; DRAX, Richard Peberdy, Head of Sustainable Forests, +44(0)1757 618381, www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Forest Trust,  DRAX,  Woody Biomass,  

Zero Carbon Humber
Date: 2020-10-23
In the UK, Zero Carbon Humber has sent an open letter to energy minister Kwasi Kwarteng, calling on the government to back a major funding bid. This follows on from the 12 organisations behind the project submitting a bid to the second phase of the government's Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund for £75 million of funding.

The Zero Carbon Humber letter argues that if the bid was successful it would help unlock a potentially multi-billion pound project, reduce the UK's annual emissions by 15 pct and help the UK meet its international legally binding climate target.

The Zero Carbon Humber partnership, which was first announced in May 2019, members include: Drax, National Grid Ventures , Equinor, international trade bodies, business and investment groups, local authorities , academic institutions and others.

According to Zero Carbon Humber's website, "Industrial powerhouses like the Yorkshire and the Humber region are an essential and valued part of the UK's economy but produce high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions: the Humber is the most carbon intensive industrial cluster in the country, emitting 12.4 million tpy. Developing carbon capture usage and storage (CCS or CCUS) technology and hydrogen (H2) starting in Yorkshire and the Humber would preserve jobs by enabling energy intensive industries to continue to operate and thrive even against a backdrop of ever tighter emissions targets linked to the UK's carbon budgets. Without CCUS, the Humber will face perhaps insurmountable challenges. By drawing on the existing skills and infrastructure in it and the wider region, the Humber can become the base for the UK's first zero carbon industrial cluster, helping to create a cleaner environment for future generations whilst delivering new jobs and export opportunities for British businesses." 2021. (Source: Zero Carbon Humber, Current News, 23 Oct., 2020) Contact: Zero Carbon Humber, www.zerocarbonhumber.co.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions,  UK Carbon Emissions,  

DRAX,Worley
Date: 2020-09-23

DRAX,Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Date: 2020-06-26
In the UK, Drax Group and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd. (MHIE) are reporting a new 12-month bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) pilot project at the Drax Power Station in the Humber region, North Yorkshire.

The pilot, which is expected to get underway this autumn, will test two of MHI's proprietary solvents -- KS-1TM Solvent which is presently being used at 13 commercial plants including Petra Nova in Texas where it is capturing 1.4 million tpy of CO2 , and KS-21TM Solvent which is designed to achieve significant performance improvements and cost savings, according to MHIE.

Implementing BECCS at Drax could deliver 16 million tpy of negative emissions -- a third of the negative emissions the UK needs from BECCS to reach its zero carbon targets by 2050, according to DRAX. (Source: DRAX, MHI, Cdn. Biomass, 24 June, 2020) Contact: DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44(0)1757 618381 www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,  DRAX,  CCS,  Biomass,  

DRAX
Date: 2020-06-01
"In the UK, I think wind power in 2050 probably will be 80 percent of the energy mix." -- Will Gardiner, CEO, DRAX CEO

More Low-Carbon Energy News DRAX news,  Wind news,  

DRAX
Date: 2020-06-01
"Once you move from local usage ... to extracting trees from distant countries and shipping them to a factory, you are adding quite a significant amount of additional CO2 to the atmosphere. It takes anything from several decades to centuries to recover through the growth (of new trees)." -- Michael Norton, Environment Programme Director, European Academies Science Advisory, May, 2020 Contact: EU European Academies Science Advisory Council, www.ec.europa.eu/knowledge4policy/organisation/easac-european-academies-science-advisory-council_en; DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 0 1757 618381, www.draxpower.com

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DRAX
Date: 2020-06-01
Situated in Yorkshire, northern England, the Drax Group power plant will complete its switch next year after embarking on a journey almost a decade ago to use organic matter alongside the fossil fuel to slash carbon emissions. The Drax operation, providing four million households with electricity, sees CO2 emitted from burnt wood captured by newly planted trees.

Four of the plant's six reactors use wood pellets and a carbon-capture system, while Drax intends on becoming carbon negative by 2030, by removing more CO2 from the atmosphere than it emits. Drax adds that the switch, in line with UK government policy to ban the use of coal by 2025, allows it to keep the plant running and maintain 900 jobs. (Source: DRAX, France24, 30 May, 2020) Contact: DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 0 1757 618381, www.draxpower.com

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Drax,DRAX
Date: 2020-05-08
In North Yorkshire, UK power generation company DRAX Group has launched a Biomass Carbon Calculator to help to decarbonize the production and transportation of biomass pellets, used for low carbon energy generation.

The Biomass Carbon Calculator is in line with the company's drive to become carbon-negative by 2030 and the UK's effort to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050.

The calculator, which will use real-time supply chain data to improve emission reporting and identify points where carbon reductions can be made, in compliance with the European Union's Renewable Energy Directive II. (Source: DRAX, Trade Media,6 May, 2020) Contact: DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 0 1757 618381, www.draxpower.com

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DRAX
Date: 2020-04-06
In the UK, the DRAX Power Station in North Yorkshire is reporting receipt of its 100th shipment of woody biomass for power generation from its three woody biomass pellet plants in the southern US.

Roughly two thirds of the 7.5 million tpy of sustainable biomass Drax uses comes from the company's US three pellet mills. Drax also has agreements with a number of other suppliers in the US and elsewhere around the world including in Canada, the Baltics and Portugal, according to a release. (Source: Drax, PR , April, 2020) Contact: Drax, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 07712 670 888,

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Imperial College London
Date: 2020-02-19
A recently released report from Imperial College of London has found that levels of carbon emissions generated from power consumption in the UK fell by almost two-thirds in the last decade -- the fastest rate of decarbonisation in the world.

The research, conducted in partnership with research and insights company, Drax Insights, notes that emissions from power consumption dropped by a massive 14 pct in 2019, driven by the falling use of fossil fuels and increases in renewables which was eight-times higher in 2019 than in 2010 - with the combined capacity of wind, solar, biomass and hydro having grown six-fold over the since 2010, from 5.2GW to 38.5GW. An 8 pct drop in energy demand was also a factor.

In the last decade power sector emissions fell from 161 million tonnes in 2010 to 54 million metric tonnes in 2019. (Source: Imperial College London, Smart Energy, 17 Feb., 2020) Contact: Imperial College London, www.imperial.ac.uk

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Chatham House
Date: 2020-02-03
Further to our 23rd Feb., 2017 Chatham House, biomass and climate change report coverage, according to Net-Zero and Beyond -- What Role for Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage?, new report from the London-headquartered NGO Chatham House, the UK Government is over-prioritizing carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) and biomass in its net-zero plans and failing to account for the impact these technologies could have on land use.

The potential unintended consequences of scaling up biomass energy carbon capture and storage (BECCS} in the UK and assesses the extent to which the technologies could deliver true and sustainable decarbonisation to the energy sector.

BECCS has received a swathe of Government support and media coverage in recent times, both in the build-up to the ratification of the UK's 2050 net-zero goal, and after its implementation. Supporters of the technologies point out that biomass, unlike gas or other fossil fuels, is renewable, and that it is produces less emissions when burned. If these emissions can be captured for storage and reuse, the process can become carbon neutral or even carbon negative, firms including Drax have claimed.

The report, however, warns that BECCS is "no silver bullet" for a net-zero energy sector. It claims that there has not been enough research into the likely energy output of BECCS or the environmental impacts of scaling up biomass supply chains, making it difficult to determine whether BECCS systems can be carbon-neutral across the life cycle.

According to the report, deployment of BECCS at the scales assumed by the UK's modelling, on a global scale, would consume land equivalent to that currently accounted for by cropland. This could pose problems for food security, result in biodiversity loss and hamper plans to re-assess land-use in line with net-zero, Chatham House concludes. Chatham House claims that failures to account for biomass supply chain emissions undermine the assumption that BECCS systems are inherently carbon-neutral and is accordingly calling for stricter sustainability requirements for biomass feedstock and urging the Government to prioritise decarbonisation across carbon-intensive sectors, reshape its land-use strategies to ensure BECCS decisions are made after full considerations of all alternatives, both technology-based and nature-based.

Download the report HERE. (Source: Chatham House, edie news, February 2020) Contact: Chatham House, Royal Institute of International Affairs, +44 (0) 20 7957 5710, contact@chathamhouse.org, www.chathamhouse.org

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DRAX
Date: 2019-11-22
In the UK, power producer Drax Group plc, through its Drax Biomass subsidiary, report it plans to increase its present 1.5 million mtpy wood pellet production to 5 million mtpy by 2027. The company's three U.S plants will increase production by by 350,000 metric tpy over the next two years. Drax notes it is also looking at developing an additional 3 million mtpy of capacity over the next seven years.

According to a company statement, Drax produced 650,000 metric tons of wood pellets during the first half of 2019, a sligth drop from the same period in 2018. The company also noted the expansion in biomass capacity would allow it to develop an unsubsidized biomass generation business by 2027. (Source: DRAX, Biomass, 20 Nov., 2019) Contact: DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44 0 1757 618381, www.draxpower.com

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Southern Environmental Law Center
Date: 2019-08-14
A new report by Spatial Informatics Group, LLC (SIG), commissioned by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) and the National Wildlife Federation, takes a closer look at the carbon profile of wood pellets produced at Drax's three U.S. wood pellet mills.

The report found that the accumulated emissions of burning wood pellets from these U.S. mills to produce electricity in the UK increases carbon pollution in the atmosphere for more than 40 years -- well beyond the time-frame identified by the IPCC as critical for carbon reduction.

Download the report details HERE. (Source: Southern Environmental Law Center, 12 Aug., 2019) Contact: Southern Environmental Law Center, www.southernenvironment.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Biomass,  Woody Biomass,  Carbon Emissions,  Southern Environmental Law Center,  

DRAX
Date: 2019-06-24
In the UK, power plant operator DRAX and Nottingham-startup Deep Branch Biotechnology, a lab located at DRAX's giant power station in Yorkshire, reports the two organizations will explore ways to capture and process CO2 into protein for sustainable animal feed.

Deep Branch Biotechnology is to run the new pilot project within the DRAX power plant's Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS) Incubation Area. For the pilot project, scientists will gather waste CO2 from energy generation and feed it to microbes which will use it to make single-cell proteins that could replace soy and fish meal in fish and livestock feeds.

Deep Branch claims it can convert "up to 60-70 pct of CO2 into protein, helping to both minimize the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere during power generation and other industrial processes, whilst producing protein for animal feeds which will help reduce the impact of agricultural sectors on the environment as well."

The Deep Branch pilot, which is slated to get underway this autumn, aims to capture enough CO2 to produce 100kg of protein. If successful, Deep Branch Biotechnology plans to build a larger production facility by 2020. DRAX has been capturing CO2 since February through its Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) pilot project, which uses technology developed by Leeds University spin-out company C-Capture. (Source: Deep Branch Biotechnology, DRAX, June, 2019) Contact: Deep Branch Biotechnology, Peter Rowe, CEO, info@deepbranchbio.com, www.deepbranchbio.com; DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, www.drax.com; C-Capture, Caspar Schoolderman, Director of Engineering, Tel/Fax +44 0 113 245 0418, www.c-capture.co.uk

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National Grid, Drax, Equinor
Date: 2019-05-29
In the UK, National Grid, Drax and Equinor are reporting they will partner to develop the country's first carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) hub in the Humber region. Under their initial plan, carbon emissions from the woody biomass-wood pellet burning Drax power station near Selby, could be captured and stored in disused gas fields in the southern North Sea. (Source: DRAX,Various Media, May, 2019)Contact: DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, www.drax.com; Equinor, www.equinor.com/en; UK National Grid, www2.nationalgrid.com/uk

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