company biomass plant worst polluter in the UK

  • Post last modified:August 9, 2024
  • Reading time:7 mins read


The day after cops pre-emptively nicked 22 peaceful protesters, a new report has revealed the staggering climate-wrecking impact of their target. In 2023, Drax biomass power station pumped out by far the most carbon dioxide pollution of any UK power plant, and then some.

Drax: planet and public enemy number one

Bioenergy giant Drax operates a gargantuan wood pellet-burning biomass station near Selby, Yorkshire. The corporation has repeatedly made the bold claim that its this produces renewable energy

However, the company could practically write the ‘Greenwashing for Dummies’ handbook. As the Canary’s HG reported on its renewables claims, Drax is puffing out a lot of hot air on this:

Both Drax and the government claim that the emissions ‘don’t count’ because the trees are grown in other countries, and because one day far in the future another tree will store that carbon. Obviously, that is absolutely insane.

Notably, there’s nothing remotely ‘renewable’ about its wood pellet-burning operation. Instead, repeated nonprofit investigations have shown the devastating environmental impacts of Drax’s core business activities.

Now, it’s once again evident it’s pouring out a lot worse as well. Specifically, 11.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in 2023 alone. This is according to a new analysis from climate think tank Ember published 9 August. It means Drax’s Selby power station put out the equivalent of nearly 3% of the UK’s territorial emissions.

In fact, this barely scratched the surface. Ember found that Drax’s biomass power station emitted four times MORE carbon dioxide than the UK’s remaining coal plant. Yes, coal plant – often considered the dirtiest fossil fuel – and Drax is producing masses more.

This is partly because, wood pellets actually pack more carbon dioxide emissions per kilowatt hour of electricity.

If that wasn’t bad enough though, it also generated more carbon dioxide than the next four power stations combined. Moreover, Ember noted that:

Although it is the recipient of public funding earmarked for low-carbon projects, Drax remains the largest single source of CO2 in the country.

Footing the bill for a forest-destroyer

Despite this, the UK taxpayer is footing the bill for climate and forest-destroyer Drax:

In short, the UK government gifts Drax huge subsidies at the planet, and the public’s expense. And that’s not all. As the Canary has previously highlighted, the company wants to squeeze more from the public purse to ramp up its greenwashing gambit. In particular, the Tory government greenlighted its plans for carbon capture and storage technology at its Yorkshire facility. However, Ember also previously noted that for this:

it’s the public who will foot the bill for the corporation’s expensive climate vanity project. It identified that the project could add £1.7bn to UK energy bills each year. Of course, this comes at a time when UK energy bills are already astronomically high and unaffordable, with energy companies pushing millions into fuel poverty.

In addition, the new analysis underscored that:

Like the gas power plants which also make up a large proportion of the largest emitters, the UK large biomass power sector is highly dependent on imports. Drax power station consumed 5.8 million tonnes of wood biomass, none of which was sourced in the UK.

Extinction Rebellion UK pointed out the astounding absurdity of calling this renewable energy:

Climate protesters versus corporate criminal Drax

Also in the headlines this fine Friday 9 August:

‘Twenty-two people police want to find over disorder’

Funny that, were the cops too busy arresting 22 peaceful climate protesters who hadn’t even committed a crime, to find the perpetrators of racist riot violence? State priorities and all that.

But then, it’s a case of follow the money. And it has been flowing into the coffers of the Labour Party of course:

That is, while Drax was spewing out more carbon emissions than any other company in the UK, it was also ploughing thousands in donations to Labour and getting its lobbyists in the room where it happens with to-be government to boot.

As ever then, the corporate climate criminals get off scott-free. Meanwhile cops serving the interests of the establishment, punish people fighting for the future of the planet.

At the end of the day:

It’s people and the planet who continue to lose out.

Feature image via Youtube – the Science Channel/the Canary





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