Drax aims to start biomass carbon capture by 2027

DRAX is pushing ahead with plans for under sea storage of carbon emissions from its Yorkshire power station as it prepares to phase out its last coal-burning plants.

Under the proposed carbon capture scheme, up to eight million tons of CO2 produced from smokestacks at the plant near Selby will be sequestered away by pipelines to a storage site in the southern North Sea.

Yesterday, Drax confirmed it remained on course to begin construction of the project in 2024, subject to a final investment decision, and begin capturing emissions from 2027.

By 2030 emissions from two biomass units will be captured, making the site “carbon negative”.

Carbon capture is a nascent technology that eco-activists have derided as a risky and unproven “scam”.

However, the Government has said its use is likely to be necessary – along with a raft of other technologies – for the UK to meet its “net zero” climate goals by 2050.

Drax submitted plans for the project to the Planning Inspectorate last month and will ramp up preparation works after two remaining coal-burning units at Selby are phased out of use next year.

At the moment, Drax operates four biomass units and two coal units at the Selby power station.

The coal units were originally due to close this year but their lifetimes have been extended until at least the end of March following a request from the Government.

Kwasi Kwarteng, the Business Secretary, asked Drax to keep the coal units online after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent wholesale energy prices soaring – and consumer bills with them.

They will remain on standby throughout the winter to provide backup capacity, amid fears that a standoff with Russia threatens to wreak havoc in the European gas market during the colder months.

The market turmoil has proved fruitful for some power generators, with Drax’s half-year results yesterday showing the company’s profits leapt from £186m to £225m in the six months to June 30.