Copyright politico
Yet its critics are growing in number and volume. Climate campaigners shout greenwashing. Senior politicians who once backed Drax now trash its impact on the environment. The idea of relying on biomass long-term is “dangerous,” says one Labour backbencher. All the while, Drax is locked in talks with the government over even more financial support, this time for upgrades which would secure its future and ensure its compatibility with stringent climate goals. At the same time, the U.K.’s leading financial watchdog is digging deep into its operations — an investigation which could lead to a hefty fine and another dent to the plant’s reputation. POLITICO went inside. Inside the factory The Drax Power Station covers a sprawling 1,250 acre site near the Yorkshire village of Selby. Once a bastion of coal power, it is now the U.K.’s leading source of biomass, shipping in wood pellets from trees harvested in North America. The plant consists of 12 cooling towers with chimneys taller than the London Eye. Its four biome domes are 65 meters high, each vast enough to house the Royal Albert Hall. These power its four biomass terminals, which meet 8 percent of all the U.K.’s energy demands. The pellets are moved around the site on a 25-carriage train, decorated with the Drax logo.
