Under figures released by Drax, for the two generating units for which its carbon capture planning application applies, net electricity capacity will be reduced from 1,302MWe to 931MWe. This represents a sizable 28 per cent drop in its energy output in comparison to pre-carbon capture figures.
Over the last decade, four of the power station’s six generating units have been converted to use sustainable biomass, which Drax claims has an 80 per cent lower carbon footprint compared to when they used coal.
Its carbon capture plans have been focused on eliminating emissions from those units rather than the two remaining coal units, which were due to be shut down next month. The UK government recently extended their lifespan by six months due to the concerns over energy shortages in the winter.
According to Almuth Ernsting, a campaigner at Biofuelwatch, Drax’s carbon capture proposal makes “no sense” with regards to addressing the climate crisis.
“Drax burns...