UK government gives go-ahead for construction of multi-billion-pound carbon capture facility

The project proposes to install post-combustion capture technology that would capture carbon dioxide emissions at two existing biomass units at the Drax power station in Drax, North Yorkshire.

However, there are differing views over what the project would cost UK taxpayers.

Yesterday (16 January), Drax claimed that cost savings from carbon removals from the bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) could save £700 million (US$885.5 million) per year from 2030 to 2050 compared to other carbon reduction measures.

It claimed that the annual amount of carbon captured by the project would be equivalent to taking three million cars off the road or cancelling all annual departing flights from Heathrow Airport.

Meanwhile, climate think tank Ember claimed that the facility’s development and operation could require subsidies from the government of up to £1.7 billion a year (US$2.2 billion).

Dependent on funding, the project could start construction in 2027.

Will Gardiner, CEO Drax Group, said: “The DCO approval is another milestone in the development of our BECCS plans, and demonstrates both the continued role that Drax Power Station has in delivering UK energy security and the critical role it could have in delivering large-scale carbon dioxide removals to meet Net Zero targets.

“We look forward to working with our supply chain and other partners over the coming years on the project which, when fully operational, will deliver secure renewable power and approximately 8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide removals per year.

“We welcome the ongoing development of policy support for BECCS and the anticipated launch of a consultation on a bridging mechanism for biomass generators to take them from the end of current renewable schemes through to BECCS operations.”