{"id":605158,"date":"2024-01-18T15:23:12","date_gmt":"2024-01-18T12:23:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/worlds-largest-carbon-capture-plant-is-uks-next-big-white-elephant\/"},"modified":"2024-01-18T15:23:12","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T12:23:12","slug":"worlds-largest-carbon-capture-plant-is-uks-next-big-white-elephant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/worlds-largest-carbon-capture-plant-is-uks-next-big-white-elephant\/","title":{"rendered":"#World\u2019s largest carbon capture plant is UK\u2019s \u2018next big white elephant\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3db8465b044\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3db8465b044\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/worlds-largest-carbon-capture-plant-is-uks-next-big-white-elephant\/#How_will_it_work\" >How will it work?\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/worlds-largest-carbon-capture-plant-is-uks-next-big-white-elephant\/#%E2%80%98UKs_next_white_elephant_development\" >\u2018UK\u2019s next white elephant development\u2019\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/worlds-largest-carbon-capture-plant-is-uks-next-big-white-elephant\/#The_root_of_the_problem\" >The root of the problem\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/worlds-largest-carbon-capture-plant-is-uks-next-big-white-elephant\/#Our_take\" >Our take\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div id=\"article-main-content\">\n                            <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a move that has sparked widespread criticism from scientists and politicians alike, the UK government has <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roved plans to install carbon capture <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a> at Britain\u2019s largest power plant.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under the plans, power generator <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drax will install so-called bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology at two of four biomass units at the Drax power station in Yorkshire.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drax switched from burning coal to burning biomass \u2014 mostly wood pellets \u2014 in 2019. The Drax power station, which produces around 4% of the UK\u2019s power, mostly burns wood imported from North America.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite the switch, the plant was identified last year by climate think tank Ember as the country\u2019s <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ember-climate.org\/insights\/research\/drax-co2-emissions-biomass\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">single largest CO2 emitter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"inarticle-wrapper channel-cta\">\n<div class=\"ica-text\">\n<p class=\"ica-text__title\">TNW Conference 2024 &#8211; Speakers announced!<\/p>\n<p>Meet the powerhouse experts that will take the stage on June 20 &amp; 21 in Amsterdam and save your seat today.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, according to Drax, its power station is climate neutral because the emissions from the wood it burns are offset by the CO2 absorbed by regrowing trees in place of those that were cut down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By adding BECCS, the power station would become the world\u2019s first \u201ccarbon-negative\u201d power plant and the largest carbon capture plant globally, the company claims. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The firm points to <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.drax.com\/uk\/press_release\/analysis-development-of-beccs-at-drax-power-station-projected-to-save-uk-15bn-and-offset-carbon-emissions-equivalent-to-all-departing-flights-from-heathrow\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">research<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> published (albeit commissioned by the power company) from independent consultancy Baringa, suggesting the plant would s<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trip<\/a> 8 million tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere annually.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis research shows BECCS at Drax Power Station offers the most cost-effective, straightforward, and efficient way to help the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">country meet climate targets and could save billions of pounds, remove millions of tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere, and support the UK\u2019s energy security,\u201d said Will Gardiner, CEO of Drax Group.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drax\u2019s carbon capture units are set to be installed in 2030.\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_will_it_work\"><\/span><b>How will it work?\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BECCS is basically like putting a giant lid on a power plant, capturing its emissions, and storing them underground in liquid form.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under the approved plans, after the pellets are burned to produce power, flue gas containing emitted carbon dioxide would be cooled and treated before being sent through an absorption tower to remove the greenhouse gas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1403132 size-full js-lazy\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1200\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station.jpeg 1920w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station-280x175.jpeg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station-216x135.jpeg 216w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station-432x270.jpeg 432w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station-1536x960.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station-796x498.jpeg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station-1592x995.jpeg 1592w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fsustainability%2F2024%2F01%2F18%2Fcarbon-capture-plant-drax-controversy%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: The Drax power station was the UK\u2019s top emitter in 2023 despite its recent switch from burning coal to wood. Credit: Drax\" data-title=\"Share The Drax power station was the UK\u2019s top emitter in 2023 despite its recent switch from burning coal to wood. Credit: Drax on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share The Drax power station was the UK\u2019s top emitter in 2023 despite its recent switch from burning coal to wood. Credit: Drax on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>The Drax power station was the UK\u2019s top emitter in 2023 despite its recent switch from burning coal to wood. Credit: Drax<\/figcaption><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1403132 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station.jpeg 1920w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station-280x175.jpeg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station-216x135.jpeg 216w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station-432x270.jpeg 432w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station-1536x960.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station-796x498.jpeg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-station-1592x995.jpeg 1592w\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Within this absorption tower, the cooled and treated gas would be subject to a chemical reaction using amine solvent, which is a compound of ammonia.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The resultant substance would then be reheated to create a pure stream of carbon dioxide, which would subsequently be transported via repurposed pipelines to be stored beneath the North Sea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The whole project is expected to cost in the region of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a32bn, a large chunk of which will need to be provided by the British government.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%98UKs_next_white_elephant_development\"><\/span><b>\u2018UK\u2019s next white elephant development\u2019\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drax claims that the retrofit will make it the <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.drax.com\/press_release\/drax-submits-plans-to-build-worlds-largest-carbon-capture-and-storage-project\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">world\u2019s largest carbon capture facility<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. However, BECCS has never been undertaken on such a large scale and many doubts hang over its credibility as a renewable energy source.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The upgrade is also expected to cost the taxpayer a whopping <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ember-climate.org\/insights\/in-brief\/draxs-beccs-project-climbs-in-cost-to-the-uk-public\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a343bn in extra bills<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> over the next 25 years, according to Ember.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Three conservative MPs have criticised plans to continue subsidies for Drax. \u201cThe proposed technology is not proven,\u201d said MP Peter Bottomley. \u201cThere must be no further subsidies for burning trees in our power stations beyond 2027 contracts. The Government should instead focus on increasing tree cover and backing wind, solar and nuclear energy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1403130 js-lazy\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1-280x186.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1-203x135.jpg 203w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1-406x270.jpg 406w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1-796x530.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1-1592x1060.jpg 1592w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fsustainability%2F2024%2F01%2F18%2Fcarbon-capture-plant-drax-controversy%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Just two biomass units at the Drax power plant burn through 8 million tonnes of wood pellets each year. Credit: Drax Group\" data-title=\"Share Just two biomass units at the Drax power plant burn through 8 million tonnes of wood pellets each year. Credit: Drax Group on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Just two biomass units at the Drax power plant burn through 8 million tonnes of wood pellets each year. Credit: Drax Group on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Just two biomass units at the Drax power plant burn through 8 million tonnes of wood pellets each year. Credit: Drax Group<\/figcaption><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1403130\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1-280x186.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1-203x135.jpg 203w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1-406x270.jpg 406w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1-796x530.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/Wood_Pellets_Hero-1920x1278-1-1592x1060.jpg 1592w\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the logic that burning trees is good for the climate sounds too good to be true, it\u2019s because it probably is.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 2018<\/span> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-9326\/aaa512\/meta\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> led by John David Sterman from MIT found that <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">it would take up to 100 years for replanted trees to suck up the equivalent amount of carbon emitted in biomass plants. In the meantime, all that carbon would be in the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cPlanning permission isn\u2019t much use if it\u2019s for a technology that doesn\u2019t exist yet, wrecks the world\u2019s forests, and is probably too expensive for the UK to ever afford,\u201d said Matt Williams, senior advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council, a US-based <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">environmental advocacy group<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u201cThis could be the UK\u2019s next big white elephant development.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_root_of_the_problem\"><\/span><b>The root of the problem\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For years, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drax has been benefiting from huge government incentives based on the pretence that its power plant is one of the UK\u2019s largest producers of renewable energy \u2014 which stood at around 9% in 2021, equalling 4% of the country\u2019s total energy production.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the widespread support for biomass energy stems from 2009, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">when the EU defined burning wood for power as a renewable energy source <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">as part of its <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nrdc.org\/stories\/no-burning-wood-fuels-not-climate-friendly\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Renewable Energy Directive<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhen these EU policies were first coming up, there appeared to be a genuine misunderstanding about the carbon impacts from biomass,\u201d explains Heather Hillaker, a staff attorney with the environmental nonprofit Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC). \u201cThis is not the magical solution we\u2019ve been looking for to fight climate change.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1403131 js-lazy\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"849\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/logs-498538_1280.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/logs-498538_1280.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/logs-498538_1280-280x186.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/logs-498538_1280-204x135.jpg 204w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/logs-498538_1280-407x270.jpg 407w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/logs-498538_1280-796x528.jpg 796w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fsustainability%2F2024%2F01%2F18%2Fcarbon-capture-plant-drax-controversy%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: The Drax power station has been linked to deforestation of old-growth forests in North America. Credit: Skitterphoto\/Pixabay\" data-title=\"Share The Drax power station has been linked to deforestation of old-growth forests in North America. Credit: Skitterphoto\/Pixabay on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share The Drax power station has been linked to deforestation of old-growth forests in North America. Credit: Skitterphoto\/Pixabay on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>The Drax power station has been linked to deforestation of old-growth forests in North America. Credit: Skitterphoto\/Pixabay<\/figcaption><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1403131\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/logs-498538_1280.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"849\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/logs-498538_1280.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/logs-498538_1280-280x186.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/logs-498538_1280-204x135.jpg 204w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/logs-498538_1280-407x270.jpg 407w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/logs-498538_1280-796x528.jpg 796w\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then there\u2019s the fact that some very big questions exist around the sustainability of the wood pellets Drax burns at its plant. A BBC <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/science-environment-63089348\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">investigation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in 2022 found that some of Drax\u2019s wood came from mature forests in Canada that would take generations to regrow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe real reason Drax is pushing for BECCS is because they know they won\u2019t be allowed to carry on burning trees unabated without the promise of capturing the carbon sometime in the future and the UK government has fallen for the lie,\u201d said <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katy Brown from British campaign group Biofuelwatch.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Our_take\"><\/span><b>Our take\u00a0<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drax\u2019s carbon capture plans look more like a wolf in sheep\u2019s clothing than a genuine solution to the climate crisis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 8 million tonnes of carbon savings that Drax points to rests on one key assumption: that the carbon released when wood pellets are burned is recaptured by new growth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, several independent investigations and research papers suggest otherwise. To us, this seems like some clever carbon accounting on Drax\u2019s part.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the plethora of proven renewable energy technologies available right now, at a lower cost, it seems silly \u2014 to say the least \u2014 to keep on pumping taxpayers\u2019 money into technologies that could potentially make climate change even worse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether the Drax BECCS project will receive the government backing it needs now rests with the Tory government \u2014 who haven\u2019t exactly had a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">good track record<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of sound environmental decision-making. <\/span>\n                        <\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/carbon-capture-plant-drax-controversy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a move that has sparked widespread criticism from scientists and politicians alike, the UK government has approved plans to install carbon capture technology at Britain\u2019s largest power plant. Under the plans, power generator Drax will install so-called bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology at two of four biomass units at the Drax&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":605159,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/tnw-blurple?filter_last=1&fit=1280,640&url=https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/01\/drax-power-plant-carbon-capture.jpg&signature=a0dd5e64d913496eeb917bed11d433b1","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-605158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=605158"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605158\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/605159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=605158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=605158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=605158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}