Drax contributes £728m towards North's economy, report finds

Energy company Drax Group contributed £728m towards the economy in the North of England and supported 6,600 jobs across the region, according to a new report.
By Ismail Mulla
Published 22nd Mar 2021, 16:45 BST
Updated 22nd Mar 2021, 17:50 BST
DraxDrax
Drax

The independent analysis by Oxford Economics measured the economic impact of Drax’s UK operations, which includes Drax Power Station, near Selby in North Yorkshire – the country’s biggest renewable power generator, which produces enough renewable electricity for four million homes.

Thousands more jobs could be created in the years ahead as part of Drax’s plan to deploy bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A report by Vivid Economics found that deploying green technologies like BECCS and hydrogen could create and support almost 50,000 jobs in the Humber region this decade.

Will Gardiner, CEO of Drax Group, said: “Drax’s renewable power operations and sophisticated supply chains are helping level up the UK by supporting jobs, skills and opportunities.

“We aim to go further by deploying cutting edge green technologies like bioenergy with carbon capture and storage to help Britain build back better, delivering a post-Covid, green economic recovery by vital new technologies needed to address the climate crisis.”

Jobs supported by Drax’s activities covered a wide range of sectors including manufacturing of industrial components, IT and professional business services.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

James Bedford, economist at Oxford Economics, said: “Drax Group makes an important economic contribution to the UK. Its activities generated £2.2bn in GDP in 2019, and sustained thousands of jobs across the nation.

“The positive impact from Drax’s operations aren’t just confined to the boundaries of its power stations or customer contact centres, it is spread across the country benefiting communities throughout the UK.”

---

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today.

Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you'll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers.

So, please - if you can - pay for our work. Just £5 per month is the starting point. If you think that which we are trying to achieve is worth more, you can pay us what you think we are worth. By doing so, you will be investing in something that is becoming increasingly rare. Independent journalism that cares less about right and left and more about right and wrong. Journalism you can trust.

Thank you

James Mitchinson

Related topics:NorthEnglandJobsNorth Yorkshire