YP Letters: Biomass is delivering on sustainable power at Drax

I WANTED to reassure Neil Richardson (The Yorkshire Post, October 16) that our independently audited figures for carbon savings with biomass do take account of our entire supply chain including harvesting, processing and transportation of the sustainable biomass we use, most of which is sourced from North America.

We have invested £650m in upgrading half of our power station in North Yorkshire to use sustainable compressed wood pellets (biomass), instead of coal. As a result, we now produce 17 per cent of the UK’s renewable power – enough for four million households. Our biomass-fuelled generating units deliver carbon savings of 68 per cent compared to if they used gas and 80 per cent compared to when they used coal.

Once at ports in the North of England, the pellets are delivered to Drax by rail, using specially-designed freight wagons. Statistical analysis suggests rail freight produces 76 per cent less CO2 emissions than the equivalent HGV journey.

Drax is playing a leading role in helping to change the way energy is generated, supplied and used as the UK moves to a low carbon future. Biomass provides flexible, reliable renewable power, helping to keep the lights on and the costs down.