Drax carbon capture pilot claims its first CO2

Drax Power Station’s bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) pilot has sequestered its first carbon dioxide, in what the company claims is a world first.

Developed in partnership with Leeds-based C-Capture, the demonstration unit will gather just one ton of CO2 per day, a drop in the ocean of Drax’s overall carbon output. If scaled up, however, the technology could potentially be used to help decarbonise the energy sector, with Drax claiming it could become the world’s first negative emissions power station.

“Proving that this innovative carbon capture technology works is an exciting development and another important milestone in our BECCS project,” said Drax Group CEO, Will Gardiner. “Climate change affects us all so this is of real significance – not just for us at Drax, but also for the UK and the rest of the world.

“The successful deployment of BECCS requires us to identify ways in which the carbon dioxide we’re now capturing can be stored or used in other processes and we’re working with the government and other businesses on that.”