London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Among Europe’s dirtiest: ‘Green’ biomass power plant in Yorkshire burning ‘renewable’ wood emits MORE CO2 than UK’s coal – report

Among Europe’s dirtiest: ‘Green’ biomass power plant in Yorkshire burning ‘renewable’ wood emits MORE CO2 than UK’s coal – report

A supposedly “carbon neutral” Drax biomass power plant is the UK’s leading source of CO2 emissions, and belches out more harmful carbon and particulate matter than some of Europe’s dirtiest coal plants, according to a new report.
Renewable energy firm Drax describes its plant in North Yorkshire as a “purely renewable” facility, boasting that it has slashed its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 90% since 2012. The plant burns biomass – pellets of compressed wood – and received £832 million ($1.13 billion) in direct government subsidies last year, on top of an estimated £258 million ($351 million) in carbon tax breaks.

Yet the energy generated at Drax is far from green, a new report by environmental think tank Ember claims. While the UK and EU consider biomass power “carbon neutral,” this assessment is based on the assumption that biomass emissions are offset by the planting of new trees.

This forest regrowth takes time, and the European Academies’ Sciences Advisory Council (EASAC) reported earlier this year that switching plants from coal to biomass – as was the case at Drax’ Yorkshire facility – would not cause any drop in emissions for at least three to five decades.

“Such technology is not effective in mitigating climate change and may even increase the risk of dangerous climate change,” the EASAC stated.

In the UK, wood burning plants like Drax’ currently spew out more CO2 than coal plants, including coal used in steel production. Drax is the country’s top emitter, releasing 13.3 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere per year, compared to the entire coal sector’s yearly emissions of 10 million tons.

Data shows that Drax is Europe’s third-worst emitter of CO2, behind Germany's Neurath and Poland’s Bełchatów coal plants. It is also Europe’s fourth-worst emitter of PM10 particulate matter, coming in behind three coal plants in Poland and Romania. It is the only biomass facility to rank in Europe’s top ten CO2 and PM10 emissions lists.

A Drax spokesman responded to Ember’s report by describing the think tank’s figures as “inaccurate and completely at odds with what the world’s leading climate scientists at the UN IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] say about sustainable biomass being crucial to delivering global climate targets.” The company says that its carbon emissions are “biologically sequestered,” meaning they are technically counted as zero under the previously-mentioned EU and UK assumptions of forest regrowth.

However, critics suggest that the scientific consensus on “sustainable” biomass may soon change.

“Recent science demonstrates that burning forest biomass for power is unlikely to be carbon neutral – and there’s a real risk that it’s responsible for significant emissions,” Ember Chief Operating Officer Phil MacDonald stated. “Before the government spends more taxpayer money on biomass, we should make sure we know we’re getting the emissions reductions that we’re paying for.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×