London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Power giant Drax told by own advisers to stop calling biomass 'carbon neutral'

Power giant Drax told by own advisers to stop calling biomass 'carbon neutral'

Drax burns woody biomass pellets shipped from overseas to create electricity in the UK on the basis it could be greener than burning coal, qualifying it for government subsidies. But its scientists have raised questions about whether the impact of biomass really is neutral.
The UK's largest bioenergy supplier has been told by its own scientific advisers to stop calling biomass 'carbon neutral' - raising "difficult questions" about the future of the controversial energy form when its subsidies expire in 2027.

Drax began burning woody biomass pellets instead of coal to produce electricity ten years ago, on the basis that doing so effectively neutralises the planet-heating carbon emissions, because new trees are planted to absorb those gases.

This science is disputed, but the UK government classes bioenergy as renewable. This qualifies Drax for subsidies of around £1.7 million a day for providing about 6% of the country's electricity.

Drax has now been told by its independent advisory board to "reassess its criteria for determining carbon neutrality", according to a summary of meetings and correspondence last year.

"Drax should move away from saying 'carbon stocks are increasing/stable' and stating biomass is carbon neutral," added the board, chaired by former government chief scientific adviser Professor Sir John Beddington.

It comes as Drax meets for its AGM today.

It will be hoping for a hint of further subsidies in the government's long overdue strategy on biomass - fuels made from trees and crops, usually from overseas - expected by the end of June.

"Deeply worrying" but "nuanced"

Energy policy professor Rob Gross, who directs the UK Energy Research Centre, called it "surprising" if Drax has not yet "nailed down the criteria".

"The premise on which Drax was converted to bioenergy, and the basis on which it's been given government subsidies was that bioenergy is zero carbon, or at least very low carbon, and can contribute towards our carbon targets and net zero", he said.

A spokesperson for Drax said: "The science that underpins our approach is complicated, nuanced and evolves, and we take our responsibility to continue to develop our explanation of it very seriously."

The advisory board "reaffirmed the importance of our ongoing work to expand our use of science and evidence in how we discuss our carbon accounting and biomass more generally", they added.

Last summer Drax denied complaints to a UK government body that its claims to carbon neutrality were misleading and breached OECD guidelines.

Phil MacDonald, from energy thinktank Ember, described the findings as "deeply worrying".

He said Drax has "had more than a decade of operations to get its argument straight on why burning biomass is good for the climate".

If biomass were not carbon neutral, some emissions may have to be added to the UK's tally.

This prospect would likely be unattractive to the UK government, which is off course to meet its goals to slash emissions and eventually reach net zero by 2050.

'Difficult questions about biomass future'

The board's recommendation "raises difficult questions about the future of biomass beyond 2027" when subsidies expire, said Dr Dan Quiggin, senior research fellow at thinktank Chatham House.

Ministers are under pressure not to renew subsidies for bioenergy generators amid some concern that burning wood to generate electricity damages forests, soils and habitats, and may even increase carbon dioxide emissions.

The United Nations' climate scientists, the IPCC, said bioenergy can lead to an increase or decrease in emissions, depending on how sustainably the material is sourced, transported and so on.

Drax and the government say its operations follow the strictest sustainability criteria, and assesses its carbon impact using agreed IPCC methods.

"We can live without Drax because we can live without any individual power station," said Professor Gross. But whether we would want to is another question, he said, especially as the UK reassesses its energy security.

"It's not reliant upon the gas supplies from other countries, and, unlike wind and solar, it's flexible. You can turn it up, you can turn it down, you can turn it off."

Drax has warned its operations may become unviable after 2027, unless the government pledges further subsidies to help it develop bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), which involves storing the emissions from the plant underground, in order to offer negative emissions.

'Preventing runaway climate change harder to achieve'

The "concerning" part, according to Dr Quiggin, is that if bioenergy is not carbon neutral to start with, it reduces the impact of adding on carbon capture and storage (CCS), because some of the carbon removals would be spent on offsetting those emissions.

"The carbon negative emissions of BECCS in the future could be lower, and that will mean that meeting our climate targets and preventing runaway climate change is that much harder to achieve," he said.

The government's climate advisers, the CCC, says the UK will rely on negative emissions, or carbon removals to meet climate targets, because some sectors like aviation might be impossible to rid of emissions.

A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: "The Government, with support from the Committee for Climate Change, considers biomass a critical renewable and low carbon energy source.

"It has helped to dramatically reduce the use of fossil fuels and our exposure to volatile global gas prices, and provided an additional source of energy to bolster our energy security."

A Drax spokesperson added the company is "committed to ensuring that the biomass we source delivers positive outcomes for the climate, nature and the communities in which we operate".
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×