Biomass is considered climate-friendly by the government because the emissions it generates from burning wood pellets are offset by the planting of new trees over decades.
British politicians of all stripes have backed Drax’s biomass over the past decade, arguing that the reliable energy it provides is essential to meeting the country’s needs. “Drax power station plays a critical role in the U.K.’s energy security,” a company spokesperson said.
In October last year, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband received advice on government subsidies for biomass from one of his closest allies — with a clear message.
Alan Whitehead, for years a shadow energy minister under Miliband, and by December a minister in Miliband’s department, published a report saying that continued government backing for biomass was “only sensible” if firms upgrade their terminals with carbon capture installations, given the greenhouse emissions associated with the industry. Drax was the only firm piloting the tech “at a large scale,” his paper said.
Whitehead wasn’t the only expert pushing to get BECCS up and running.
Last year, Jeremy Pocklington, then the top official at Miliband’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, told MPs BECCS was “the opportunity to provide the ‘net’ in ‘net zero’ at scale, alongside other greenhouse gas removal technologies.”
