Drax: Report shows BECCS can be done well, at scale

A panel convened by U.K.-based nonprofit Forum for the Future on Nov. 23 released a report on bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECSS). Drax Group CEO Will Gardiner said the report shows that BECCS can be done well and at scale.

The report outlines 30 conditions that the panel says Drax should meet in order to ensure further investment in BECSS delivers positive outcomes for society, climate and the economy. These conditions include ensuring 100 percent of feedstocks are certified under internationally recognized sustainable certification schemes; aggressively reducing emissions from direct operations and the wider value chain, including prioritizing investment in renewable power at pellet plants; agreeing to publicly disclose stack emissions and captured CO2 tonnage on a weekly basis; and consulting with policymakers and NGOs on the development of a comprehensive transparency dashboard.

“This report by Jonathon Porritt and an independent panel of experts convened by the Forum for the Future confirms that bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) will play a key role in averting the climate catastrophe,” said Gardiner in a statement released Nov. 23. “The report shows BECCS can be done well, and at scale, so that it delivers positive outcomes for the climate, nature and people. As a company with ambitions to lead the world in this critical carbon removal technology, we are excited about the possibilities our BECCS projects can bring to the forests and communities where we operate, as well as the role they will play in addressing the climate crisis.

“Drax welcomes constructive input and challenge on BECCS and we want to continue working with stakeholders to ensure that BECCS is done well and delivered to the highest standards, using strict governance and forest monitoring to ensure positive outcomes.

“BECCS is the only technology available which can permanently remove millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere whilst generating the reliable, renewable power decarbonizing economies need. It also has the potential to kickstart a whole new sector of the economy, creating thousands of jobs in communities which need them.

“We look forward to using the report to create a blueprint for how to do BECCS well. We will publish a full response to the report’s recommendations in due course.”

A full copy of the report can be downloaded from the Forum for the Future website.