The Environment Agency has launched a consultation on Drax Power Ltd's proposals to develop Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) at its power station site near Selby, North Yorkshire.
Carbon capture is the removal of carbon dioxide from waste gases (usually by absorbing the carbon dioxide in a special solvent) and either utilising it or storing it underground, reducing the amount of emissions into the atmosphere.
Drax Power Ltd wants to capture the carbon dioxide emitted during electricity generation, to prevent the majority of it from entering the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide captured will be transported via a pipeline for permanent storage under the North Sea.
To capture carbon dioxide from the combustion process, Drax will need an environmental permit from the Environment Agency. It will also need a Development Consent Order, following a process led and examined by the Planning Inspectorate.
Kathryn Richardson, Environment Manager at the Environment Agency said:
The Environment Agency has an important part to play in permitting many of the energy technologies that are likely to emerge over the coming years.
Our role is to ensure that these new technologies, including carbon capture, are conducted in a way that protects people and the environment.
We're now seeking views from the local community and interested groups on this application. We encourage them to come and see us at our engagement events so they can find out more and view the plans in detail.
The consultation will run from 26 May 2023 to 29 June 2023 and will include a drop-in event in Drax village and a virtual drop-in session:
- Tuesday 6th June, 2pm to 5pm at Drax Village Hall, 168 Main Road, Drax, YO8 8NJ
- Tuesday 13th June, 6pm to 7pm, online event
These sessions will provide
