Drax takes biomass to the next level with order from £100m terminal

SELBY’S Drax Power Station has been part of the “Northern Powerhouse in action” as it connects with the Port of Liverpool’s new terminal.

Drax has taken its first shipment of sustainable biomass pellets from the £100m terminal at the Port of Liverpool, operated by Peel Ports.

A freight train with 25 specially-designed wagons carrying 1,600 tonnes of pellets left the port for the 99-mile journey to the power station.

Becoming part of the “biggest carbon saving project in Europe” the first phase of the North West port terminal has connected east and west to help Drax in its efforts towards a low carbon future.

Drax last year delivered 12% of the UK’s renewable electricity, and produces 2,000 megawatts of power, enough for 3m homes.

Andy Koss, chief executive of Drax Power Ltd, said: “This is the Northern Powerhouse in action; bringing east-west connectivity and driving business and economic growth between the north west and Yorkshire.”

He added: “This new Liverpool terminal adds to facilities on the east coast, bolstering our network still further. A robust supply chain is crucial as we continue to use the latest technology to transform the Drax power station to generate electricity using sustainable biomass, providing the UK with reliable, affordable, low carbon energy.”

When complete, in 2016, the Port of Liverpool terminal will have the capacity to handle 3m tonnes of wood pellets a year.

The biomass terminal is set to create 47 permanent jobs at the Port of Liverpool, while construction of the facility and the supply chain will create up to a further 300 jobs.

Gary Hodgson, chief operations officer of the Peel Ports Group, said: “East west connectivity is crucial for driving growth across the entire of the North of England. This is a landmark moment for both the Port of Liverpool and Drax as we provide tangible evidence of how businesses across the north can work together to fuel the Northern Powerhouse.

“The Port of Liverpool can be a huge engine for growth for the Northern Powerhouse as we already handle 45% of the UK’s total transatlantic trade. This new service is a testament to the global supply chains which can already be accessed from the Port of Liverpool and these global links will increase dramatically when Liverpool2 is up and running.”