On December 14, 2021, a freight train transporting wood pellets to the Drax Power Station was halted outside Selby, North Yorkshire. Standing in front of the train in orange high-vis, Diana Warner, a retired GP and member of Extinction Rebellion and the Axe Drax coalition, decried UK’s “most ridiculous power station” chopping down forests to produce “renewable” electricity and perpetuating environmental racism in marginalized communities in Canada and Southern US.

Diana’s courageous actions have left her in a legal struggle which could land her in prison, the decision being taken to Leeds Crown Court in the last week of February. Climate activists are about to launch a campaign in the Leeds City Centre, to support Diana and to further expose Drax’s greenwashing operations.

Carbon Neutral wood pellets?

Formerly the UK’s largest coal power station, Drax began switching from coal to biomass fuel, namely the wood pellet; small compressed cylinders formed from sawdust, wood shavings and forest leftovers in this century. Today, Drax burns 6.5 million tonnes of imported wood pellets annually, generating about 6% of the nation’s electricity and receives over £700 million government subsidies on average every year for this “renewable energy source”. However, with a closer look, wood pellets are by no means as “renewable” as Drax claims, but explicit greenwashing. 

Drax’s claims that these wood pellets are carbon-neutral are incredibly misleading. One is led to believe that the CO2 released during combustion is countered by the carbon absorbed by newly planted trees that replace removed forests, delivering climate benefits as a fossil fuel substitute. But this explanation is flawed since burning wood pellets releases carbon immediately, whereas replanted trees take decades to recapture equal CO2. Scientific analyses indicate that the regrowth of new trees to maturity spans 44 to 104 years, meaning “burning wood pellets would create a carbon debt that would not be paid off” in the current climate emergency.

The replanted forests are not capable of recreating the original natural forests, which serve as irreplaceable carbon sinks and wildlife habitats due to their rich biodiversity and complex ecosystems. BBC Panorama discovered data from British Columbia’s Ministry of Forests showing the company took over 40,000 tonnes of wood from old-growth forests in 2023, which may permanently degrade carbon-rich ecosystems.

Struggling with compliance 

Drax has a poor track record in regard to long term sustainability. Its wood pellet factories in the US and Canada have repeatedly exceeded toxic air pollutant limits and contaminated waterways in marginal communities. In Gloster, a low-income, majority-Black community in Mississippi, local residents around Drax’s Amite BioEnergy pellet factory have suffered from respiratory diseases related to air pollution. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality penalized Drax $2.5 million for exceeding emission limits and Drax Group’s six pellet factories in the US have had over 8,700 similar breachers since 2020. Drax also paid a £25 million UK government fine in 2024 for misreporting its wood sources. 

£470 million subsidies a year from 2027?

The UK government has determined that Drax’s must halve their annual subsidy to £470 million from 2027 to 2035 but only if their wood source is 100% sustainable. However, this compromise is not adequate in light of the urgency of the climate crisis, £470 million a year is still far too high. The prior subsidies and enormous number of “sustainability-linked loans” (SSL) issued by large commercial banks with reduced interest rates and accountability requirements has meant that Drax faces limited constraints in expanding its biomass business. As of August 2024, Drax has accepted its biggest $553 million SLL to date.

As studies from E3G show, biomass is not necessary to meet the UK’s 2030 energy decarbonization target, green hydrogen, produced from renewable energy, is a better alternative for back-up power. The real focus should be accelerating offshore wind generation and related infrastructure, smart metering and regulations on gas-fired plant rather than funding a bogus option with taxpayer’s money.

Diana’s trial is on February 24th-26th. Extinction Rebellion Leeds is going to hold a funeral for the trees and a court support in the city centre, bringing more awareness to Drax’s deeds and energy transition strategies. We are calling for more people to join in. If you’re interested, join the campaign’s group chat by contacting Zane via xinzhi0902@gmail.com Hope to hear your voices outside the Court!

Words by Xinzhi Zhou