Drax BECCS Pilot Project
Drax Power Station, Selby, North Yorkshire, England · 2018–Present (First pilot started October 2018, captured first CO2 early 2019) [1] [2] · £400,000 (initial investment for the first pilot) [3]
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchThe Drax BECCS pilot was the first of its kind in Europe, aiming to demonstrate negative emissions technology. It is a crucial step in Drax's ambition to become a carbon-negative company and contribute to the UK's net-zero targets. The project has explored different capture technologies and laid the groundwork for potential full-scale deployment. [1] [2]
Key engineering challenges
Integrating carbon capture technology with existing biomass power generation infrastructure. [1] - Demonstrating the technical feasibility and efficiency of BECCS at scale. [1] - Optimizing the capture process for different flue gas compositions. [1] - Reducing the cost of carbon capture to make BECCS commercially viable. [4]
Project facts
- Client / owner
- Drax Group
- Lead contractor
- C-Capture (technology provider for the first pilot) [1]
- Lead designers
- Drax Group, C-Capture
- Project type
- new build (pilot/demonstrator)
- Scale
- First pilot capable of capturing up to 1 tonne of CO2 per day. [1]
- Disciplines
- chemical; mechanical; environmental; process engineering; project management
- Standards & frameworks
- UK environmental regulations, carbon capture guidelines.
Sources: IEA: Drax BECCS – CCUS around the world in 2021 (https://www.iea.org/reports/ccus-around-the-world-in-2021/drax-beccs) [1] - Drax: BECCS and negative emissions (https://www.drax.com/what-we-do/bioenergy-carbon-capture-use-and-storage-beccs/) [2] - Drax: Drax to pilot Europe’s first carbon capture storage project (https://www.drax.com/us/press_release/drax-to-pilot-europes-first-carbon-capture-storage-project-beccs/) [3] - Ember Energy: Understanding the cost of the Drax BECCS plant to UK (https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2021/05/The-cost-of-Drax-BECCS.pdf) [4]