* A provisional agreement has been reached by the
* Agreement shows continued support for sustainable biomass recognising its critical role in energy systems and forest management
* Directive will continue to class sustainably sourced woody biomass as a 100% renewable energy source in the EU
Global renewable energy leader,
The agreement reached by the EU Institutions this week recognises the importance of sustainably sourced biomass within the region, providing renewable, reliable power while displacing fossil fuels and supporting good forest management.
Counterproductive and arbitrary proposals presented during the legislative process, such as a cap on the use of "primary woody biomass", have been rejected. These would have had serious consequences for EU's energy security and forest health.
The agreement demonstrates the EU's continued support for sustainable biomass and will strengthen sustainability standards to reflect good forest management practices and align with the cascading principle to ensure that wood is utilised to its highest economic and environmental added value.
Importantly, the updated Directive reaffirms sustainably sourced biomass as a 100 percent renewable energy source, as well as includes provisions to ensure that biomass goes to the highest value application, including Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), a vital carbon removal technology in which Drax plans to become a global leader. Drax CEO,
"Biomass has a critical role to play in supporting energy security as the world decarbonizes, providing reliable, renewable power and displacing fossil fuels. We are pleased to see the
"As a global leader in sustainable biomass, we are committed to ensuring that the biomass we source has a positive impact on climate, nature and the communities in which we operate and hope this decision will ensure biomass continues to play a central role in
Biomass, when sustainably sourced, uses sawmill residuals like sawdust, harvest residuals including tops, branches and bark as well as low-grade roundwood. The market for this fibre helps improve the health and productivity of forests while providing rural counties with a new income stream.
As the only reliable renewable, biomass plays an important role in the
The final text of the agreement has yet to be published, and Drax looks forward to sharing further information with its stakeholders in due course. Media contact:
Media Manager
E: [email protected]
T: 07821665493
Note to the Editors:
Please find the press release from the
About Drax
Drax's around 3,000 employees operate across three principal areas of activity - electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production and supply to third parties. For more information visit www.drax.com Power generation:
Drax owns and operates a portfolio of renewable electricity generation assets in
Having converted
Its pumped storage, hydro and energy from waste assets in
The Group also aims to build on its BECCS innovation at
The Group has 19 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around 5 million tonnes a year.
Drax is targeting 8 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over 3 million tonnes of new biomass pellet production capacity. The pellets are produced using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests and are supplied to third party customers in
Drax's pellet plants supply biomass used at its own power station in
Drax supplies renewable electricity to
To find out more go to the website www.energy.drax.com
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