08 September 2019
The challenge
Drax Group plc is an innovative energy company that owns and operates the largest power station in the UK, in Selby, North Yorkshire. The company is involved in numerous areas including energy generation, supply and distribution of sustainable biomass, and electricity contracts.
The Group has undergone a transformation into a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator by using cutting edge technology and sustainably sourced wood pellets. There are numerous benefits to using biomass, including a reduction in CO emissions as well as energy security from a renewable source.
Central to this transformation is the largest decarbonisation project in the EU, which has so far seen half of Drax Power Station in Selby converted into generating electricity from sustainable compressed wood pellets. With the right support from government, Drax has made it clear it wants to convert the entire power station.
To support the conversions Drax Group needs a stable supply of compressed wood pellets transported to its power station. It approached Peel Ports to assist in developing a solution to import biomass from North America.
The solution
By making use of our expertise and large land footprint, we were able to develop a £100 million custom-built biomass import terminal located at Gladstone Dock at Peel Ports Liverpool. When fully operational the new terminal will allow Drax to transport up to 10 biomass trains each day. The first phase of this project was delivered in the summer of 2015, with subsequent phases coming online in 2016. The new terminal will result in a more robust and reliable supply chain for Drax.