Representation by Jillie Bracey
- Date submitted
- 12 August 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
No to DRAX planning application Drax is the world’s biggest tree burner and the UK’s single largest CO2 emitter. I’m replying to the consultation for Drax to apply for planning permission to add unproven carbon capture infrastructure to two of its wood-burning units at Drax Power Station. In addition, the whole Drax project is based on false assumption that burning wood is “carbon neutral”. In reality burning trees in NOT carbon neutral as it will take decades or longer for new trees to absorb the emissions produced by burning older trees. There is little evidence that Drax has the technical ability to successfully capture large amounts of CO2. This suggests to me that Drax wants to obtain this planning permission in order to attract new subsidies and investments to replace their current renewable subsidies of £2.68 million per day when they expire in 2027. There are reliable estimates that Drax’s BECCS application will cost £31.7 billion to UK taxpayers. If the planning application is approved, Drax will continue burning trees from some of the world’s most biodiverse forests for decades to come, harming the climate and polluting communities, not just in the UK but across the world in the process. The project will have serious impacts on wildlife and communities near Drax with increased traffic, constant noise and the degradation and destruction of important habitats of rare and protected species. The chemicals (amines) Drax will use in BECCS can release by-products into the atmosphere such as nitrosamines and nitramines which are probable carcinogens which can cause cancer. Drax claims they can become “carbon negative” by using CCS to absorb more emissions than it produces. CCS is still an unproven technology. In addition, the ‘carbon negative’ label is based on the false assumption that burning wood is “carbon neutral”. In reality burning trees in NOT carbon neutral as it will take decades or longer for new trees to absorb the emissions produced by burning older trees. The majority of the wood that Drax burns comes from outside the UK, it is often ‘old growth’ trees which are felled. This damages the local ecosystems, increases carbon release and incurs more CO2 emissions to convert the wood into pellets and transport the pellets over vast distances to the UK. It’s a disgrace that this system is considered ‘carbon neutral’! The High Court has ruled that the government's current Net Zero Strategy, of which BECCS makes up a large part, is unlawful - planning permission should not be given to Drax for something which may turn out to be unlawful. Lastly, Drax’s planning application is reliant upon a pipeline to transport and store the carbon dioxide under the North Sea. This pipeline is not included in their current application, yet it depends upon it. I believe that if they were being honest they would have applied for a combined planning permit. The whole issue seems very unsavoury! I urge the Planning Inspectors to say NO to Drax’s application.