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Written question asked by Richard Holden (Conservative) on Monday, 5 January 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 7 January 2026. It was answered by Michael Shanks (Labour) on Tuesday, 13 January 2026 on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Drax Power: Contracts

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether Drax’s current Contract for Difference contains any binding obligations requiring the development and deployment of carbon capture and storage; and what assessment his Department has made of the continued burning of imported wood pellets for electricity generation under that contract.

Answer

The current Contract for Difference (CfD) and recently announced Low-Carbon Dispatchable CfD agreements will be in place until 2031 and do not include contractual requirements for the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) at the site. The focus of the new CfD is ensuring security of supply for the contract duration, and the development of CCS in the future remains under consideration.

The Government published an impact assessment in early 2024 as part of its consultation on support options for large-scale biomass generators. This assessment was consistent with the views of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which recognise that bioenergy can play a significant role in decarbonising economies, provided policies are in place to mitigate the use of unsustainable biomass.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
102879
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Contracts Carbon capture and storage Timber Drax Power
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk