Drax has today announced a new £40 million investment that will allow the company to move forward with the development of what is claimed to become the world’s largest carbon capture project.

The funding will support preparation works for the bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) project at Drax North Yorkshire power station.

As part of this investment, the provider of asset services Worley has been awarded a contract to start the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) work at the start of 2022.

Drax predicts that the technology will be able to remove at least eight million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year.

The first BECCS unit is expected to start operations in 2027.

Will Gardiner, Drax Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our investment in BECCS and the signing of this contract with Worley demonstrates Drax’s commitment to deliver a vital technology which is urgently needed to address the climate crisis.

“It’s no longer enough to reduce emissions – the world has got to start removing carbon from the atmosphere if we are to avert this climate crisis.”

Chris Ashton, Worley Chief Executive Officer, commented: “Our partnership with Drax is one of the ways we’re helping our customers adapt existing assets and decarbonise industrial clusters, whilst also supporting Worley’s strategic focus on sustainability and delivering a more sustainable world.”