New research carried out by Baringa on behalf of renewable energy company Drax Group has shown that by the end of the decade biomass generation could play an increasingly critical role in ensuring security of UK energy supply.

The research highlights the critical contribution that biomass could play in late 2020s as coal plants and nuclear fleet close down. And in the meantime Drax is to pause this year’s investment in its carbon capture project as it waits for clarity of Government’s commitment – without BECCS support Drax Power Station could become unviable by 2027. Baringa’s research shows that by then, peak demand for GB electricity will increase by 4GW but at the same time the imminent closure of coal, older gas generation and nuclear power stations will remove up to 6.3GW of secure capacity from the grid. This will mean that the dispatchable capacity which supports GB energy security will fall from 93% to 85% at times of peak demand, increasing the risk of a supply shortfall. The system will need to rely on other forms of capacity, such as electricity interconnectors and intermittent renewable generation like wind or solar, to make up the 15% difference at times of peak demand, or steps may need to be taken to reduce consumption such as through voluntary demand reduction or forced turndown. Drax power station is currently the largest provider of dispatchable power to the GB electricity system, as well as being one of the only renewable sources of secure supply. Its renewable biomass generation provides 2.6GW of electricity, supplying millions of homes and businesses with dispatchable, reliable power. Whilst Drax welcomed the Government’s support for CCS in the recent Budget, it needs its BECCS project to gain Track 1 status, without which, Drax Power Station may become unviable and unable to contribute secure power at a time of such critical need. Until it receives this clarity, Drax has taken the decision to pause it’s multi-million-pound investment programme into the BECCS project at Drax Power Station. At times with the tightest margins, Drax’s biomass units provide up to 11% of total GB electricity generation and up to 70% of the renewable generation. The loss of Drax’s and other biomass units from the GB electricity system would further reduce the country’s dispatchable capacity to 80% of peak demand (from the already forecasted fall to 85%), increasing reliance on gas and power imports, generation from intermittent renewables, and increasing costs for consumers. Drax CEO Will Gardiner said: “Whilst we welcome the Government’s ambition to invest billions in carbon capture and storage, we need a firm commitment to BECCS before we commit to investing £2bn into installing this technology at Drax Power Station. “Until we have this clarity, we are pausing our multi-million pound investment programme in the UK BECCS project and urge Government to use the planned announcement at the end of the month to outline their support for this. Any further delays to this project could impact the UK’s security of supply, net zero and levelling-up ambitions and the viability of Drax Power Station.” The research also found that by 2027 no established technology can feasibly replace the security of supply provided by Drax’s 2.6GW of biomass capacity, without significantly increasing carbon emissions and relying more on imported fossil fuel from Europe.

Having announced that it would build its revolutionary aircraft in South Yorkshire, Hybrid Air Vehicles has signed up as the newest patron of Doncaster Chamber. Welcoming them aboard, Dan Fell, Chief Exec of Doncaster Chamber, said: “It is a tremendous honour to have such an innovative and cutting-edge business in our network, one that is doing really important work for the planet. Hybrid Air Vehicles is making huge waves in the world of aviation right now and is set to change the industry for the better with their forward-thinking approach. “Now that they have become patrons, I am pleased to say that we will be working together even more closely. Their imminent expansion into Doncaster will have major economic benefits for the region —  including the creation of more than a thousand highly skilled jobs —  and will put us at the heart of an ambitious vision for a greener future. Suffice it to say, we are very excited to see what that entails.” Headquartered in Bedfordshire, HAV is a pioneer in the field of green aviation technology and is currently making huge strides when it comes to sustainability. In particular, their trailblazing Airlander 10 vehicle — which is part plane and part airship — promises to revolutionise the aerospace industry by showing what can be done to reduce emissions. Capable of boarding 100 people at a time (or ten tonnes of freight) the helium-filled craft is estimated to have a carbon footprint that is up to 90% less than that of a standard jet aircraft. It can also remain airborne for up to 5 days, offering high endurance. It is therefore very exciting to know that these state-of-the-art vehicles will be built right here in Doncaster. Last week saw major progress on that front, as the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) approved £7m’s worth of funding that will ultimately pave the way for HAV’s plans. This loan will enable Hybrid Air Vehicles to begin investing in the region, paving the way for a £310m production programme which will lead to new facilities, job opportunities and supply chains for the manufacturing of Airlander 10.  

Leading figures from the UK’s manufacturing industry are being encouraged to think outside the box in a bid to recruit more people and fill a slew of unfilled vacancies up and down the country. That was the message from Laura Ibbotson, Head of HR UK at Doncaster-based Heras, when she addressed delegates at this year’s Make UK – a national conference for manufacturers in London. Laura was one of a panel of experts discussing the topic of Talent: Recruiting Outside the Box, which was looking at ways to reignite the manufacturing industry’s recruitment strategies to overcome the current minute talent pool of candidates available to businesses. Laura, a chartered fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development said that forging educational partnerships was fundamental for manufacturers to help create pathways into careers for local young people. “Building strong links with the local community has been one of the strategies that we have employed at Heras – with a focus on educational establishments because it is a great opportunity to showcase the careers available in our industry and create a future talent pipeline. “We have worked extensively with one local academy in particular in Doncaster, which has been reciprocally beneficial in engaging with young people and showing them the vast array of opportunities that are open to them if they pursue a career in manufacturing. “We are in the process of launching our latest initiative: teacher externships, providing teachers with work experience on site so that they can take their experience and learnings back to the classroom.’’ Laura also told the assembled group about how the company uses neuro-linguistic programming profiling to assess if a candidate is right for the role and the team and to ensure the business does not recruit mini-mes. Heras uses this profiling to manage teams to their full potential and to retain them. She also discussed the importance of embracing and using emerging technologies such as Linktree – which allows users to share multiple links on social media. Heras is using this to clearly communicate with candidates and ensure they are fully informed and have a clear understanding of Heras before the interview process commences. Laura rounded off the session by offering three insights:

• Manufacturers should work more closely with their HR teams.  “Businesses need to change their approach to recruitment, and the best way of achieving this is working with the people experts – your HR department.”
• Leaders should drive diversity as a way to benefit from employing different people with different skills and experiences. “Many businesses have aspirations on issues such as diversity, but they have to free themselves from entrenched views and ‘if you always do what you always do’ approaches in order to be more accessible and flexible.”
• Don’t pay lip service to events such as International Women’s Day, ensuring that the drive for diversity happens continuously throughout the year if they want to attract and retain talent. She said: “Live it, breathe it and believe in it.”