Campaigners target Sheffield University’s partnership with Drax

This fortnight we’ve seen the concentration of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere hit a record high of 430 parts per million and Arctic sea ice hit a record low. As all eyes have been on Ukraine, Climate Change continues to overheat the planet. Climate scientists have been protesting in America to protect themselves from the Trump witch-hunt and  BP has dropped any pretence of trying to be green by dropping renewables. 

In Sheffield, Environmental campaigners demonstrated at the University in response to the controversial research partnership with wood biomass power station Drax, the world’s biggest tree burner. The campaigners accuse the University of contributing to Drax’s false portrayal of biomass as ‘green’, despite the immense carbon emissions and environmental harm.

The People and Planet Society and Extinction Rebellion held a demonstration on the University Concourse, outside the Students’ Union from 12-2 pm last Tuesday and followed this up with leafleting sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. They engaged students and staff with displays and visuals – including a burning tree and cooling tower props – about the harm caused by Drax and the University’s research, handing out over 1000 leaflets. They were joined by the 5 Rivers Rising Samba Fusion Band which toured the campus and Weston Park, making everyone aware of the problem.

Students had informed the University they would be handing in a letter to the President and Vice-Chancellor but were disappointed by their reception.  At the Office, it was clear people were inside, but they ignored the students. This was not a good example for the University hierarchy to set. Students blu-tacked the letter to the door to ensure it would be found. 

Drax is the UK’s biggest carbon emitter and the world’s biggest tree burner. It burns millions of tonnes of wood annually, from trees felled in North America and the Baltics, which are then turned into pellets and shipped to the UK.

The University of Sheffield partners with Drax at the Energy Innovation Centre in Waverley, researching ‘bioenergy with carbon capture and storage’ (BECCS). Drax and the University claim that applying carbon capture to Drax’s biomass energy production will result in “negative emissions.” This assertion has been widely challenged by the scientific community. Scientists have warned that the carbon payback time for burning wood for electricity is far too slow to help the UK reach its net-zero 2050 target and that it will increase global warming for decades to centuries. Drax has also been found to source wood from at-risk ‘old-growth’ forests and was fined £25 million by Ofgem for failing to report accurate data on its wood pellet sourcing. Drax’s pellet mills in the southeastern United States have dangerous impacts on local communities, including air pollution and higher risks of cancer, which are largely impoverished communities of colour.

The potential application of carbon capture technology at Drax would not only be environmentally questionable but also highly expensive. The UK government would need to subsidise this initiative to the tune of £31.7 billion making it an inefficient and unjustifiable use of taxpayer money.

The University of Sheffield’s partnership with Drax undermines its previous commitment to climate action. In 2020, the university made a bold promise to stop relying on the “dirty” electricity supplied by Drax and instead be powered by clean, renewable energy like solar, wind, and hydropower.

Torin Menzies, president of the People & Planet Society, said:

“The University of Sheffield needs to stop aiding Drax’s efforts to falsely portray itself as ‘green’ – we are calling on University leadership to reassess its role in advancing carbon capture research that may strengthen environmental harm and ultimately fail to deliver on the promise of a sustainable, net-zero future.

Dr Ann-Marie Williamson, scientist and Extinction Rebellion campaigner, said:

“By partnering with Drax for carbon capture research, the University is aligning itself with an environmentally damaging, high-polluting corporation. Biomass energy cannot be assumed to be carbon neutral, and large-scale biomass and carbon capture projects should only proceed if they can be demonstrated to provide genuine net carbon-negative emissions within a relevant timeframe — ideally within a decade. The University of Sheffield has a responsibility to ensure that any research partnerships, particularly those focused on carbon capture, are backed by rigorous scientific evidence and demonstrate clear environmental and economic benefits.”

Drax, who made record profits of over £1 billion last year, still expects Government subsidies. Last week they said they would commit less investment to Carbon Capture technology at Drax unless the government provided clarity over the returns it could expect.

The Guardian reported Drax “signalled the slowdown just weeks after the government agreed to pay extra public subsidies worth about half a billion pounds a year to help the company develop its carbon capture project after 2027, when its current subsidy regime ends.”

I suspect Drax realises that Carbon Capture and Storage at this scale will not be possible. The government should withdraw the subsidies now and invest them in truly renewable energy. The University must drop its partnership with Drax if it wants to boast about its green credentials. Please sign the petition “University of Sheffield-Stop Partnering with Drax” on 38 Degrees. 

Here are the display boards produced by Dr Ann-Marie Williamson

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