Scrap Subsidies for Biofuel – Drax AGM Protest London Wednesday 17 April

In 2017, around £1 billion in UK renewable energy subsidies – paid out of a surcharge on our electricity bills – went to power stations burning wood. This is money which should go to genuinely low-carbon renewables such as wind, wave and solar power. Altogether, far more wood is being burned for electricity than is produced annually in the UK.

Far from being green energy, biomass burning makes climate change worse, destroys forests and damages biodiversity. It also harms communities who live near wood pellet plants and biomass power stations and wastes bill-payers’ money on a false solution to our energy needs. 

Drax Power Station is the single greatest emitter of carbon dioxide in the UK, burning more wood than any other plant in the world, as well as continuing to burn coal.

Now, Drax is determined to regain its former position as the country’s top fossil fuel burner, too: it is asking for permission and subsidies to replace its two remaining coal units, which the Government says must close in 2025, with much larger gas powered ones. 

This would make Drax the biggest ever gas power station in the UK (without burning any less wood). 89 environmental organisations – 75 of them from the UK – have signed an Open Letter against these plans, and over 95,000 people have signed a similar petition. 

In return for trashing forests and digging up communities, Drax is receiving massive subsidies, when it should have been closed down years ago. Drax is cashing in on over £2 million in subsidies every single day. Meanwhile, subsidies for genuinely renewable and low carbon onshore wind and solar power have been slashed across the UK. 

We're a week away from Drax's AGM, where Biofuelwatch activists be holding a colourful and noisy protest. This year, Drax's AGM will be back in London. Biofuelwatch will be outside with banners, music and speakers to call out Drax's forest-destroying biomass, its burning of coal, and its mega gas power plans. 

Biofuelwatch would be most grateful for your support with spreading the word and help with getting lots of people along! This includes sharing our Facebook events page: facebook.com/events/701697476899900/ 

Where?

Outside Grocers' Hall, Princes Street, London, EC2R 8AD - close to Bank tube station

When?

Wednesday 17 April, 12 noon to 1.30 pm

What?

A colourful and noisy protest with music and speakers. Bring your own banner if you can!

Afterwards, we will move on to the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whose £1bn a year subsidies drive and support this nonsense, to urge them to 'Scrap Biomass Subsidies' biofuelwatch.org.uk/subsidies-alert

For more information about Drax, please see our new briefing and webpage: biofuelwatch.org.uk/axedrax-campaign/

Please write to your MP to demand the government Scrap Biomass Subsidies. £1 billion a year is wasted in burning wood, which should go to genuine, low-carbon, no-burn renewable energy.

Follow Biofuelwatch on facebook and twitter!