The decision follows three public consultations and more than three years of review: Drax first applied in May 2023, an application the Agency then found insufficiently detailed.
The operator had to provide a revised assessment of air emission risks, including substances that may form in the capture unit.
The captured CO₂ is to be transported to permanent storage under the North Sea. The Agency's decision document sets out how public comments were addressed.
Summary written by databiomass with the help of AI tools and reviewed by an editor before publication. Our method
Suggested citation: databiomass.com, “UK: environmental green light for carbon capture at Drax biomass power station”, 13 October 2026, based on Environment Agency (GOV.UK).