Drax & fiction Archived Message Posted by Keith-264 on June 17, 2023, 4:39 pm https://www.private-eye.co.uk/columnists Keeping the Lights On, Issue 1600 OFGEM is to investigate alleged unsustainable fuel-sourcing practices by Drax, the Yorkshire power station burning vast quantities of mature trees while earning billions in unmerited "green" subsidies. Quietly gathering data since October, Ofgem's mandate, however, is to consider only whether Drax has obeyed the rules of the tree-burning scam, rather than whether the scam itself should continue. Embarrassing though the investigation is for Drax, it might provide a handy smokescreen for the bigger game it wants to play over the next 20 years. Fell swoop Independent investigators have shown Drax's fuel sources include millions of tonnes of mature trees, often "clear-felled" from forests that are left bare – not sustainable forestry at all. Ofgem is asking technical consultancy Black & Veatch to conduct a "desk-based audit" of Drax data – there's no budget for site visits to Canada. Black & Veatch also consults for, er, Drax. The current lax and fallacious (but officially endorsed) criteria for sustainability, and hence subsidy, include "carbon accounting" rules that allow Drax to ignore the CO2 emitted when actually burning the wood, and to take on trust the future fate of forests it depletes and the decades of "carbon debt" thereby incurred. Only emissions while getting the wood from the forest to the boilers count against it. Most scientists, commentators and even politicians have now finally caught up with what the Eye has been saying since 2012, namely that this is nonsense on stilts. Tree- burning by Drax et al increases the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, whatever the rules let it claim. Things will have reached a pretty pass if Ofgem finds Drax hasn't been satisfying even these pitiful strictures. Burying bad news The investigation does, however, give Drax an opportunity to swerve what might otherwise be a fatal blow to its plans to continue tree-burning for another 20 years with even greater subsidies, by burying the CO2 emitted and claiming this represents "negative emissions" (Eyes passim). This is based on the same false carbon accounting that yields Drax's current subsidies, and the issue is under review by the government. If ministers heed the science, they'll insist on accurate, full-cycle carbon accounting, and Drax won't be able to proceed. Rap battle But ominously, ministers are also keen for business as usual to continue at Drax for years to come (Eye 1596). What could be more convenient than for Ofgem to give Drax a small but public rap over the knuckles under the current lax rules? Ministers could claim Drax has been made to meet tougher standards, then draw a line under the whole thing exactly where it stands right now. Ministers need to follow the science rigorously if they are not to perpetuate the damaging tree-burning nonsense, with another 20 years of treble subsidies all round. Message Thread: Drax & fiction - Keith-264 June 17, 2023, 4:39 pm Good article. Let's see for how long will Drax be allowed to continue with this scam nm - t June 17, 2023, 9:01 pm Recall that Drax reported all-time record profits due to UKR energy+financial 'crisis' - Jim_Carlucci June 18, 2023, 11:38 am   Searching