General · 3 December 2025
UK wood burning for power hits record high
Britain's reliance on burning wood for electricity increased in July 2024, with biomass contributing 7% of the UK's electricity supply according to available data. The Drax power station in Yorkshire continues to dominate biomass generation, burning 7.6 million tonnes of imported wood annually and remaining the UK's largest single carbon emitter at 12-16 million tonnes CO2 per year. Drax received £869 million in public subsidies in 2024, equivalent to over £2 million daily. The government has since announced plans to reduce these subsidies and cut generation by about half starting in 2027.
Reported by Guardian · How we write briefs