Drax trains
From Ms. P. Finch
Updated Sunday, 24 January 2021
The Drax trains run along our local line every day and night as often as 6 -8 times a day.
Their 'powering tomorrow' slogan is far from reassuring. They are feeding a huge power station 24 hours a day, with wood pellets from other countries.
This article shows how it is complete greenwash and encouraging destruction of native forest in Europe & America. We should be looking for other ways to save carbon and generate electricity.
See Guardian article: Carbon-neutrality is a fairy tale': how the race for renewables is burning Europe's forests.
And the Axedrax Campaign
Other uses of freight are possibly greener e.g. the blue containers that carry waste for recycling towards Manchester (does anyone have more detail on this?)
From Andy G
Monday, 25 January 2021
The blue containers carry compressed domestic waste from Liverpool to the Energy from Waste power station at Wilton on Teesside. The trains travelling towards Manchester are carrying the returning empty containers. If you're ever on the platform at Hebden when the loaded train passes through just after 15 00, you'll detect a strong smell of rotting waste in the air shortly after the train passes through.
While both these flows purport to have impeccably green credentials, it is, as Ms Finch rightly points out, total nonsense. Not only are virgin American forests being destroyed to manufacture the biomass pellets, but then they are shipped across the Atlantic in polluting diesel-powered ships and then shipped across the Pennines from Liverpool to Drax in polluting diesel-powered trains - and then back again with the empty trains and ships. As regards energy from waste, burning domestic waste - either in incinerators or in power stations - is proven to give off harmful emissions, including dioxins.
However, one thing we should be thankful for is the fact that this traffic is being carried by rail. Imagine thousands of 44 tonne tipper lorries roaring across the Pennines every day!
From Tim M
Tuesday, 26 January 2021
I'm gonna suggest that these trains are better than burning coal which is what they've replaced.
From Andy Wilson
Tuesday, 26 July 2022
Sorry to disabuse you Tim but it's far worse than you might imagine. In addition to all the diesel and oil burnt in the supply chain, when the pellets get to Drax they use power to dry and crush the pellets to powder before they are fired.
The thing is that burning wood produces more CO2 than coal, and the idea that wood is carbon neutral is a myth, a loophole.
By the time new trees grow it will be too late.
Drax now produces more CO2 than if they had continued to burn coal. It runs at full capacity 24 hrs a day. It should be shut down.