With the upcoming by-election in Selby & Ainsty on 20th July we wanted to reach out to our Friends of Drax, our valued supporters, and provide an important update. There are a few opportunities for you to make your voice heard during this critical time.

By engaging with the candidates and asking thought-provoking questions, you can help ensure that representatives from all political parties understand the significance of supporting thousands of green jobs, decarbonising the Humber region, and positioning Selby & Ainsty as a pioneering force in green technology. 

Together, we can secure a future for Selby & Ainsty, creating a lasting legacy for generations to come.

Why is this so important?

For more than half a century, Selby & Ainsty has been powering Britain, hosting the largest single source of renewable power in the UKDrax Power Station.
With the right backing for Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), Drax can embark on our next chapter - a 2 billion investment program that will place our constituency at the core of one of Europe's most significant decarbonisation initiatives. This will bring thousands of green jobs, lucrative contracts and the skills of the future to the North of England.

We firmly believe that Selby & Ainsty needs a representative in Westminster who will wholeheartedly champion Drax's ground breaking work in carbon-negative technology and create opportunities for businesses across our region.

As Friends of Drax, you can make a difference by making your views known and helping candidates fully understand the importance of Drax Power Station in supporting thousands of direct and indirect jobs locally. BECCS at Drax will play a pivotal role in reaching net-zero targets while safeguarding our industries, and should be a focus of our parliamentary representative.

There are several ways you can actively participate:

• Attend hustings and other engagement opportunities to ask questions and convey your support for Drax Power Station
• Share your views and the significance of Drax within your networks, amplifying our message across the community (sharing the below graphic if you wish)
• Engage with candidates directly, conveying the importance of Drax for the local economy, jobs, and the journey towards a greener future

Why choose BECCS?

BECCS, successfully trialled and tested at Drax Power Station, is an innovative technology that combines biomass power generation with carbon capture and storage to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Renowned experts, including the UN IPCC and the Climate Change Committee, recognise the pivotal role of BECCS in achieving net-zero emissions and mitigating the devastating effects of climate change. Scaling up BECCS is of paramount importance to ensure a reliable supply of renewable energy while  removing  millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere - no other readily available technology can do both.