Drax to double wood pellet production with biomass firm purchase

Shareholders approve deal for Yorkshire plant despite concerns over carbon, climate and land use

The owner of the Drax power plant in North Yorkshire is expected to move ahead with a $652m deal to double its production of wood pellets after its shareholders voted 99.9% in favour of buying a Canadian biomass company.

The deal will accelerate Drax Group's plans to become a leading biomass electricity generator by substituting wood pellets in place of coal at its power plant - despite warnings from scientists, green campaigners and sustainable investors that burning wood pellets could accelerate the climate crisis.