The Environment Agency has opened a consultation into its draft decision to grant a permit variation to North Yorkshire-based energy provider, Drax.
The company has applied to vary its environment permit to incorporate carbon capture at its bioenergy plant near Selby.
After reviewing comments and evidence from two previous public consultations, the Environment Agency said it is “minded to” issue the permit variation.
This means after exploring the issues and concerns that have been raised, it can’t find any reason to refuse the application but is yet to make a final decision. The consultation will be open until 24 June 2026.
Ian Foster, area environment manager in Yorkshire, said: “We’ve carefully considered all the documents, consultation comments, and additional information from the operator, and currently see no reason to refuse the variation application.
“Our regulatory controls are in place to protect people and the environment and we are carrying out a detailed and robust assessment.
“It’s important the public have the opportunity to view the draft decision documents and provide their views. We’ll then make our final decision once we’ve reviewed consultation responses.”
Drax first applied for the variation in May 2023. At the time, the Environment Agency held a public consultation to offer people the opportunity to comment on the application.
During the Environment Agency’s review of this 2023 application, it considered the applicant had not included sufficient information, so it requested a more detailed assessment.
Drax provided a revised air emissions risk assessment, including the potential substances that could be formed in the carbon capture plant. A second consultation was held in February 2025.
Carbon capture is the removal of carbon dioxide from waste gases – usually by absorbing the carbon dioxide in a special solvent – and either using it or storing it underground, reducing the amount of emissions into the atmosphere.
Drax wants to capture the carbon dioxide emitted during electricity generation, to prevent the majority of it from entering the atmosphere.
The carbon dioxide captured will be transported via a pipeline for permanent storage under the North Sea.
