Drax Datacentre Could Emit Double Gatwick's Annual Flight Emissions

Drax's Datacentre Proposal

Drax, an energy company, announced plans to convert part of its North Yorkshire biomass power plant into a datacentre. This initiative responds to the increasing demand for AI computing capabilities, which require substantial electricity.

The proposed datacentre is envisioned to have a capacity of 1.2GW, with 100MW sourced from the national grid and the remaining power generated by Drax's own power station, which currently burns imported wood.

Emissions Analysis and Concerns

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) analyzed Drax's 2025 annual report and estimated the datacentre would consume 4.9 million tonnes of wood annually. Based on continuous operation, the NRDC calculated the total CO2 emissions from this consumption to be 8.6 million tonnes per year.

This figure is nearly twice the 4.79 million tonnes of CO2 emitted by all flights from Gatwick Airport in 2024. Campaigners describe the potential facility as one of the "dirtiest datacentres out there" due to its reliance on biomass burning.

Biomass Energy Debate

Drax has previously promoted its biomass energy generation as a clean method, potentially leading to "negative emissions" as new forests absorb CO2. However, scientists and environmental experts dispute this accounting, arguing that it could take up to 150 years for such systems to become carbon negative.

Critics, including Matt Williams of NRDC and Oliver Hayes of Global Action Plan, contend that burning millions of trees for server farms is unsustainable and environmentally damaging.

Broader Context of Datacentre Energy Demand

The UK is experiencing a significant surge in datacentre energy demand, with 315 datacentres awaiting connection to the national grid. This represents 73GW of demand, almost double the UK's peak winter energy demand.

The Drax datacentre has not yet entered the formal planning process but could be operational by 2031 if it secures necessary consents. Calls are emerging for the government to establish minimum environmental standards for datacentres and to prohibit energy generation methods like burning trees.