More than 300 businesses underlined their desire to work with energy giant Drax as its engineering partner Worley on the huge net zero project.
A special event in Hull saw contracts worth hundreds of millions of pounds to deliver bioenergy with carbon capture and storage at scale discussed.
The major infrastructure project would be the western anchor for a wider cheme taking in major emission clusters across the Humber region.
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Drax aims to source 80 per cent of the construction materials and services from British firms, with hopes to get underway in 2024.
A total of 10,000 jobs are anticipated to be created by the huge scheme.
Graham Backhouse, Drax’s commercial director for the BECCS project, said: “We want to put British businesses at the heart of our plans to deliver BECCS. It was fantastic to see such a broad range of companies, large and small, from across the region come together to learn how they can benefit from hundreds of millions of pounds worth of new contracts.
“Negative emissions technologies like BECCS will play a vital role in enabling the UK to reach its net zero goals, as well as creating exciting opportunities for Britain to lead the world in this vital technology, creating a new sector of the economy, as well as export opportunities.”
The event was run in partnership with NOF, an energy sector business development organisation, and the West & North Yorkshire and Hull & Humber Chambers of Commerce.
It was held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in the city.
David Hooper, external affairs and membership director at Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, said: “The event was a fantastic opportunity for businesses from across the region to learn about the huge opportunities available for them to be involved in Drax’s BECCS project.
“Projects like this will provide a vital opportunity for the UK supply chain to access millions of pounds worth of contracts, supporting jobs and growth in the Hull and Humber region.
“It’s incredible to think that the Humber is the largest emitter of CO2 in Europe after the Ruhr Valley in Germany, so it’s great to see businesses coming together to make significant changes which will benefit the entire region over the coming years. The chamber welcomes and supports this initiative and it’s encouraging to see so many local businesses wanting to get involved and play their part.”
Recent years has seen Drax transform from a pure-coal fired operation to a world-leader in biomass use, investing massively at the power plant and with ABP at the ports of Immingham and Hull.
With a renewable feedstock in place, the focus is now on the emissions from the firing process.
Diana Taylor, managing director of Marketing Humber, said: “BECCS at Drax will have a huge impact both economically and environmentally across the whole of the region, and it will play a vital role in enabling a zero carbon Humber.
“It’s crucial that businesses from across the Humber play a role in Drax’s plans, as it will not only support the economic growth of the region, but it will also support the creation of green jobs, helping to level up the North.”
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