Lynemouth Power Station, owned by the Czech energy company EPH, is the second biggest biomass plant in the UK after Drax and one of the biggest in the world. The power station burns up to 1.5 million tonnes of wood every year.
The majority of the wood is sourced from Enviva, the world’s biggest pellet producer, based in the Southeastern USA. Enviva has been shown again and again to source mature trees from widlife- and carbon-rich forests for its pellets. Lynemouth also sources pellets from Drax’s pellet mills in British Columbia. In October 2022, a BBC Panorama programme revealed how Drax has been clearcutting oldgrowth forests in the province to make pellets. In early 2024, new investigations by BBC Panorama and by Biofuelwatch, Conservation North and Bulkley Valley Stewardship Council showed that, in 2023, Drax continued to source whole trees from clearcutting of primary and oldgrowth forests, including some of the rarest oldgrowth forest ecosystems.
Lyenemouth Power Station’s subsidies expire in 2027 but, like Drax, the company is hoping for new subsidies and making claims about BECCS, i.e. about installing carbon capture equipment, in order to try and convince policymakers to grant those subsidies. So far, the operators have not undertaken any carbon capture trials and they have not started applying for the necessary planning consent either.
Can you help campaign against this destructive power station?
Write to your MP today and urge them to demand an end to subsidies for burning trees in power stations.
If you live in the north of England, contact us or the Stop Burning Trees Coalition to find out how to get involved in doing more campaigning against Lynemouth (and Drax) power stations.