Following the second fossil fuel crisis in just four years, Britain is accelerating its transition towards homegrown, renewable energy. But reliance on imported biomass for power generation and carbon removal undermines Britain’s energy independence.
The second global energy crisis in under five years has again exposed Britain’s vulnerability to price shocks in international energy markets. The government’s response has rightly centered on homegrown, clean energy as the only way to get off the ‘fossil fuel rollercoaster’ - with AR8 to be brought forward to secure more wind and solar at fixed low prices, and household electrification to be fast-tracked.
Yet, Britain’s use of biomass risks undermining this clean energy mission. Drax biomass power station - the UK’s biggest power plant and single largest emitter - is highly import-dependent. Its flagship project to deploy carbon capture and deliver ‘negative emissions’ would see it increase the volume of wood pellets it imports in the 2030s, at high cost and with no guarantee it would deliver promised carbon removal. With the long-delayed project now in the doldrums, there is an opportunity for a reset and alignment of Britain’s clean power and carbon removal strategies, to support low-cost, reliable homegrown solutions.
Biomass is more expensive than wind and solar, adding carbon capture would see costs soar
Importing and burning wood to generate electricity is expensive. Subsidies for Drax reached a record £999 million in 2025 and added around £13 to household bills. While total subsidies are set to fall next year, Drax’s CfD strike price (£157/MWh, 2024 prices) remains well above that of new offshore wind (£90/MWh) and solar (£65/MWh).
Drax has continued to receive subsidies for biomass power as part of its plans to deploy carbon capture and become a source of negative emissions. If delivered, the project would require around £30 billion in new subsidies between 2030 and 2050 - despite concerns that it would take many decades for the project to deliver on its carbon removal promises.
Biomass power is a gap in the government’s energy independence strategy
Unlike wind and solar, Drax is highly dependent on imported wood pellets sourced primarily from North America, with less than 1% of the fuel burnt in 2024 domestically-sourced. The use of imported biomass makes Britain exposed to price shocks. In the last energy crisis, the price of wood pellets spiked in line with the price of oil and gas, followed by a fall in generation at Drax. Adding carbon capture at Drax would see wood pellet imports increase in the 2030s.
Negative emissions strategy must align with UK clean energy mission
With Drax’s carbon capture project delayed, this is the moment for a reset to ensure the negative emissions strategy prioritises solutions that are homegrown, reliable and deliver value-for-money. This means assessing a wide range of removal methods through targeted UK trials, ranging from technological - such as direct air capture with solar and storage - to nature-based.
In the meantime, ensuring rapid decarbonisation using proven methods - such as heat pump deployment and tree planting - must not be underestimated. Existing solutions may seem less shiny than novel technological bets, but they deliver credible carbon savings, support domestic industries and insulate households from volatility - and can get Britain off the fossil fuel rollercoaster, for good.
