Coal chief a biomass enthusiast at heart

It might appear a little odd that the boss of Britain's biggest carbon emitter is an enthusiast for "green" energy, but Dorothy Thompson, the chief executive Drax, is just that.

Drax, of course, is just a giant coal-fired power plant, but Ms Thompson is busily working on plans to create three new biomass plants, and if her ideas for the company's future come to fruition, it could yet become not just Britain's biggest coal-fired electricity generator, but also its biggest renewable energy producer. Ms Thompson has even talked about the possibility of ditching coal in all of Drax's myriad of units in favour of biomass. That might be a step too far, but by June about 12 per cent of the output will be generated through biomass.

Drax might be an old traditional company in what remains quite a traditional part of the country, but Ms Thompson's approach is modern – employees use her first name, for example. When not tramping about the gargantuan site in Wellington boots she has no fears about getting her hands dirty, and wouldn't have lasted if she had Ms Thompson is a keen rambler and is not far off some of the best hill-walking country in England, something she has taken full advantage of.

In some quarters Ms Thompson, who is married with two children, has a reputation for being snippy. But others suggest it's more that she simply doesn't suffer fools gladly. Those who have met her say she is brisk, businesslike and personable. The company recently produced a decent enough set of results, but the share price has been heading south for some time now, and that's one trend that this graduate of the London School of Economics will be keen to see going into reverse as soon as possible.

Related News

Sara Hastings-Simon

Could selling renewable energy be Alberta's next big thing?

CALGARY - Alberta has big potential when it comes to providing renewable energy, advocates say.

The Pembina Institute says the practice of corporations committing to buy renewable energy is just taking off in Canada, and Alberta has both the energy sector and the skilled workforce to provide it.

Earlier this week, a company owned by U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett announced a large new wind farm near Medicine Hat. It has a buyer for the power.

Sara Hastings-Simon, director of the Pembina's Business Renewables Centre, says this is part of a trend.

"We're talking about the practice of corporate institutions purchasing renewables to meet their…

READ MORE

In North Carolina, unpaid electric and water bills are driving families and cities to the financial brink

READ MORE

Sudbury storm damage

Sudbury Hydro crews aim to reconnect service after storm

READ MORE

green nuclear

Global: Nuclear power: what the ‘green industrial revolution’ means for the next three waves of reactors

READ MORE

coal plant sunset

Looming Coal and Nuclear Plant Closures Put ‘Just Transition’ Concept to the Test

READ MORE