DRAX Power has pushed for further support from Government after it published its Renewables Obligation (RO) Banding Review Consultation, which set out the proposed levels of support various renewable technologies would receive from the Government from April 2013.

Dorothy Thompson, chief executive of Drax, said the proposed level of support for co-firing biomass with coal would enable the business to increase co-firing at its Selby plant, but she pushed for more support to enable them to “maximise” their potential.

She said: “We are pleased that the Government, in seeking to maximise the deployment of the cheapest renewable technologies, has created specific support levels for the increased use of sustainable biomass in existing coal-fired power stations through enhanced co-firing and full conversion.

"The proposed level of 1.0 ROC/MWh for enhanced co-firing will enable us to increase our co-firing, but we would need a moderate uplift to maximise our potential for producing this low cost renewable electricity.

"If support were to be increased from the proposed level, we believe it would further the opportunity for burning biomass in place of coal in the UK's coal-fired generation plant. This will lead to lower electricity prices for the UK consumer, who will otherwise bear the cost of the more expensive alternatives required to meet the UK's 2020 climate change targets.”

She said the proposed level of support for biomass made the investment case for three dedicated biomass plants planned as a joint venture with Siemens Project Venture “highly challenging”.

She said: "We note that this is the start of a consultation period and we will play our full part in the consultation process."