DRAX power station’s efforts to go from being the dirty man of Britain to a leading generator of renewable energy are wholly commendable.

At one point, when it burned more than 30,000 tonnes of coal a day, Drax was the UK’s biggest single source of carbon dioxide. It still pumps out plenty of CO2. But now, after converting two of its six generating units entirely to biomass, and with a third now burning 85 per cent biomass, it also generates about one fifth of the UK’s renewable energy.

Chief executive Andy Koss says ultimately the company would like to switch to wholly renewable power generation. A fall in profits as a result both of a drop in the price of power and the government’s decision to remove Drax’s exemption from the Climate Change Levy perhaps means that day is further off than it might have been. But it remains a very welcome long-term goal.

As we pointed out yesterday, the Earth is a planet with finite resources. We must find ways of sustaining those resources as best we can. Switching from fossil fuel power generation to power generated from renewable resources such as biomass is one way of doing that.

Drax is in an excellent position to set an example. Mr Koss says the company is ready to talk to Theresa May’s new government about further support for conversion to renewable power generation.

We hope Mrs May’s government will be ready to listen.