A POWER station in North Yorkshire has called on the Government to help the country meet its commitments on climate change.

Andy Koss, the CEO of Drax Power, near Selby, said altering the price of carbon in the Government's upcoming Budget could undo the good work shown in a new study which claimed the UK was now among the world's top 10 of low-carbon power for the first time.

The latest Electric Insights study by Imperial College London, commissioned by Drax, said levels of carbon pollution from electricity generation in the UK had almost halved in recent years, as coal was largely replaced by increased use of gas and renewables - due in part to the cost levied against carbon dioxide pollution.

Dr Iain Staffell, from Imperial College London, said: "Britain is reducing its carbon emissions from electricity faster than any other major country, and this has happened because the carbon price and lower gas prices have forced coal off the system - the amount of coal-fired power generation in Britain has fallen 80 per cent between 2012 and 2016."

Mr Koss said power stations including Drax - which has switched half of its coal-fired power station to biomass woodchip brought to the UK from the US - would benefit from a lower price per tonne of carbon dioxide pollution.

The cost, as set by the government, is currently £23 per tonne, compared with £5 per tonne in Europe.

He said: "The analysis by Dr Staffell and the team at Imperial College London shows quite clearly the impact Britain’s carbon price has had in terms of helping to ensure we produce cleaner power for the UK’s homes and businesses.

"It’s therefore vital that we maintain a meaningful carbon price when the Chancellor announces the Autumn Budget, if we are to meet our commitments on climate change. Without it we could see a reversal of the impressive results achieved so far – look at what’s happened elsewhere."