Drax Power Station to help five schools cut energy bills

Drax switched from using coal to burning wood pellets instead at its power plant in Selby

Schools will get help to buy solar panels and energy efficient lighting from a North Yorkshire power station.

The firm that runs Drax Power Station has put £1.5m towards schools including sites in Doncaster, Sowerby Bridge, Clacton-on-Sea and Selby.

The Drax Foundation said LED lighting could save schools £8,600 a year.

Campaigners have criticised the power station over its burning of wood pellets and its adherence to sustainability rules are under review.

Energy efficient LED lighting is to be installed at Barwic Parade Community Primary School in Selby, Kirk Sandall Junior School in Doncaster, Selby Abbey Primary School, Triangle Primary School in Sowerby Bridge and Great Clacton Junior School in Clacton-on-Sea in the pilot phase of the project.

The wider project will see more than 20 schools from across the UK given funding.

Pupils will also take part in an energy saving education programme, the Drax Foundation said.

Will Gardiner, CEO of Drax Group, said: "The Drax Foundation is committed to giving back to the communities where we operate, and the new initiative will provide schools with practical, tangible ways to save money and reduce their carbon footprint."

Kathy Thompson, executive headteacher at Kirk Sandall Junior School, said the project was a "really great way to help us save money, especially at the moment when energy costs and prices in general are so high.

"It also teaches pupils about the impact we have on our environment and how we can act responsibly to save energy."

• Drax power plant could lose subsidies over compliance

Drax said it burns sustainable biomass pellets at its power station.

The pellets are made "using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests", the company said.

But at a debate in the House of Lords in July Labour peer Baroness Jones called for independent scientists to be sent to Canada to verify the sustainability of wood used to make biomass pellets.

Peers heard Ofgem was investigating whether Drax had been complying with requirements and that energy subsidies could be withdrawn if sustainability rules have not been followed.