Drax datacentre could create nearly twice the yearly emissions of all Gatwick flights

Drax plans a 1.2GW datacentre powered largely by burning 4.9 million tonnes of wood annually, potentially emitting 8.6 million tonnes of CO2 yearly—almost twice the emissions of all flights from Gatwick airport in 2024. Environmental groups criticize the project for its high carbon footprint and question the sustainability of biomass energy. The datacentre could be operational by 2031 pending approvals.