In February 2019, the IEA Clean Coal Centre helped to facilitate a visit to Drax Power Plant by a group of senior delegates from China Shenergy Group who wished to learn more about firing biomass and cofiring it with coal.
Among them was our long-time friend Prof Weizhong Feng, the general manager of Shenergy Power Technology Co, Ltd. Drax’s innovation and plant management skills impressed the Chinese visitors greatly, making it an extremely valuable trip.
Last week, Prof Feng asked Mr Li Li from Shanghai Waigaoqiao No.3 Power Generation Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of China Shenergy Group, to contact me with an offer to donate face masks to Drax as they know that the Drax Power station team must be working tirelessly to supply the country’s electricity at this difficult time. I had the privilege of liaising between Shenergy and Drax.
Drax’s CEO Andy Koss was very grateful for Shenergy’s kind gesture and thought the frontline workers at the NHS and other critical functions would really appreciate the facemasks, due to the current shortage of personal protection equipment. Hearing of Drax’ selfless initiative, Prof Feng managed to source 250 professional N95 face masks and sent them to the UK. It seems that even people along the delivery line were touched by the sincere friendship and gesture of the two power stations as it took only 77 hours for the parcel to be delivered from Shanghai to Drax’s doorstep. Drax immediately donated the N95 face masks to a local hospital in Yorkshire.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank both Shenergy and Drax for their goodwill and generosity. This is a great example of how collaboration between two companies from different countries and cultures can unite to combat the virus.
