U.K. to Re-assess Severn Tidal Barrage

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) -- The world's largest ever tidal energy project could be resurrected if the results from a proposed government investigation prove promising.

The U.K. government's influential Energy and Climate Change Committee has announced that it is calling for fresh evidence on the proposed Severn Tidal Barrage, which the previous government abandoned back in 2010. At that time, the project had been in the works for around eight years, had undergone numerous changes and seen costs more than double before the government pulled the plug. For additional information see October 20, 2010, article - U.K. Sinks Severn Tidal Barrage Project.

In a statement, the committee stated: "The Committee will investigate the proposed Cardiff-Weston Barrage. It will examine the potential for the project to deliver low-carbon electricity to the U.K. and the likely cost to consumers as well as the potential impacts on wildlife and local employment.

The €37 billion ($47 billion) tidal energy project for the river Severn would see a concrete wall spanning a 10-mile wide stretch of the Severn Estuary, running between Cardiff in Wales and Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, England, which would be capable of generating about 5% of the U.K.'s total electricity. The wall will house over 1,000 state-of-the-art turbines, around 800 more than the original project, proposed by the Severn Tidal Power Group (STPG). The turbines are capable of using both the ebb and flow tides to generate power.

The Committee is inviting written evidence from interested parties addressing numerous issues, including:

- What contribution could the Cardiff-Weston Barrage make to UK energy security and climate change objectives?

- What risks and opportunities could it pose with regard to flooding in the Severn estuary, and how might any risks be mitigated?

- What risks and opportunities could it pose to wildlife and habitat in the Severn estuary, and how might any risks be mitigated?

- Would the project require support under the proposed new Contracts for Difference mechanism? If so, approximately what level of strike price would be required to make the project economically viable?

- What lessons can be learned from the successful development of La Rance tidal barrage in France and other tidal power projects?

The new push for the Severn Tidal Barrage project is being headed by former Welsh Member of Parliament, Peter Hain, who secured an agreement from U.K. Prime Minister, David Cameron, to review the latest proposals back in August. For additional information, see August 22, 2012, article - U.K. May Refloat €37 Billion Tidal Power Plan.

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