Yes to a Severn Barrage? April 30, 2009

Posted by Dan Richards in Branch News.
Tags: Bath and Bristol, Severn Barrage
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Public opinion is mostly in favour of a new tidal energy scheme in the River Severn, according to recent public forums held in Bristol and Cardiff. But questions still remain over the best available technology and its impact on the local wildlife.

 

Eric Albone, Chair of the British Science Association Bristol and Bath Branch, who co-organised the forums with local partners, discusses the issues raised and potential implications for such a project – one of the first of its kind in the UK.

 

Driven by the twin imperatives of ensuring a secure long-term supply of renewable UK energy and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the government is once more examining options for making use of the high tidal energy of the Severn Estuary, its 14m tidal range being the second highest in the world. It is there, on our doorstep, asking to be used. But what really are the possibilities, the costs and the risks?

 

When people talk about Severn Tidal Energy they usually think of a single scheme, of a barrage between Cardiff and Weston-super-Mare. The recent Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) feasibility study started with ten different options for using River Severn tidal energy.

 

 

For consultation they highlighted five options – three different barrages, and two tidal lagoons, while not ruling out other lesser developed technologies which were among the original ten. These included tidal reefs and tidal fence technology. Each technology has its own strengths, costs and risks.

 

Public consultation is central to the government’s Feasibility Study and the British Science Association has picked up the challenge with the RSA and other partners in engaging the wider public in an informed, independent consideration of the evidence.

 

Each Forum began with a series of short expert presentations examining the technology behind each tidal energy option, followed by an examination of the implications to the local ecology, community and economy, as well as discussing sustainability issues.

 

Of the shortlisted schemes, the Cardiff Weston barrage would generate the most renewable electricity (18 TWh/a) but it would also be the most expensive (£20billion), and concerns were raised about impact on trade (e.g. the Port of Bristol) as well as on wildlife.

 

 

The outcomes of the discussion made it clear that most people were in favour of utilising tidal energy at least to some extent, but there was widespread uncertainty about the best technology to use.

 

Of the shortlisted schemes, the Cardiff Weston barrage would generate the most renewable electricity (18 TWh/a) but it would also be the most expensive (£20billion), and concerns were raised about impact on trade (e.g. the Port of Bristol) as well as on wildlife. However, this is established technology.

 

None of the issues were simple, and it was clear that the objective public discussion we initiated was both greatly appreciated and is much needed; we certainly intend to take this forward in the future.

 

The outcomes of our Forums in Bristol in March and Cardiff in April have been forwarded to the DECC Phase One Consultation, and are being placed on the web.

 

 

The Forums were supported financially by the RSA (both Forums), the British Science Association Bristol and Bath Branch (Bristol Forum) and ARUP, Halcrow and Hyder (Cardiff Forum). The Bristol Forum, a National Science and Engineering Week event, was hosted at the University of the West of England and was also badged by the University of Bristol.

 

The Cardiff Forum was badged by by 12 different institutions ranging from the Welsh Livery Guild to WWF Cymru and the Institute of Welsh Affairs and attracted an audience approaching 200 strong. We thank all those who supported these events in every way. I will be happy to email copies of the reports on request.

 

Eric Albone

Chair British Science Association Bristol and Bath Branch

Chair RSA Wales and Western Region

albone@dial.pipex.com

 

For background information, see

http://severntidalpowerconsultation.decc.gov.uk

The Bristol Forum report is being posted on the UWE website,

http://www.uwe.ac.uk/ishe/newsevents/renewable_energy_severn.shtml