Severn tidal power: list of proposals
published
Jul 24, 2008 - direct.gov.uk Newsroom
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The tidal range on the Severn is
the second largest in the world and has the potential
to provide around 5% of the UK's current electricity
demand. |
A list of 10 proposed projects that could provide clean,
green energy from the tide in the Severn Estuary is being
considered. The list has been published at an event to
discuss the progress of the feasibility study in Cardiff
attended by organisations such as environmental groups,
local businesses and councils.
The feasibility study, commissioned by Secretary of State
for Energy John Hutton, will now look in further detail
at the 10 schemes. A short list will be published later
this year highlighting which preferred proposals could
be taken forward for more extensive research.
John Hutton said: "Harnessing the power of the Severn
Estuary could be an engineering project of breathtaking
scale and we will look at the full range of technologies
and locations. Such a project could play an important
role in our ambition to dramatically increase the amount
of energy from renewable sources. The tidal range on the
Severn is the second largest in the world and has the
potential to provide around 5% of the UK's current electricity
demand."
The list of ten options are:
1. Outer Barrage from Minehead to Aberthaw: this would
be the largest barrage and would make maximum use of the
Severn Estuary tidal resource
2. Middle Barrage from Brean Down to Lavernock Point:
most well-studied option, known as the Cardiff-Weston
barrage
3. Middle Barrage from Hinkley to Lavernock Point: as
option 2 but lands at Hinkley
4. Inner Barrage (Shoots Barrage): also known as English
Stones scheme and studied in detail by the Sustainable
Development Commission
5. Beachley Barrage: barrage further upstream, smaller
generating capacity than Shoots.
6. Tidal Fence proposal: a barrier constructed over part
of the Cardiff to Weston line, with open sections, incorporating
tidal stream turbines to capture energy from the ebb and
flood tides.
7. Lagoon enclosure on the Welsh grounds (Fleming lagoon):
one of the previously studied Russell lagoons from 1980s
8. Tidal lagoon concept: a proposal for a number of tidal
lagoons
9. Tidal reef proposal: a concept that would include
floating turbines and caissons
10. Severn Lake Scheme: a 1 km wide barrage in the same
location as the Cardiff-Weston scheme designed to allow
the construction of a number of additional features, including
a wave farm on the seaward side and four marinas
Further information
More details are available on the BERR website.