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Should a tidal barrage be built across the Severn estuary? Should a tidal barrage be built across the Severn estuary?
(40 minutes later)
9.24am: Peter Hain, the shadow Welsh secretary, quit front-bench politics yesterday to focus on launching a campaign to build a tidal barrage across the Severn estuary. In a statement on his website, Hain said he hoped "to help secure Wales the biggest infrastructure project it has ever seen":9.24am: Peter Hain, the shadow Welsh secretary, quit front-bench politics yesterday to focus on launching a campaign to build a tidal barrage across the Severn estuary. In a statement on his website, Hain said he hoped "to help secure Wales the biggest infrastructure project it has ever seen":
This will require a private Bill, but I hope the Government will back it...[The Barrage] will generate at least 5% of the UK's entire electricity needs, at a time when the future of nuclear power is in doubt. Nuclear power stations like Wylfa are coming to the end of their lives – that's happening right across Britain...So what is going to fill this gap? And what is going to stop the lights going off? The Severn Barrage is one of the projects, probably the key project that stops that happening. The power it can generate is equivalent to about three nuclear power stations.This will require a private Bill, but I hope the Government will back it...[The Barrage] will generate at least 5% of the UK's entire electricity needs, at a time when the future of nuclear power is in doubt. Nuclear power stations like Wylfa are coming to the end of their lives – that's happening right across Britain...So what is going to fill this gap? And what is going to stop the lights going off? The Severn Barrage is one of the projects, probably the key project that stops that happening. The power it can generate is equivalent to about three nuclear power stations.
But, in September 2010, the coalition ruled out any public funding for the estimated £20bn project. There has been talk of smaller, privately funded barrages, but, to date, nothing concrete has emerged. The latest plan to be discussed is a barrage from Lavernock Point near Cardiff across to Brean Down near Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. Last December, the Department of Energy and Climate Change said it was an "interesting proposition".But, in September 2010, the coalition ruled out any public funding for the estimated £20bn project. There has been talk of smaller, privately funded barrages, but, to date, nothing concrete has emerged. The latest plan to be discussed is a barrage from Lavernock Point near Cardiff across to Brean Down near Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. Last December, the Department of Energy and Climate Change said it was an "interesting proposition".
However, there are environmental factors to consider beyond any low-carbon electricity that the barrage might generate. The tidal estuary is a treasured, protected habitat for birds and marine wildlife. What impact would a barrage have of the area's flora and fauna?However, there are environmental factors to consider beyond any low-carbon electricity that the barrage might generate. The tidal estuary is a treasured, protected habitat for birds and marine wildlife. What impact would a barrage have of the area's flora and fauna?
What are your views? If quoting figures to support your points, please provide a link to the source. I will also be inviting various interested parties to join the debate, too. And later on today, I will return with my own verdict.What are your views? If quoting figures to support your points, please provide a link to the source. I will also be inviting various interested parties to join the debate, too. And later on today, I will return with my own verdict.
9.40am: Peter Hain has sent me this fuller explanation for why he is so keen to see a tidal barrage built across the Severn estuary:9.40am: Peter Hain has sent me this fuller explanation for why he is so keen to see a tidal barrage built across the Severn estuary:
The Cardiff-Weston Severn barrage is the single most important low carbon, renewable energy project in Europe and should be backed by all those serious about tackling climate change. It would generate the equivalent of several nuclear power stations, and contribute over 5% of Britain's entire electricity requirements. It would harness the enormous tidal power of the Severn estuary which has the second highest tidal range in the world.The Cardiff-Weston Severn barrage is the single most important low carbon, renewable energy project in Europe and should be backed by all those serious about tackling climate change. It would generate the equivalent of several nuclear power stations, and contribute over 5% of Britain's entire electricity requirements. It would harness the enormous tidal power of the Severn estuary which has the second highest tidal range in the world.
Tidal energy generation has a considerable advantage over other renewable energy technologies, because tides are predictable and constant. Whereas wind and solar are intermittent, tidal power is continuous. The project backers, Corlan Hafren, have engaged with the RSPB and other environmentalists to address their concerns. Turbine design has been reconfigured to be fish-friendly and the ebb and flow mechanism to be used will enable the Severn estuary above the barrage to be maintained at a much more stable level rather than the massive rise and fall which makes it so harsh for the Severn's fragile ecosystems. Research suggests that a Barrage would also reinvigorate the environment and protect declining species such as the Dunlin, an iconic bird in the Severn which has experienced a catastrophic fall in numbers.Tidal energy generation has a considerable advantage over other renewable energy technologies, because tides are predictable and constant. Whereas wind and solar are intermittent, tidal power is continuous. The project backers, Corlan Hafren, have engaged with the RSPB and other environmentalists to address their concerns. Turbine design has been reconfigured to be fish-friendly and the ebb and flow mechanism to be used will enable the Severn estuary above the barrage to be maintained at a much more stable level rather than the massive rise and fall which makes it so harsh for the Severn's fragile ecosystems. Research suggests that a Barrage would also reinvigorate the environment and protect declining species such as the Dunlin, an iconic bird in the Severn which has experienced a catastrophic fall in numbers.
Not only will existing ecosystems be protected, but a study of La Rance Barrage in France suggests that there would be a significant increase in faunal abundance and biodiversity. The barrage would slow down the fearsome Severn tide, introducing more light and oxygen and therefore improving the water quality, attracting more fish which will support greater and more diverse birdlife.Not only will existing ecosystems be protected, but a study of La Rance Barrage in France suggests that there would be a significant increase in faunal abundance and biodiversity. The barrage would slow down the fearsome Severn tide, introducing more light and oxygen and therefore improving the water quality, attracting more fish which will support greater and more diverse birdlife.
There would also be significant economic benefits – exactly the kind of green jobs and investment environmentalists have long been demanding. At the peak of construction the barrage would create 35,000 jobs distributed over the UK with about half in South Wales. Well over 10,000 permanent jobs would be created around the estuary. There will be huge new opportunities for new leisure activities such as water sports, fishing and bird watching on both sides of the Severn estuary.There would also be significant economic benefits – exactly the kind of green jobs and investment environmentalists have long been demanding. At the peak of construction the barrage would create 35,000 jobs distributed over the UK with about half in South Wales. Well over 10,000 permanent jobs would be created around the estuary. There will be huge new opportunities for new leisure activities such as water sports, fishing and bird watching on both sides of the Severn estuary.
Additionally, the Cardiff Weston barrage would also act as a storm surge barrier protecting people's homes and assets that are under threat from rising sea levels and increasingly volatile weather. It will produce electricity for generations to come, with a life expectancy of 150 years as a tried and tested technology. La Rance has been reliably generating tidal power for nearly forty years and has a long and profitable life ahead.Additionally, the Cardiff Weston barrage would also act as a storm surge barrier protecting people's homes and assets that are under threat from rising sea levels and increasingly volatile weather. It will produce electricity for generations to come, with a life expectancy of 150 years as a tried and tested technology. La Rance has been reliably generating tidal power for nearly forty years and has a long and profitable life ahead.
Potential developers have made clear that they do not need any public money. If they have the active backing of the government, especially through the planning process, and for a private parliamentary bill, they are confident of raising the £30bn plus funding necessary to build it. In short, the barrage is a unique opportunity to produce green energy and tackle climate change; create employment; safeguard peoples' homes from rising water levels and protect and promote indigenous wildlife and biodiversity.Potential developers have made clear that they do not need any public money. If they have the active backing of the government, especially through the planning process, and for a private parliamentary bill, they are confident of raising the £30bn plus funding necessary to build it. In short, the barrage is a unique opportunity to produce green energy and tackle climate change; create employment; safeguard peoples' homes from rising water levels and protect and promote indigenous wildlife and biodiversity.
9.56am: Iolo ap Dafydd, BBC Wales's environment correspondent, has put together this four-minute video report which gives a good flavour of the range of views and emotions generated by the Severn barrage proposal.9.56am: Iolo ap Dafydd, BBC Wales's environment correspondent, has put together this four-minute video report which gives a good flavour of the range of views and emotions generated by the Severn barrage proposal.
10.39am: Thanks to ergolargo below the line who points to a paper published in the journal Environmental Impact Assessment Review last year. Its authors examined the "environmental interactions of tidal and wave energy generation devices" and came to the following conclusion:
The principle environmental effects produced from the operation of a tidal barrage are the changed tidal regime and its impact on bird communities and benthic habitat availability. The impacts on bird feeding habitat can be mitigated by the provision of new intertidal areas/lagoons which provide feeding grounds during the high water period landward of the barrage, and through the use of a dual cycle generation regime or the substitution of the barrage by a tidal fence. The latter options both give a lower energy yield. If the site was on a fish migration route (salmonids, eels, shad) appropriate provision would need to be provided by means of fish passes etc. The impacts on benthic habitats are not easily mitigated; a certain degree of loss of the regional habitat pool is inevitable.