Severn tidal study must not exclude promising new technologies

The public consultation of the first stage of the UK government's Severn tidal power study closes on Thursday (April 23). Environmental campaigners say the door must not be closed on a number of promising new schemes.

Neil Crumpton, Friends of the Earth Energy Campaigner, said: "Plans for a Cardiff-Weston barrage have been around for 20 years, and its time has gone. Time - and technology - has moved on.

"The government study shouldn't rule out new ideas and promising possibilities when there is so much at stake. The Severn estuary's environmental importance and tidal energy potential are too great to risk spending another 20 years building the wrong project.

"Tidal reefs or large offshore lagoons - either or both of these could be among the innovative schemes to produce affordable, renewable energy with minimal environmental impact.

"Even in the last three months, new technologies have emerged [1], and costs and impacts have been reassessed, meaning that reefs and offshore lagoons now have to be a part of the continuing study.

"To throw away potentially the best solutions, and hang on to a 20 year old monument to old technology, would be a monumental mistake."

1. Lagoon walls are estimated by specialist companies to cost about three times less than the Interim Options Analysis Report estimates for offshore lagoons, and half the cost for land-connected lagoons. Two new construction materials and techniques ('geo-textile walls' and 'glass-fibre reinforced concrete caissons') could be used. With these reduced wall construction costs, the electricity cost from offshore lagoons would fall to within the price range for short-listing.

For further information please contact Friends of the Earth Cymru on 029 2022 9577