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Friends of the Earth Cymru appalled by Commission’s Severn Barrage recommendations

Environmental pressure group, Friends of the Earth Cymru, is alarmed at the pro-Severn Barrage recommendations proposed by the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), published today.

Friends of the Earth Cymru is calling for a comprehensive study of tidal lagoons and a Shoots Barrage, but larger scale lagoons were firmly dismissed by the Commission. The pressure group rejects the Commission’s recommendation that a feasibility study should be focused on the Severn Barrage and only if it failed key tests would other alternatives be looked at.

The group expressed disappointment that the Commission proposes a scheme that would be publicly funded. Due to its high generating cost of 9.2p per kilowatt hour the Barrage would be nearly three times the cost of large tidal lagoons.

Friends of the Earth Cymru has identified six main reasons why tidal lagoons would be a better option than a Severn Barrage, and sets these out in a comprehensive report released today. (1)

1. Lagoons are far more efficient – they could produce up to 60% more energy than the Severn barrage


2. Lagoons are much cheaper – they would generate electricity at about half the cost of the barrage (3 p/kWh versus 6 p/kWh)


3. Lagoons would not impede navigation - unlike the Severn barrage, which could significantly reduce freight trade entering the UK via the Severn ports, Avonmouth and Portbury. This would have adverse knock-on effects on Bristol, and strain capacity and transport links at other UK ports


4. Lagoons would not destroy an internationally important habitat - unlike the Severn barrage, which would destroy the feeding grounds of tens of thousands of birds and damage the legally protected Severn Estuary


5. Lagoons would integrate well with other renewable energy schemes – unlike the Severn barrage, which would need expensive stand-by capacity to cope with the huge twice daily pulses of power that would not synchronise with the daily variations in grid demand


6. Lagoons would be compatible with a Shoots barrage near the Second Severn Crossing, which could provide flood defence and a strategic rail link from London to south Wales avoiding the ageing Severn tunne

The Severn Barrage would generate just 4.3% of the UK’s electricity demand which is just 0.85% percent of the UK’s overall energy consumption. (2)

Neil Crumpton, Friends of the Earth Energy Campaigner and author of the group’s Severn Barrage Report, said:

"The Sustainable Development Commission is saying that the Severn Barrage would be a flagship leading the UK’s investment in renewable energy. Yet to seriously damage an internationally important wildlife site to generate less than one percent of the UK’s energy consumption is not the way to lead the world in sustainable development.”

Notes

1. For a report summary, and to download the full report, go to:
   English:  www.foe.co.uk/cymru/english/news/severn_barrage_report.html
   Cymraeg: www.foe.co.uk/cymru/cymraeg/newyddion/morglawdd_afon_hafren.html


2. The Barrage would generate 17 TW hours per year, UK ‘final’ energy consumption was 2020 TW hours per year in 2005. Dukes 2006