UK Government ignores most promising option for Severn tidal power

Large offshore tidal lagoons have not been included on a shortlist for potential schemes to harness the tidal power of the Severn, published by the UK Government today.

Friends of the Earth Cymru has reacted angrily to the exclusion. The group believes that tidal lagoons are the most viable option that could deliver large amounts of green electricity sooner, at less cost and with less environmental impact than the Severn barrage.

Gordon James, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, said:

"Friends of the Earth Cymru believes that large offshore tidal lagoons offer the most promising option for generating green electricity from the Severn Estuary. Their exclusion from the government's short list of technologies being assessed is utterly incomprehensible.

"We have long suspected that the UK Government has already decided on the Cardiff to Weston Severn barrage, and that this consultation process is little more than a cosmetic exercise. Today's announcement appears to confirm our suspicions.

"There has been a long-held complaint by the company developing tidal lagoons that they have not had a fair hearing with the British Government.

"The House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee has previously criticised government departments' hostile stance[1], and more recently, the government's own consultants have been accused of exaggerating the costs of tidal lagoons[2].

"This is a missed opportunity for the UK to pioneer a green marine technology that could harness the huge energy resource of the Severn estuary - sooner than a barrage and at less cost and with less environmental damage"

NOTES

[1] In October 2006, House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee report 'Energy in Wales: Government Response The Committee's Third Report of Session 2005 - 06'. It stated in paragraph 36 that:
'Regardless of the merits and economic viability of the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon scheme, we have concerns about the DTI's handling of the scheme and the damaging effect that this has had on investor confidence and potential commercial development. We are pleased that the DTI has now withdrawn its technical objections to the scheme, but the errors made by the DTI officials have undermined and delayed a highly promising project. We recommend that the DTI takes urgent steps to address the damage it has caused, and to set out clearly its strategy for rebuilding investor confidence in this scheme

[2] The Guardian (January 5th 2009)

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