Friends of the Earth appalled by Commission's Severn Barrage recommendations

Environmental pressure group, Friends of the Earth, is alarmed at the pro-Severn Barrage recommendations published by the Sustainable Development Commission today (1 Oct). The Commission, which is the Government's independent watchdog on sustainable development, dismissed alternative proposals for large scale lagoons.

Friends of the Earth is calling for a comprehensive study of tidal lagoons and a smaller barrage on the Severn (Shoots barrage). The environmental charity rejects the Commission's recommendation that a feasibility study should be focused on the Severn Barrage - only looking at alternatives looked if the barrage if it failed key tests.

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 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)

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

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

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

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

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

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 tunnel

The Severn Barrage would generate just 4.3 per cent of the UK's electricity demand which is just 0.85 per cent 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 project - leading the UK's investment in renewable energy. Yet to seriously damage an internationally important wildlife site in order to generate less than one percent of the UK's energy consumption is not the way to lead the world in sustainable development.

We urgently need to promote renewable energy initiatives but they need to be the right ones. A combination of large offshore tidal lagoons, possibly in combination with a Shoots barrage or barrier, could produce more energy with more flexibility at much less cost and environmental damage. That's why we propose that such schemes are considered in any further Severn studies, as an alternative to the Severn barrage."

Notes

(1) For a Severn Barrage 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.