Shortlisted Projects for Severn Estuary Unveiled

The Government has announced a proposed shortlist of schemes to generate renewable energy form the tides of the Severn estuary. The shortlist is comprised of various barrage and lagoon projects.

The Severn has a tidal range of 14m, making it the second-largest in the world. Successfully harnessing the energy created by the tides would make an enormous contribution to achieving renewable energy targets- the Government is committed to producing 20% of the UK’s energy from renewable sources by 2020- as well as assisting in the reduction of UK carbon emissions.

Below is the proposed shortlist:

Cardiff Weston Barrage: A barrage crossing the Severn estuary from Brean Down, near Weston super Mare to Lavernock Point, near Cardiff. Its estimated capacity is over 8.6 Gigawatts – the equivalent of eight typical coal-fired power stations. It could generate nearly 5% of UK electricity and would cost approximately £15bn to implement.

Shoots Barrage: Further upstream of the Cardiff Weston scheme. Capacity of 1.05GW, similar to a large fossil fuel plant.

Beachley Barrage: The smallest barrage on the proposed shortlist, just above the Wye River. It could generate 625MW.

Bridgwater Bay Lagoon: Lagoons are radical new proposals which impound a section of the estuary without damming it. This scheme is sited on the English shore between east of Hinkley Point and Weston super Mare. It could generate 1.36GW.

Fleming Lagoon: An impoundment on the Welsh shore of the estuary between Newport and the Severn road crossings. It too could generate 1.36GW.

Environmentalists have openly criticized the Governments decision to include the Cardiff Weston Barrage as an option. The barrage would cause severe environmental and ecological damage to the area, destroying rare habitats used by 69,000 birds and blocking the migration routes of numerous fish species.

Martin Harper, head of sustainable development at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said it was “Hugely disappointing to see the Government still pushing forward with the environmentally destructive option.”

The proposed shortlist, and the original list of projects from which it was created, are now open to a three month public consultation. The final decision on which project(s) will go ahead will be announced in 2010.

Many environmentalists are pessimistic about the outcome, and believe it is a foregone conclusion. FOE Cymru director Gordon James told the Guardian "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."

Shortlist of Severn Estuary Plans to be Announced

A shortlist of proposed schemes to generate renewable energy form the Severn estuary will be announced by the Government later today.

Over the past six months, the Department of Energy and Climate Change have examined 10 projects for converting the Severn estuary’s tidal power into electricity. Five of these have been selected for further investigation and are due to be revealed by the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Ed Miliband, this afternoon.

Among the proposed schemes is a 10 mile long barrage from Lavernock Point, Vale of Glamorgan to Somerset, which has attracted a lot of controversy and could cost up to £15 billion to implement.

Barrages are essentially dams which span the width of a tidal estuary. They generate electricity in a similar way to hydroelectric dams, except they harness energy from the difference in height between high and low tides, as opposed to the force of falling water.

The Severn, which has the second-largest tidal range in the world – the difference between the highest and lowest tides can be as great as 42ft (14m) – has the potential to generate 5% of Britain's electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions significantly.

However, conservation groups, such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, are opposed to the barrage, due to the potential environmental and ecological damage it could cause. For example, the barrage could block the migratory routes for fish such as lampreys, salmon, sea trout and eels, and would destroy rare mud-flat and salt-marsh habitats which are vital to many species wetland birds. They are hoping the less intrusive, but equally efficient options, such as tidal fences, reefs and lagoons will be selected.

The preferred project(s) is to be approved by the Government in 2010 and is likely to be integral to the Government’s long-term targets for renewable energy and CO2 emissions.

Energy Minister Criticises NGOs Over Severn Barrage

The UK Energy Minister, Malcolm Wicks, has criticised the RSPB and other NGOs for adopting a 'no' position to the development of a Severn Barrage.

Mr Wicks, speaking to the House of Commons Welsh Grand Committee, said that the RSPB were "clearly not understanding that unless we are prepared to take some courageous action on climate change the devastation of species will be truly enormous".

He said:"It is the duty of a sensible NGO (non-governmental organisation) supported by the public that occasionally they say yes to projects and (are) not always seeking the comfort zone of saying no to a barrage, no to a wind farm, no to this, no to that." "There needs to be a responsibility and a seriousness in all organisations, especially the environmental ones." Mr Wicks also said that if the Government's assessment of the Severn Barrage, due to report next year, revealed severe environmental impacts, the project would be suspended.

The RSPB has hit back at the Minister, saying that the development of a Severn Barrage would be an extremely costly means to achieve the same benefits as less expensive renewable energy projects, concomitant with tremendous loss of wildlife in the Severn Estuary.

Read the full story online at BBC.co.uk

True Cost of Severn Barrage

A new report by Frontier Economics commissioned by NGOs including the RSPB and National Trust, suggests that a tidal barrage is the least cost-effective way of generating renewable energy for the UK.

The barrage could potentially supply 5% of the UK's electricity in less than two decades, however the independent report suggests that not only will the barrage waste taxpayers' money, but cause widespread environmental damage to 85k hectares of protected wetlands. The wetlands support numerous important species of wading birds as well as permit salmon, sea trout and sea lampreys to reach spawning grounds.

The projected costs are in the region of £15 billion, however it is thought that this figure could be much greater. This figure does not take into account the value of the ecosystem services the wetlands provide, which it is anticipated would have to be considered as part of the forthcoming legislation in the Marine Bill.

However, given the UK target of obtaining 40% of its energy from renewables by 2020, serious consideration must be given to alternative renewable energy projects.

Link to RSPB Press Release (12 June 2008)

The BES invites members and blog readers to comment.

BES Meeting: The Ecological Consequences of the Severn Barrage

The British Ecological Society's Conservation Ecology Specical Interest Group (SIG) is holding a one-day event on 2 July to discuss the ecological consequences of the proposed development of a Severn Barrage. The workshop provides an opportunities for ecologists and policy makers to interact to discuss the Barrage proposals and what these might mean for the natural environment of the Severn Estuary.

This will take place at the University of Wales, Cardiff. The draft programme and details of how to book a place at this event are available here.

2nd July 2008: The Ecological Consequences of Severn Barrage Development

The BES Conservation Ecology Special Interest Group is organising a one-day meeting (2nd July, Cardiff University) on the ecological consequences of the development of the Severn Barrage.

The conference will examine the ecology of the Severn estuary and explore the possible ecological consequences of a barrage. Topics will include birds, fisheries, sedimentation and saltmarsh ecology. Includes speakers from BTO, Cardiff University, CCW and the Environment Agency.

A full programme will be posted on the BES's website in due course. In the meantime, for further information or to register, contact the Secretary of the group, Mick Green, for more details on 01970 832491 or e-mail the policy team at the BES (Policy@BritishEcologicalSociety.org).

Details of Severn Estuary Feasibility Study Published

John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, today published the terms of reference for a two-year feasibility study into the potential to harness tidal power from the Severn Estuary. The cross-Governmental project, involving the Welsh Assembly Government, South West Regional Development Agency, and other stakeholders, will analyse the potential environmental, social and economic impacts of a range of possible projects. The study will culminate with a full public consultation in early 2010.

Although a 'Severn Barrage', one of the projects under consideration, would have the potential to generate 5% of the UK's electricity, its development poses grave concerns for many conservationists due to the importance of the Severn Estuary for, amongst others, over-wintering birds, migrating salmon and other species of fish. The Estuary represents 7% of the UK's total tidal resource for wildlife and is afforded a high-level of protection under international legislation, such as the EU Habitats and Birds Directive.