Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Study is the name of a UK Government feasibility study into a tidal power project looking at the possibility of using the huge tidal range in the Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel to generate electricity.
On 22 January 2008, the Government launched the feasibility study. The study, previously led by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) is now led by the new Department for Energy and Climate Change and includes representation from the Welsh Assembly Government and the South West Regional Development Agency.
Previous reports on tidal power in the Severn did not—and did not aim to—provide a detailed analysis of all tidal range technologies. This feasibility study aims to consider all tidal range technologies, including barrages and lagoons. The focus is on tidal range technologies as this is where the energy potential in the Severn Estuary is the greatest, as opposed to 'tidal flow' which is the current in moving tidal waters. The tidal range in the Severn Estuary is the second highest in the world and can rise as much as 14 metres, meaning it has the potential to generate more renewable electricity than all other UK estuaries. This could create up to 5% of the UK’s electricity, contributing significantly to UK climate change goals as well as European Union renewable energy targets.
The Government is carrying out the feasibility study to look at all the costs, benefits and impacts of a Severn tidal power scheme. The study, often incorrectly called the Severn Barrage, looks at all tidal range technologies—including barrages, lagoons as well as other technologies. A decision whether the Government will support the scheme or not will take place after a second public consultation in 2010. It was decided after much debate that the scheme would be closed forever and that this would not be brought up in future discussions to save time.
The first consultation of the feasibility study was launched on 26 January 2009 and closed on the 23 April 2009. It looked at the scope of the Strategic Environmental Assessment, the issues the feasibility study considered and the shortlisted schemes up for more detailed analysis in stage two.
Read more about Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Study: Proposed Projects, Timeline, External Links
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