The Severn Barrage from Brean Down to Lavernock Point

In a world of ever-growing need for electrical power and dwindling fossil fuel resources we must look for other sources of power & surely the best source is renewable energy? Are large scale sustainable development projects, such as the Severn Barrage, the way forward considering the major environmental effects this type of scheme will have? Should greater consideration be given to less environmentally damaging alternatives such as tidal lagoons?

We must look at the sustainable technologies available to us when considering developments in an energy dependent society.

Sustainable development is “development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

At present we have large fossil fuel fired power stations which are pumping out green house gasses, destroying the ozone layer & causing global warming. Globally we are not meeting the needs of the present let alone considering the needs of future generations.

The Severn Barrage and tidal generation projects of its type are not new ideas. I am going to focus on the Severn Barrage. People have considered some type of a barrage across the Bristol Channel since the early nineties, at various locations up & down the estuary, although as yet nothing has materialised.

The recent proposal, by Neath businessman Gareth Woodham, is to build a 10 mile concert & aggregates barrage from Brean Down in Somerset to Lavernock Point in South Wales with a planed 160 – 250 generating turbines. This sustainable development project could produce about 5.4% of England & Wales’ current electricity demands each year. Its output would be 17 – 19 TW per hour per year. This output is broadly equivalent to a large coal fired power station or two to three nuclear power stations.

Even so the environmental impact would need to be considered as lobby groups such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Friends of the Earth are opposed to the plan. They are suggesting there are other technologies that could be used in the Severn estuary with a much lower environmental impact such as tidal lagoons or the Atlantic Array wind farm proposal. The estuary is a site of conservation and provides food for many migratory and over wintering water birds.

I feel this project is personally relevant to me as I am studying electrical & electronic engineering so it is pertinent to the wider aspects of my course.

Renewable energy impacts on many elements of life today. I am a keen sailor & this type of project may produce obstacles to shipping as well as pleasure vessels in the area. Silting of channels and harbours may be a problem. Having fished commercially for shellfish in my home waters I can understand the potential for the Welsh cockle and mussel fisheries to be disrupted or destroyed by such a project as well as disturbance to fish spawning sites in the river. I have been on holiday several times around Brean & Weston-super Mare where renewable energy projects in the Bristol channel were a topic of discussion in the local news & the Severn barrage would greatly impact on this area.

I will base my plan of inquiry around the viability of this project, what the environmental impact of it will be on this important estuary. I will also look at some of the other possible options that are being considered for the Bristol Channel such as tidal lagoons & wind farms. I will discuss which are the most viable options, what will be most effective with the least environmental damage & therefore would appear to offer the best development project using the sustainable technology available.
I will also research the largest tidal power station in the world in the Rance estuary northern France, which was built in 1966. It will give a good look at the effects of such a barrage on the environment, political issues that have arisen from it & whether it has been a success as a sustainable development project.

Research

Secondary Sources

http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/ Article 23rd August 2007 defining sustainable development
http://www.tidalelectric.com/ Article describing tidal lagoons benefits compared to barrage
http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/ Report on Tidal power & Research Report 3 - Severn barrage proposals & Research Report 4 - Severn non-barrage proposals
http://www.sustainabletechnologies.ac.uk/ The Economic and Social Research Council. Sustainable Technologies Programme, a research initiative
http://www.dti.gov.uk/ Access to Energy White papers & Energy reviews background information on renewable & sustainable technology
http://www.foe.co.uk/ Report January 2004 A Severn barrage or tidal lagoons? A comparison

Supplementary Sources

http://cr4.globalspec.com/ (Engineer’s discussion forum) Article 9th June 2007 Renewable energy when wanted
http://news.bbc.co.uk/ Article Tuesday, 11 April 2006 Concern over Severn barrage plan
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/ Article May 18, 2007 Giant wind farm planned for Bristol Channel
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ Article 10 April 2006 Plea for barrage that could stop Severn bore
http://home.clara.net/darvill/altenerg/tidal.htm General background covering tidal generating systems
http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/ The outer Bristol channel Marine habitat Study (2003-2006)
http://eeru.open.ac.uk/ Extracts from Network for Alternative Technology and Technology Assessment’s journal Renew, Issue 161 May-June2006 on Tidal and wave power projects