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Energy Insight: Tidal lagoon power for the UK - will it happen?

Although planning permission was granted to the Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay project in June 2015 and, at the time, set in motion what could have been the world’s first tidal lagoon power generation scheme, recent government research has concluded that the scheme would prove to be far more expensive than other forms of low carbon power generation.The scheme has in effect been cancelled following a Statement to Parliament by the Business and Energy Secretary, Greg Clark, on 25 June 2018. 

Highlights

A tidal lagoon is an artificially-created enclosure situated in a tidal body of water, with turbines built into its walls. The turbines can harness the energy from tidal flows into or out of the lagoon approximately four times daily.

  • UK Government involvement
  • Projects in the UK
  • Objections and problems

The Swansea Bay tidal lagoon had a planned capacity of 320 MW and the plant was initially planned to have been completed and producing power in 2019.

The planned life-time of the lagoon was to have been  120 years and it was designed to withstand 500-year-storms and to act as a coastline protection against storms and floods. 

Government involvement in the UK

In June 2015 planning permission was given for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, but on Wednesday 10 February 2016, the Government announced an independent review into the feasibility and practicality of tidal lagoon energy in the UK:  Review of Tidal Lagoons. Department of Energy and Climate Change

This resulted in the publicationon on 12 January 2017, of the  Independent review into the strategic role of Tidal Lagoons in the UK (The Hendry Review)

“I believe that the evidence is clear that tidal lagoons can play a cost effective role in the UK’s energy mix and there is considerable value in a small (less than 500 MW) pathfinder project. I conclude that tidal lagoons would help deliver security of supply; they would assist in delivering our decarbonisation commitments; and they would bring real and substantial opportunities for the UK supply chain.

“Most importantly, it is clear that tidal lagoons at scale could deliver low carbon power in a way that is very competitive with other low carbon sources." Hendry Review - The website for the independent review of tidal lagoons, led by Charles Hendry 12 January 2017

On 10 January 2018, Carwyn Jones, First Minister of the Welsh Government, committed to providing further investment to kick-start the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon and called on the UK Government to give the project the green light. Welsh Government Newsroom

But, the scheme has been cancelled following a Statement to Parliament by the Business and Energy Secretary, Greg Clark, on 25 June 2018 because "the project and proposed programme of lagoons do not meet the requirements for value for money, and so it would not be appropriate to lead the company to believe that public funds can be justified."

Projects in the UK

Green light for world's first tidal lagoon.  Renewable Energy Focus,  21 July 2015

Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay http://www.tidallagoonpower.com/  Here you will find lots of information about the project including films and links to other projects such as: 

Tidal Lagoon Cardiff – Harnessing the power of the Severn
Similar to the Swansea project by creating an artificial lagoon to make use of the 30ft tidal range in the Severn Estuary 

Some objections and problems

Swansea tidal lagoon project faces delays. Terry Macalister Guardian 2nd October 2015

'Mad’ Swansea tidal lagoon scheme heading for the rocks. Christopher Booker. Telegraph, 16 January 2016 A case brought on behalf of local protesters argued that the planning permission rushed through Cornwall Council last April had broken the law.

Tidal lagoon energy review to give 'clarity.' BBC Wales News. 10 February 2016

Fish scientist to chair Fisheries Peer Review Group on tidal lagoons Tidal Lagoon Power Press Release, 12 January 2016

Swansea Bay project thrown out by Government because £1.3bn scheme would cost more than nuclear power Alan Tovey Daily Telegraph. 25 June 2018 Hopes of building a £1.3bn “tidal lagoon” in Wales to generate energy by harnessing the power of the tide have been dashed after the Government said project does not offer value for money, the costs likely to be much higher than alternative sources of low carbon power".

UK government should seize its tidal energy opportunity Ocean Energy Europe Statement 26 June 2018 Ocean Energy Europe regrets the UK government’s decision not to include tidal lagoons in its energy mix. Without government financial support the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon will not go ahead and the UK will lose out on the many benefits it can bring – jobs, growth, industrial leadership and energy security.

Further Reading

Your questions answered: tidal lagoons The Engineer. April 2015

Historical factsheet on tidal and wave energy Energy Institute, 2011

Energy Insight details


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