Jun 20 2008
Severn Barrage Financial Folly
Current talk of the proposed Severn Barrage project is focusing on the benefits of ‘clean’ electricity generation but ignores the cost. There are two specific costs that come to mind, the obvious building cost and the environmental cost.
As a member of the team that built the Cardiff Bay Barrage I know a bit about barrages. That barrage was built for cosmetic purposes only: to improve the visual and economic value of the land surrounding the lake. The cost estimated to be £50 million was more like £200 million with an annual running cost of £9 million. However, the results speak for themselves, 3000 new homes all paying council tax, new businesses established, private sector investment of at least 10:1, land values increased, tourism and the revenues it generates an world recognised waterfront. In fact it took just one inward investment project to offset the cost of the barrage when NEG/Schott built a glass factory on Ocean Way the private sector investment for that project alone was £200 million.
In my opinion the Severn Barrage is a huge folly. Why undertake such a massive and expensive engineering project when the only perceived benefits are clean electricity and a new road.There are more intuitive, cheaper and less environmentally damaging ways to generate electricity from the huge potential of tidal power that the Severn Estuary provides.
Morgan Parry from WWF Cymru said “We strongly recommend that more suitable technologies are deployed to capture the energy of the Severn estuary, such as stand-alone tidal generators, tidal fences and further research into tidal lagoons.“
My ideal solution would be offshore wind turbines which have another turbine under the water driven by the movement of the tides, two for the price of one.
From an environmental point of view this solution doesn’t flood important wetlands and bird feeding grounds, doesn’t require tons of concrete, the production of which generates 1 ton of CO2 per ton of cement used as a raw material and doesn’t involve huge construction facilities and the disruption to local communities such as Lavernock.
Whats your opinion?