Cheltenham MP Welcomes Severn Power Plan

Cheltenham MP and shadow environment minister Martin Horwood has welcomed a report published today by the Liberal Democrat Severn Forum that maps out a plan for maximising renewable energy from the Severn estuary while minimising unnecessary damage to the environment. The group of Lib Dem MPs and councillors - including Martin - was drawn from the Welsh and west country sides of the Severn and have been meeting in parallel to the government's review of Severn tidal power. The group's conclusions will be submitted to the government's own review, which is considering a variety of options: barrages of various different sizes, tidal lagoons that enclose areas of water rather than cutting across the estuary and more radical turbine-based technologies known as tidal reefs and fences.

Martin commented: 'I'm very pleased with the group's conclusions. I thought it was a tough challenge to meet the concerns of many conservationists and environmental groups while still harnessing the enormous power of the Severn tides for renewable energy. I think the group has come up with a really imaginative plan that will help us meet ambitious targets for renewable energy in a way that is sensitive to the environment. I'm worried that the government has already started ruling out important options far too soon and that they may end up going for an option that will cause quite unnecessary damage to local wildlife.'

PROPOSAL OF SEVERN TIDAL POWER SOLUTIONS
A commission of inquiry established by Liberal Democrat MPs, Assembly Members and councillors in the West of England and Wales is today publishing a blueprint for harnessing the tidal power of the Severn Estuary. The inquiry has held evidence sessions at Cardiff, Bristol and Portishead and has studied the documents which have been prepared by the Government as part of its own appraisal of options for Severn Tidal power. The commission was jointly chaired by Northavon MP Steve Webb and Mike German AM. The key recommendations are:

- that a barrage near the Second Severn Crossing (the 'Shoots Barrage') would be better than the much larger 'Cardiff-Weston' barrage;
- that there should be pilots of 'lagoon' technology in the estuary;
- that there should be serious investment in innovative technology such as the tidal 'reef' and into methods for storing tidal power so that it can be used at times of day when it is most needed.

The commission rejects the larger barrage on several grounds. It is found to do serious damage to the estuary (wiping out around 80% of the 'inter-tidal habitat'), it is less cost-effective than the shorter barrage, it would cause serious economic damage to the port of Bristol and it might be up to two decades before it could be completed, meaning no savings in CO2 emissions before late into the 2020s. In addition, assuming that the Barrage generated on the ebb tide only, a large barrage would generate two huge bursts of power, not necessarily at times of day when that power could usefully be fed into the National Grid. By contrast, the power generated by a smaller barrage could be more manageably used by the Grid and it could be up and running within a decade. In addition, the Shoots barrage, lying near to the route of the Severn rail tunnel, would provide potential to facilitate a new high-speed electrified rail link between London, Bristol and South Wales.

The Commission found that lagoon technology could complement the use of a barrage, providing power at different times to the barrage and with less environmental impact on the estuary as a whole.

The Commission took evidence from the proponents of the Severn Tidal Reef, and were excited by the possibilities but recognised that the technology still needs to be substantially researched and developed. The Commission therefore recommended that far greater resources be devoted to pursuing the option of a Minehead to Aberthaw reef which could produce substantial amounts of power with much lower environmental impact. The Commission specifically recommended that money from the £50 million 'Marine Renewables Deployment Fund' could be earmarked for moving this work forward.

Commenting on the report, Northavon MP Steve Webb said:

"For over a century people have rightly been highlighting the potential for power generation from the Severn Estuary. With the threat of climate change getting steadily greater there is now real urgency that we get on with harnessing this source of renewable energy in an environmentally responsbile way. We therefore reject the large 'Cardiff-Weston' barrage which could take decades to come on stream and could do untold damage both to the environment and to the local economy through its impact on the Port of Bristol. We believe that a smaller barrage offers the best mix of power output with reduced environmental impact and also offers the chance for a major upgrade to public transport through Wales and the West of England"

Mike German AM said;" In tackling an issue as complex and divisive as Severn tidal power, this commission has reached extremely encouraging conclusions that should send a strong signal to Government in Cardiff and London. The Liberal Democrats are committed to finding sustainable solutions, small and large scale, that work for the people of Wales and England - that's why we're years ahead of government in consulting widely and producing this excellent, progressive report. As the report clearly states - we cannot afford to let Government waste any more time if we are to avoid dangerous climate change and ensure we have energy and transport infrastructure fit for all our futures."