The potential of the Mersey tides in the UK may offer up to 7% of the UK’s overall energy capacity, according to a multi-billion dollar strategy. According to the Mayor of Liverpool City Region Metro, Steve Rotheram, he is prepared to move forward with his Mersey Tidal initiatives, such as engaging a technical adviser and designer to help him build the scheme’s next stage concepts, which may be a tidal barrage or a floating lagoon, LBN Daily reports.
This is a development that will see a plant erected to produce electricity from the Mersey Estuary’s tides. Both solutions are fraught with technical and financial difficulties.
The Mersey has the runner-up highest tidal range in the UK (the difference between high and low tides). It is only second to the River Severn in height, rising from 4m to 10m at high tide. As the tide falls, water from the high tides is discharged via turbines, creating electricity.
The UK’s producing capacity is now approximately 76 GW. The tidal range surrounding the North West coast, according to experts, may supply 8 to 12 GW of capacity, with the Mersey able to give 1 to 5 GW.
Mr Rotheram had stated that the tidal barrage project will generate enough energy to power one million households or 500 soccer fields. He argues that it could deliver affordable, renewable energy to the Liverpool city region for the next 100 years. Nevertheless, the project’s cost would be substantial. The cost had previously been estimated to be approximately £4 billion.
The Combined Authority granted £2.5 million in financing in February 2020 to move the project ahead to the next stage of development. The authority has spent the previous two years doing a preliminary technical study to determine the scheme’s possible scope.
Energy and hydrodynamic modeling, cost analysis, and supplier chain participation, as well as various finance and delivery options, have all been part of the process. It has also conducted preliminary environmental assessments and organized talks in order to influence the energy policy of the national government.