HARNESSING THE POWER OF OUR TIDES
Government review
backs Swansea Bay Lagoon Power Project
Plans for a £1.3 billion tidal lagoon project have been back by a government - commissioned review recently. The independent report says it would make a “strong contribution” to the UK’s energy supply level. The UK government must still agree on a deal before any construction begins on the lagoon, but it’s a step forward for the renewable energy project, which would be a world first. Construction could begin as early as 2018 if a subsidy deal can be reached with the government. The company Tidal Lagoon Power proposed the Swansea Bay project, which would use the incoming and outgoing tides of the bay to turn 16 turbines that could generate electricity for over 100,000 Welsh homes.
The Swansea Bay project is the first of several lagoons planned around the UK coast, which all-together could supply more than 10% of the UK’s electricity and help cut carbon emissions by 36%. The Swansea Bay lagoon would act as a benchmark for much larger lagoons planned.
There is one area of concern behind the project - cost. Is it too expensive a venture to go ahead with? Firms backing the project are confident that costs can be brought down once the other planned lagoons are approved. Swansea Bay could generate the cheapest electricity of all new power stations in the UK.