Plans for world’s first tidal lagoon in Bristol Channel set to advance
WECA to consider tidal power project and fund clean energy initiatives
The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) is set to consider ambitious plans to harness the tidal power of the Severn Estuary by potentially developing the world's first tidal lagoon in the Bristol Channel.
The meeting will explore a £1.3 million investment proposal aimed at advancing clean energy projects, with the tidal lagoon in partnership with Cardiff Capital Region as a focal point.
A report from the Severn Estuary Commission last year recommended a lagoon as the optimal method for generating green energy while balancing environmental considerations and commercial activities at the Port of Bristol.
Prior plans for a barrage between Bristol and South Wales were shelved.
“People across the West care deeply about our planet.," said Metro Mayor Helen Godwin.
"Powering our present and our future with clean energy, supporting nature recovery, cutting pollution, and preparing for increasingly extreme weather are not nice-to-haves.
“These things are essential for our future, which is why our 10-year growth strategy has a green thread running through it.
“Seizing the opportunity offered by the Severn Estuary has long been talked about and together we are ambitious about delivering the first tidal lagoon there.
“The world’s second biggest tidal range can play a huge part in a greener future for people here in the West of England and beyond.”
According to Dr Andrew Garrard, chairman of the Severn Estuary Commission, the lagoon has the potential to generate 2% of the nation's electricity annually and could operate for up to 120 years—far outlasting typical power stations.
Approval of WECA's funding would initiate a commercial demonstration project to assess the lagoon's feasibility and environmental effects. Success could lead to further tidal lagoons in the Severn Estuary and potentially elsewhere in the UK.