Severn Tidal Barrage
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Severn Tidal Barrage
Advantages
- Installed capacity of 8.5 GW equating to 5% of UK power requirement.
- Renewable energy thus increasing our percentage of power from renewable sources.
- Savings of over seven million tons of CO2 every year
- Long-term construction project which will give employment to 35000 construction workers
- Protection from rising sea-levels and storms
- Access between England and Wales via road and rail links across barrage
- Protected area for water sports such as yachting, canoeing and fishing
- Boost to local businesses and tourism enterprises
Disadvantages
- Power generating sequence.
The power will come in two large bursts which the national grid will have trouble distributing. It can coincide with a period where little extra power is needed such as during the night.
Fish
There are several endangered, rare species of fish which currently migrate into the Severn estuary and river notably shad, lamprey, Atlantic salmon, and seatrout.
Estuary Wildlife
There are thousands of migrating birds which use the estuary for overwintering and breeding grounds, among these shell duck, redshanks, and many species of geese and waders.
Water quality and feeding grounds
There will be changes to currents which will affect water turbidity and sedimentation leading to detrimental effects to plankton, and erosion of salt marshes, mudflats, and sandflats.
Environmental choice
From the above environmental concerns, the tidal barrage would seem to…
