The Mersey Tidal Project is a proposed tidal energy development planned across the River Mersey in Liverpool. Steve Rotheram announced a public consultation on the project as part of the early planning process.
A scoping report was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, marking the commencement of formal planning procedures. The project is proposed to generate power using a tidal barrage system as development considerations continue.
Other Projects
The Mersey tidal project is not the only tidal project advancing in the UK as the Springwell solar farm is also taking shape.
The largest in the UK, by EDF Power has been approved by the government after a planning inquiry. Once complete, the farm between Lincoln and Sleaford will power 180,000 homes as noted by developer EDF power solutions. The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero greenlit the project despite opposition from residents.
Marc Williams from the Springwell Solar Action Group said he was “disgusted” at the decision and also vowed to “keep fighting this.” The site will cover an area the size of 1,700 football pitches and will incorporate a battery storage facility. Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “We are driving further and faster for clean homegrown power that we control to protect the British people and bring down bills for good.”
Furthermore, he noted that it is essential to take lessons from the Middle East conflict which has disrupted crude oil supply globally.
Consultations of the Project
Consultations for the upcoming multi-billion-pound project is set to commence on October 1 and is expected to last a period of 6 weeks.
Rotherham hailed the “once-in-a-generation opportunity” of Mersey Tidal Power to provide “hundreds of thousands of homes with renewable energy for up to a remarkable 120 years”.
The submitted scoping report will agree on the proposed preliminary ecological surveys that must be prepared ahead of planning submission, expected by 2026.
Significance of the Mersey Tidal Project
This upcoming mega has the potential to create thousands of jobs in the green energy sector, according to Rotheram.
Current concepts suggest that a walking and cycling route would be opened across the tidal barrage, connecting Birkenhead and Liverpool by foot for the first time.
The Mersey Tidal Power project is expected to be touted at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool next week.
The most optimistic predictions suggest that the scheme could be active within a decade, providing a significant boost to the region’s 2035 net zero carbon target.
The Liverpool City Region has one of the UK’s largest tidal ranges and plans to build a barrage over the Mersey have been floated since 1924.
Tidal energy is derived from varying heights in tides, which can be up to 33 feet in Liverpool.
Changes in tidal waters power the barrage’s turbines, which in turn generate electricity.
Furthermore, currently, in Phase 3 Concept Development, studies are being undertaken to assess how a barrage can fit in the River Mersey and Liverpool Bay.
Capacity of the Project
The 28 tidal range turbines proposed for the Mersey could generate 25 megawatts of energy each.
The current world’s largest active tidal power facility, the K-Water tidal range plant is located at Sihwa in South Korea has 10 turbines each with 24.5-megawatt capacity.
The Mersey Tidal power project is regarded as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and, as such, would progress under the Development Consent Order process.
Moreover, Cllr Anthony Burns, LCRCA portfolio holder for net zero, commented by saying, “Harnessing the power of the River Mersey to generate green and predictable energy for more than 100 years would be an incredible addition to our clean energy mix.
“I would encourage anyone interested in the project to get involved with the consultation and let us know their opinions.”
Steve Rotheram added: “The Mersey Tidal Project is one of the most challenging schemes to deliver due to the existing environmental, ecological and economic considerations, but its great potential to generate clean, green and predictable energy would be indeed worth all the effort we are putting into its planning stage that would foresee the project’s implementation.
“Lastly, the River Mersey has been the provider of our region’s fortunes for many years, and today marks another important milestone in its future. With the launch of our first public consultation and the start of the formal planning process, Mersey Tidal Power is moving closer to reality than at any stage in our history.”
Project Fact Sheet
Project name: Mersey Tidal Power Project
Location: Liverpool City, River Mersey
Capacity: 700MW
Significance: Job creation and clean energy supply
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