27th March 2007

Green Conference rejects barrage

Photo: River Severn

Tidal lagoons in the River Severn offer the most sustainable solution to harness the renewable energy potential in the world’s second most powerful tidal river, according to the Green Party. Following a detailed investigation by the Green Party into the renewable energy options in the River Severn, a seminar in Bristol and an expert panel session at the party’s spring conference last weekend, the Greens have backed overwhelmingly the development of lagoons in the River Severn.

Philip Booth, a spokesperson for Stroud District Green Party, who helped organise a discussion in Stroud on the barrage last year, said: “While a barrage will take as much as 18 years to develop and will cost up to £14 billion, lagoons can be built in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost of the barrage.”

The expert panel session on tidal power held at the spring conference in Swansea comprised the following speakers: Peter Ullman from Tidal Electric (Tidal Lagoons), John Redman from Balfour Beatty (Severn Tidal Power Group, which would construct a Severn Barrage), Peter Jones from the RSPB, and Mark Phillips from Swansea Institute of Higher Education.

Presentations to conference, and subsequent debate, led to a series of votes on the most appropriate use of technology to harness the world class tidal power of the Severn.

Philip Booth who was at the debate, said: “I'm very pleased we have clarity on this issue and that the Green Party have come out strongly in favour of tidal lagoons and tidal stream turbines (also called tidal mills) as opposed to a Severn barrage. The lagoons not only offer an affordable and timely solution, they also offer the least damaging solution to the River Severn’s vitally important ecology – we have only one chance and one world so we can not afford to support renewable energy solutions which further damage the region’s environment.”

Bryan Meloy, a candidate in the coming local elections in Gloucester added: "These alternatives to the barrage have the potential to deliver greater outputs, come into service sooner, be able to have more local control - helping strengthen the local economy and have the potential to enhance some sensitive environments rather than damage them."

For further information on tidal lagoons see: www.tidalelectric.com
For a copy of questions sent to Gloucestershire County councillors ahead of their seminar see here.