12 December 2006

Electric Current: unleashing the power of the Mersey

• River Mersey could generate significant electricity, experts to announce
• Would be largest project of its kind in UK
• Would bring jobs & investment; no harm to wildlife or shipping
• Modern version of waterwheel being considered

The River Mersey's strong tides and currents could be used to produce significant amounts of renewable energy, say experts who have spent the last year evaluating a variety of energy generating technologies.

Should the study lead to a large scale project on the river, it would be the biggest of its kind in the UK.

Experts say the Mersey is one of the best locations in the UK for the production of marine renewable energy because of its large tidal range of 8-10 metres and powerful tidal currents.

Professor Peter Guthrie, Professor of Engineering for Sustainable Development at Cambridge University, has been part of a study team led by consultants Buro Happold. He announced the team's interim findings at the Mersey Basin Campaign annual conference on Tuesday December 12th.

The study was co-sponsored by Peel Holdings, owner of the Mersey Docks & Harbour Company and Liverpool John Lennon airport, and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).

Professor Guthrie said: "We have been searching for a way to generate renewable energy on the river that would bring jobs and investment but do no harm to its valuable wildlife sanctuaries and have no impact on shipping."

"The environment, shipping and regeneration have been integral to this study from the outset. Any scheme would have to bring benefits to local people and the local economy, but we must also respect the Mersey Estuary's importance for wildlife such as wading birds."

Tim Bownes, chief engineer at Mersey Docks, said: "We are looking at the type of technologies available for generating electrical power. It has already been established that it is tidal flow and not wave power that would be the most suitable method for the Mersey. There are different schemes that could be utilised, some visible and some hidden. It may be that a scheme will be trialled initially as part of a wide consultation process."

One option being considered is a modern twist on one that has been in use for thousands of years - a waterwheel. Professor Peter Guthrie explained: "Waterwheels produce less energy than marine current turbines, but they are robust and require low maintenance."

A more likely option is to use underwater turbines, but one option that is unlikely to be considered is a full scale barrage across the river.

Many of the technologies being evaluated are so new that they are still under development. For this reason, the experts are likely to recommend a pilot project that would allow testing before full implementation. The team have studied the river between Runcorn Bridge and the Crosby Channel looking for suitable locations for a pilot project - possible sites include Bootle Docks.

Professor Guthrie said: "The whole principle of the study is that the technologies under consideration must be proven, but they would be used in a new environment. We are trying to be innovative and novel but also reduce the risk to a minimum. A staged approach is appealing in terms of speed, practicality and affordability."

According to climate change experts such as Sir David King, the government's chief scientific advisor, renewable energy is a key part of the battle against climate change.

Joe Flanagan, head of energy at the Northwest Regional Development Agency, said: "The NWDA is committed to tackling the key issue of climate change in the region and this study highlights how one of the Northwest's natural assets can be utilised for sustainable energy opportunities.

"Research into renewable energy is vital in finding new ways to reduce the region's carbon emissions and ensuring that the Northwest meets national and regional targets in this area. This study is an important step forward for the region in developing new technologies that will help to achieve this and the NWDA is pleased to provide its support." 

Since the Stern Report predicted in October that the cost of delaying action on climate change could be as much as 20 per cent of the world's GDP, there has been a growing clamour for action.

The government's own target is to reduce the UK's carbon emissions by 20 cent below the 1990 level by 2010. Currently, that looks like an ambitious task, given that UK emissions are actually growing at around one per cent each year.

When the River Mersey study was first announced at the Mersey Basin Campaign's annual conference in last year, the keynote speaker, Jonathan Porritt CBE, chairman of the UK Sustainable Development Commission, said: "Right now, making energy sustainable is likely to be the critical determinant of just how serious the government is about sustainable development…the UK is lagging badly on its target of reducing CO2 emissions."

The study team is due to release its final recommendations next April. It will lay out a shortlist of the two or three most promising technologies as well as the two or three most likely locations on the estuary. The next step would then be for Peel Holdings to take the shortlist of options forward for more detailed consideration.

NOTE TO EDITORS

Interviews are available with:

Professor Peter Guthrie, Professor of Sustainable Engineering, Cambridge. Professor Guthrie is a leading figure in his field of bringing sustainable development into large infrastructure projects
tel 01223 765627
mob 07770 834580

Walter Menzies, chief executive, Mersey Basin Campaign, who is a leading figure in the environmental movement in the Northwest and a former member of the UK Sustainable Development Commission.
tel 0161 242 8211
mob 07736 351 024

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY IN THE MERSEY ESTUARY
The UK Government has set the target of a 20% cut in CO2 emissions on 1990 levels by 2010. In 2004, 3.6% of UK energy came from renewable sources and the government has set an ambitious target of 10% of energy from renewable sources by 2010.

Consents for wave and tidal projects
In November 2005, energy minister Malcolm Wicks published details of the consent process for wave and tidal demonstration projects that will allow the UK marine industry to demonstrate and fulfil the renewable energy potential of our seas.

Potential
Due to the direction of the prevailing winds and the size of the Atlantic Ocean, the UK has wave power levels that are amongst the highest in the world. The large tidal range along the west coasts of England and Wales provide some of the most favourable conditions in the world for the utilisation of tidal power.

Wave energy
As ocean waves are created by the interaction of wind with the surface of the sea, waves have the potential to provide an unlimited source of renewable energy. Wave energy can be extracted and converted into electricity by wave power machines. These can be deployed either on the shoreline or on deeper waters offshore.

Tidal power
Tidal energy exploits the natural ebb and flow of coastal tidal waters caused principally by the interaction of the gravitational fields of the earth, moon and sun. The coastal water levels fluctuate twice daily, alternatively filling and emptying natural basins along the shoreline. The currents flowing in and out of these basins can be exploited to turn mechanical devices to produce energy.

The Mersey Estuary
The Mersey Estuary is of great importance to the economy and environment of the Northwest of England and the UK. It is a major shipping route and the location for significant industrial installations as well as urban centres. It is also a powerful natural system with internationally important nature conservation interest.

Both PEEL ENVIRONMENTAL and MERSEY DOCKS have experience of renewable power schemes and are conscious of the need for consultation with all relevant parties in relation to such projects.

PEEL ENVIRONMENTAL has been involved in the renewable energy sector for some time, initially in relation to landfill gas utilisation and small scale hydro-electric schemes. It is now heavily committed to wind farm development both in England and north of the border in Scotland. In May this year it won Government approval for a £50 million wind farm of 26 turbines on moors near Rochdale. Peel Environmental is a member of the British Wind Energy Association. Examples of Marine Renewable Energy can be found on the Peel website.

MERSEY DOCKS, which has wide experience of the River Mersey and managing the assessment of environmental impacts associated with renewable energy and maritime projects, operates six wind turbines on the river wall of Seaforth Dock at the mouth of the Mersey. It now has plans for a further five turbines to be established on the river wall higher up the Mersey. Three of the turbines to be located on the river wall in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, were given local authority approval last week. Plans for the remaining two turbines to be erected within the boundary of the City of Liverpool, will be considered by the City Council next month.

NORTHWEST REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY is one of nine regional development agencies established by the government to develop the English regions.

The Agency leads the economic development and regeneration of England"s Northwest and is responsible for:

• Supporting business growth and encouraging investment
• Matching skills provision to employer needs
• Creating the conditions for economic growth
• Connecting the region through effective transport and communication infrastructure
• Promoting the region's outstanding quality of life

With a budget of £1.5 billion over the next three years, the Agency is responsible for directly influencing £1.2 billion of other public and private sector investment into the region over the next three years to support the delivery of the Regional Economic Strategy (RES).
For more information visit www.nwda.co.uk or www.envirolinknorthwest.co.uk 

THE MERSEY BASIN CAMPAIGN AND THE MERSEY ESTUARY STRATEGY The Mersey Basin Campaign is a government backed cross sectoral partnership established in 1985 to promote improved water quality across the entire Mersey Catchment, stimulate waterside regeneration and engage the public, private and voluntary sectors in the process.

In 1992, the Campaign commissioned the University of Liverpool to prepare a management plan for the Mersey Estuary. Since its completion in 1995, this has provided the framework for developing the estuary's potential while safeguarding the environment and the interests of existing users. Professor Peter Batey, appointed by ministers to chair of the Mersey Basin Campaign in 2004, has chaired the Mersey Estuary Strategy Group since its inception.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Mersey Basin Campaign Conference: Matthew Sutcliffe Tel: 07812 703 556
E-mail: m.sutcliffe@merseybasin.org.uk 

Northwest Regional Development Agency: Laura Hampson Tel: 01925 400256
E-mail: laura.hampson@nwda.co.uk 

Peel Holdings Group website: www.peel.co.uk
Mersey Docks website:   www.merseydocks.co.uk
River Mersey / Mersey Estuary: www.merseybasin.org.uk/information/asp
Climate change:   www.ukcip.org.uk
                          www.sd-commission.org.uk
Renewable energy:  www.dti.gov.uk/renewables/
Environmental technologies: www.envirolinknorthwest.co.uk
British Wind Energy Association www.bwea.com/marine/devices