The Liverpool CIty Region Combined Authority is consulting on proposals to harness the tidal power of the River Mersey to provide a source of renewable energy.

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Download the Community Consulation Booklet and take part in the consultation here:

https://lcrlistens.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/merseytidal/​

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Dr Hilary Ash, our Conservation Officer, has submitted a response on behalf of Wirral Wildlife.

Download Hilary's letter here.

 

The document asks that the following issues are considered during ecology studies and further planning stages of the project:

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1. The carbon debt of building a barrage.

2. The dangers of destroying a carbon storing habitat.

3. The need for an accurate and justifiable economic forecast and whether the electricity cost will compete with wind and solar. 

4. Judging the impact on climate, nature and the shore will depend on which location is chosen for the barrage.

5. The proportion of energy generated that would be at peak energy demand.

6. The effect of sedimentation on the barrage, beyond the area of the barrage in the Mersey and on the Dee Estuary, North Wirral foreshore and Sefton coast.

7. The risk of disturbing contaminated sediments when dredging to build a barrage.

8. The impact on birds, invertebrates, fish and marine mammals during construction and when the barrage is in operation, in the River Mersey and the Dee Estuary, Liverpool Bay and Sefton coast.

9. The cumulative effects on nature of the Liverpool Bay wind farms and a barrage.

10. The need to provide Compensatory Habitat well in advance of barrage construction.

11. The legacy of the barrage after its 120 year lifespan. 

12. ​The differing impacts of ebb-only and two way energy generation.

13. Electricity infrastructure and linking to the National Grid.

14. The location of where the barrage comes ashore and the impact on the land.

15. Construction impacts, on-shore and off-shore.

16. Effects on water quality upstream of a barrage when Bromborough sewage works overflows.

17. The risk of up-stream erosion, which might increase flood risk.

18. The effects of the barrage on flooding, sediment and shoreline damage due to rising sea levels and more frequent storms. 

19. The impact on the tidal River Dibbin.

20. The effects on nocturnal wildlife if there are lights on the barrage.

21. The consequences of a barrage for recreation on the Mersey shore, including at Port Sunlight River Park and Eastham Country Park.

22. The limitations of using it as a walking and cycling route.

23. The pollution hazard if the old oil jetty at Rock Ferry is removed.

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In conclusion

All renewable energy projects have impacts on the natural and human worlds. The assessment has to be `where do we get most useful energy for the least impacts on nature and ecosystem services?’ A barrage is inevitably very damaging to nature. There are risks of serious damage to natural carbon storage.

We need rapid action on climate change. Large-scale building insulation, construction of wind, solar, and energy storage could all be done much faster, to greater climate benefit, for the same or lower economic cost. Might Tidal Stream produce less energy, but cost a lot less and do a lot less damage to nature? Might the UK investing in grid-scale energy storage be cheaper and have less nature impact? Might the same money (or even somewhat less) invested in insulating our lamentable housing stock be more effective? We need fast action on climate change - this is a medium-term project not generating till possibly 2038 (or later if it over-runs as most large-scale construction projects do).

A barrage is fairly clean energy, but it is not `green’.
Is a barrage worth it???
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Read Hilary's letter here.

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Please do have your say on the Mersey Tidal Power project. You are more than welcome to use the points raised by Hilary in your comments. The closing date of the consultation is Friday 15th November.