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In June 2009, Peel Energy assembled a team to help identify, design and gain consent for a tidal power scheme in the Mersey estuary.
Tidal energy from the Mersey Estuary could provide enough electricity to supply up to 260,000 homes: a substantial portion of the energy needs of Liverpool and Merseyside. The estuary is an ecologically diverse and internationally important area; this will be recognised in any proposed scheme.
The primary objective of the power from the Mersey scheme is to deliver the maximum amount of affordable energy (and a maximum contribution to carbon reduction targets) from the tidal resource in the Mersey Estuary with acceptable impacts on the environment, shipping, business and the community by either limiting direct impacts or providing acceptable mitigation and/or compensation.
Following the initial study completed in 2007 that confirmed that there are several viable option, a full feasibility study was launched in 2009 to identify a preferred option and progress it the point of being able to apply for the necessary consents and licences by early 2012. The aim is to deliver power from the Mersey by 2020.
Initial discussions have taken place with Natural England and the Environment Agency as part of early environmental scoping work that will help to inform the selection of the preferred option. Bird surveys are being undertaken within the estuary to establish a data set to support the assessment of options.
For more information, please visit: www.merseytidalpower.co.uk
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