Mersey Barrage Scheme on hold

Claire Reed, Marine Conservation Officer (North West) for the RSPB, has news of the proposed Mersey Barrage Scheme:

"Peel Energy is putting the Mersey Tidal Power project on hold for at least the duration of this term in government as the scheme is not financially viable under current renewable energy subsides. This is obviously great news (for now) and I want to say a huge thank you for all your support over the past year. Below is the official press release produced by Peel, which was sent out this morning:

http://www.peelenergy.co.uk/mersey-tidal-power-feasiblity-

A preferred option report (Stage 3 Feasibility Study) which includes the final decision on the type of tidal technology to be used in the Mersey Tidal Power project has also been produced and is now available for comment at the link below:

http://www.merseytidalpower.co.uk/

It states that, although currently uneconomical, the preferred option for tidal technology on the Mersey came out as a full impoundment barrage, as we thought. We know this to be the most environmentally destructive type of tidal technology that exists to date, even though Peel have stated in the study that it is broadly environmentally acceptable. Consequently, we are pulling together a press release in response to this. We will also state that we welcome the fact that this proposal has been shelved, but that we do encourage the developer/government to continue to look into the environmental implications of new types of tidal power technology so we may better understand these should the proposal on the Mersey resurface in the future.

This now brings into question our proposed programme of summer Mersey campaign activities, and where this announcement leaves us. This is certainly not the end for the Mersey Barrage Campaign. Over the next few weeks I would like to encourage as many of you as possible to write to your local press editor and express your views at this announcement. I will be in touch with further details about this soon.

Many thanks again for all your support. We don’t know to what extent local voices have influenced this decision, but I like to believe voicing your concerns certainly added weight to this."

Last chance to attend Mersey Barrage consulation

Peel Holdings have a final exhibition on the Wirral this Saturday, 22 Jan from 10am - 2pm at Eastham Country Park Visitors Centre.

Here is a copy of a letter from Janel Fone, CEO of Cheshire Wildlife Trust, and Charlotte Harris, the Director of Conservation:

Dear Cheshire Wildlife Trust member/supporter,

You may have read in the media recently about Peel Energy Ltd’s plans to construct a tidal energy structure in the Mersey estuary to generate renewable energy. Although Cheshire Wildlife Trust has urged Peel to consider less environmentally damaging technologies, their current shortlist of options focuses on the use of barrage systems. Tidal barrages are typically large dams incorporating turbines, that hold back or ‘impound’ a large volume of water, and then release it through the turbines to generate energy. In the case of a tidal barrage, it may be necessary to impound water within an estuary - in contrast to the natural tidal flow, reducing available areas of mud used by feeding birds.

The Trust is concerned about potential damage to the finely-balanced estuary ecosystem of the Mersey, through the use of a technology that is largely untested with regard to potential impacts on wildlife. Similar, small-scale projects elsewhere in the world have however, had damaging effects on estuary ecosystems, and environmental impacts were one of a number of concerns over the recent £30billion Severn barrage proposals shelved by the Government last year.

The Wildlife Trusts support the need to move towards ‘green energy’ to meet the Government’s ambitious, but necessary, targets for 15% of UK energy from renewable sources by 2020 – but striving to meet these targets should not be at a cost to the very wildlife and habitats we are seeking to safeguard from the effects of climate change.

There will be strong economic arguments put forward in support of the project, however we must fully understand the impacts of such a scheme in the long-term, both in terms of potential damage to an internationally-recognised wetland, and also aspects such as flood management. Can we justify such a high cost to a natural icon of the north-west, without knowing the consequences?

It is likely that any barrage scheme will affect the flow and dynamics of the estuary ecosystem, and Peel have recognised that the Mersey’s Special Protection Area (SPA) – a level of protection for birds at a European level, must be considered. We will not fully understand the potential damage to the estuary though until a full ecological assessment has been undertaken.

Peel Energy are hoping to have a preferred option by March 2011. They have said whichever option they choose, they will introduce measures to reduce the damage to the Mersey Estuary, but whatever they do, there may still be a significant reduction in the intertidal habitats, and the amount of time the remaining areas will be exposed for birds to feed on them.

Peel are asking for comments on their stage 2 report before 21 January 2011. The report can be found here

www.merseytidalpower.co.uk/sites/default/files/MTP%20Feasibility%20Stage%202%20Options%20Report%20Summary%20-%20November%202010_0.pdf

You can make your views known by commenting on their website or by email.

Peel Energy Ltd are also organising a series of community consultation events. If you can make any of these events, please do go along and ask them questions, such as:

1. Why have they discounted various options for technical and financial reasons, but have not discounted any for ecological reasons?

2. How will they assess the ecological impacts of each option?

3. Have they fully considered the impacts on flood risk as a similar barrage in the Netherlands seriously increased flood risk.

4. You could ask about the carbon budget, and if construction or carbon locked-up in estuarine sediments have been factored in.

5. Why they are not waiting for emerging technologies that may be able to harness energy without having a serious ecological impact? A technology known as SMEC (Spectral Mass Energy Converter) appears to have been dropped despite promising energy returns and reduced ecological impacts.

Dr. Janel Fone

Charlotte Harris

RSPB Mersey Barrage Campaign

We recently had an email from Clare Reed of the RSPB and thought it would be useful to let more people read it.

"Let me first introduce myself, I am the RSPB’s new Marine Conservation Officer for the north west of England. I will be helping to ensure the continued conservation of our glorious coastline by speaking up for birds and wildlife from the Solway Firth down to North Wales. More specifically I will be helping to take our Mersey Barrage Campaign forward in order to keep the Estuary a magnificent place for birds and wildlife.

Peel Energy is hoping to announce its chosen option for barrage technology on the Mersey in March 2011, with a view to applying for planning permission in December 2011.Over the next few weeks the RSPB will be working hard to identify our response to this damaging proposal, and to allow us to put together a timeline and a programme of work for our Mersey Barrage Campaign. If Wirral Wildlife would like to get more involved with the campaign, either as a group or on an individual level, please let me know and will be happy to provide you with further information on becoming a campaigner. Campaigning can range anywhere from putting up posters, to writing to MPs, to inspiring the public about wildlife. I am also happy to come and give a short presentation at one of your meetings about the Mersey Barrage proposal and our Campaign if this is something that you may be interested in?

Look forward to speaking with you further, Clare Reed"

Contact details for anyone interesting in joining the Mersey Barrage Campaign are as follows:

Address:
Marine Conservation Officer (North West)
RSPB Northern England Region
7.3.1 Cameron House
White Cross Estate
Lancaster
LA1 4XF

Telephone: 07702 891480

Email Clare

Mersey Tidal Power

We have received this information from Peter Robertson, Acting Regional Director of the RSPB, and want to let as many people as possible have the chance to comment on the proposals by Peel Renewables to harness energy from the River Mersey.

At our meeting on 9^th September we told you that Peel Renewables were drawing up a shortlist of projects. However, at that stage we did not know what was on the shortlist. We were hoping that Peel would seize the opportunity to utilise emerging new technologies that could operate without harming the Mersey Estuary’s important wildlife. Unfortunately Peel have not done this.

We argued from the outset that the aim of the project should not be to maximise energy outputs in such a sensitive wildlife site. However, their shortlist of three options all put energy before wildlife. A full impoundment barrage is worryingly emerging as the frontrunner, though largely because of economic arguments. However, this option would need to be situated in deep water downstream of the ship canal, which would therefore need locks to allow ships to pass, or an expensive extension to the ship canal. A full impoundment barrage would undoubtedly be the most damaging option.

The two remaining options are what they term a “very low head barrage”, one in a similar position to the first barrage, and one in shallower water upstream of the ship canal. What they term very low head would still create a difference in water levels of two to three metres, and would only be 2 metres lower than the full impoundment barrage. It would also be very likely to cause significant damage to the Mersey estuary and the wildlife it supports. We cannot yet say how much damage would be caused, because in spite of the fact that schemes have been ruled out on the basis of economic and technical assessments, no full ecological assessment has yet been undertaken.

Peel are hoping to have a preferred option by March 2011. They have said whichever option they choose they will introduce measures to reduce the damage to the Mersey Estuary, but whatever they do, there will still be a significant reduction in the intertidal habitats, and the amount of time the remaining areas will be exposed for birds to feed on them.

Peel are asking for comments on their stage 2 report before 21 January 2011. The report can be found here
www.merseytidalpower.co.uk/sites/default/files/MTP%20Feasibility%20Stage%202%20Options%20Report%20Summary%20-%20November%202010_0.pdf

You can make your views known by commenting on their website which some of you have done already, thank you, or by sending an email. Peel are also organising a series of community consultation events which are listed below. If you can make any of these events, please do go along and ask them questions. For example, why have they discounted various options for technical and financial reasons, but have not discounted any for ecological reasons? You could ask them if they have assessed the ecological impacts of each option. Or more specifically, what will the impact of each option be on Dunlin, Teal or Redshank? You could ask if they have fully considered the impacts on flood risk as a similar barrage in the Netherlands seriously increased flood risk. You could ask about the carbon budget, and if construction or carbon locked-up in estuarine sediments have been factored in. Finally, you could ask why they are not waiting for emerging technologies that may be able to harness energy without having a serious ecological impact. A technology known as SMEC (Spectral Mass Energy Converter) appears to have been dropped despite promising energy returns and reduced ecological impacts. We are particularly disappointed that more environmentally friendly options were ruled out, mainly because of their flawed aim to maximise power output. This should never have been the aim within one of Europe’s richest and most protected wildlife sites.

The dates and venues of the community consultation events are:

· Thu 16 Dec 12pm - 6pm, The Bluecoat, Liverpool

· Tue 11 Jan 2pm - 7pm, Ellesmere Port Civic Hall

· Thu 13 Jan 12pm - 6pm, Bromborough Library and Civic Centre

· Sat 15 Jan 10am - 2pm, Britannia Inn, Riverside Drive

· Thu 20 Jan 12pm - 6pm, Stobart Stadium, Widnes

· Sat 22 Jan 10am - 2pm, Eastham Country Park Visitors Centre

· Mon 24 Jan 12pm - 5pm, Garston Community Library