Earlier this week I wrote to Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Ed Davey, asking him to back plans for power production from the Mersey. This follows speculation that Mr Davey and the Prime minister are looking at a similar but more controversial scheme ion the Severn Estuary.
In summary the advantages the Mersey project would have are:
- Projects coming on stream quickly
- Minimal Environmental Problems
- World Leadership in tidal power technology
- Sustainable power
- Immediate employment
I attached a report produced in 2007 that showed that there are at least 4 ways in which electricity could be generated not all of which need a full barrage and some needing no barrage at all.
The Mersey was identified in 2005 by the former Sustainable Development Commission as one of the 6 estuaries most able to generate power. It further found that the Mersey has the second strongest tidal flows in the Country. It is part of a conurbation of more than 2,000,000 people and has a number
Not only could it generate much power but it would provide a real stimulus to the economy. Turbines could be assembled and launched at the Cammell Laird slipway and assembled by some of the many engineers currently available because of the recession. Merseyside has many such engineers and you have seen that Jaguar Land Rover has recently gone onto a third shift partly because of the availability of trained staff.
This project makes economic, employment and environmental sense. It provides a way in which the Government can deal with immediate financial problems by investing in the future.
I will be pressing Ed for action.
