A Big Step Forward for Tidal Power on the River Mersey
Date: 23/09/24
Here at Think Hire, we are proud to play our part in supporting the North West as it takes a leading role in the fight against climate change. Our innovative solar powered generator, the Solartainer, is helping sites across the region, and across the UK, to cut emissions and tap the clean, renewable energy of the sun.
The good news is that North West’s reputation as the ‘renewable energy coast’ took a major step forward recently, as plans for an ambitious tidal power project on the River Mersey moved into the an exciting new phase.
The Mersey Tidal Project
After many years of speculation and planning, the world’s largest tidal power project has entered its first public consultation stage, as part of a formal planning process that could take two to three years.
As reported in the Liverpool Echo, local households who will be closest to the proposed new barrage will be invited to public consultations over the coming weeks, with ten such events planned across Merseyside. The scheme has also submitted a scoping report to the planning inspectorate. This document is used to define which ecological surveys will be needed as part of the formal planning submission, which is expected in 2026.
What will the project involve?
The Mersey Tidal Project will harness the tidal power of the Mersey, which has the second largest tidal range in the UK. It is expected that this could power hundreds of thousands of homes across Merseyside, and last for around 120 years, significantly improving the UK’s energy security.
The barrage will stretch from the Wirral to Liverpool and will provide a walkway and cycle lanes for crossing the river. It will also create an added layer of flood defences as global sea levels rise.
An incredible addition to our clean energy mix
Steve Rotherham, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, which includes both Liverpool and the Wirral, knows the scale of the challenge that lies ahead, but he also sees the massive potential of the scheme:
“The Mersey Tidal Project is one of the most challenging schemes to deliver due to the environmental, ecological and economic considerations,” he told the Liverpool Echo. “But it’s potential to generate clean, green and predictable energy would be worth all the effort we are putting into this planning stage.
“We are under no illusions; we know there are still significant technical and financial challenges to overcome, but the plans we’ve unveiled today mark a huge step on our journey to bringing Mersey Tidal Power to life. Quite simply, the case for tidal has never been clearer - both for our economy and our planet.”
Get clean energy right now
The Mersey Tidal Project will be a big step forward in reaching the North West’s goal of net zero by 2035. However, you don’t have to wait the estimated ten years for the scheme to come online to play your part. Think Hire’s solar powered generators are available right now, allowing almost any site to benefit from clean, green energy from the sun and contribute towards that net zero goal.
Solar powered generators not only reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, they also improve your local environment by cutting noise pollution from diesel generators. Best of all, solar powered generators will significantly reduce your running costs too, even when the hire cost has been taken into consideration. As our case studies show, many of our clients enjoy savings of 60% or more from their solar powered generator compared to standard diesel models.
Turn the tide on your emissions
To find out how easy it is to turn the tide on your emissions with solar powered generators from Think Hire, get in touch today. We’ll be watching the ambitious and audacious Mersey Tidal Project closely, so keep checking back here to our news section for the latest developments.
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