Homeowners comparing energy prices could soon access barrage supplies - 08/04/2009
Households on the west coast of the UK considering switching energy companies may soon have access to electricity generated by the ocean tides.
Personnel from the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory and the University of Liverpool have said that a tenth of the UK's total electricity demand could potentially be supplied by deploying a series of tidal barrages across various estuaries along the west coast.
The Severn Estuary is already the focus of several dramatic barrage propositions, but further projects could be considered for places such as Morecambe Bay, the Solway Firth and the Mersey and Dee estuaries.
Professor Richard Burrows, an engineer at the University of Liverpool who has led the research, said: "The geographical location of the UK and the seas that surround it, provide a great platform for marine renewable sources. The best places to harness tidal power at meaningful scales are areas with a high tidal range such as estuaries."
Expanding the UK's use of renewable energy could reduce nationwide dependency on fossil fuels and help reduce the national carbon footprint.
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