Our aim is to make the Government
rule out any Barrage across the Severn as it considers
ways of harnessing the power of the estuary to generate
renewable energy.
We want to make it clear from
the outset that this campaign is not against renewable
energy, but against the Barrage, an inefficient and
highly damaging option for harnessing the power of the
Severn. The Stop the Barrage
NOW campaign intends to
halt any further discussion, consideration, or the continued
waste of taxpayer’s money of this proposal.
The additional £500k "to
speed the development of proposals (like the tidal reef
and tidal fence) which are highly innovative" is
the right step forward, but the Government must do more.
The Department for Energy and Climate
Change (DECC), is currently undertaking a feasibility
study into renewable energy possibilities in the Severn
Estuary. The short list of of options was made public
on 26 January 2009. They include:
The recommended short list of schemes,
for consultation, is:
- Shoots Barrage – located near the Severn road crossings,
estimated to cost £3.2bn to construct and generate
2.7TWh/year or just under 1% of UK electricity (roughly
equivalent to a large fossil fuel power station)
- Beachley Barrage – slightly smaller and further
upstream than the Shoots Barrage (and upstream of
the Wye), estimated to cost £2.3bn and generate 1.6TWh/year
- Fleming Lagoon – an impoundment on the Welsh shore
of the Estuary between Newport and the Severn road
crossings, estimated to cost £4bn and generate 2.3TWh/year
- Bridgwater Bay Lagoon – an impoundment on the English
shore of the Estuary between Hinkley Point and Weston
Super Mare, estimated to cost £3.8bn and generate
2.6TWh/year
- Cardiff-Weston Barrage - located between Brean Down
and Lavernock Point, estimated to cost £20.9bn and
generate 16.8Twh/year or some 5% of UK electricity.
We have formed a coalition of supporters
to ensure that a Barrage across the Severn is ruled
out.
There are
four key arguments which we highlight on our home
page
• the negative environmental impact
• the economic costs
• the fact that any barrage would not be an efficient
renewable energy option
• the massive damage any barrage would cause to
the maritime industries and economic prosperity
of the region. |
It is clear from the people we have
spoken with and the research we have uncovered that
there are many people and organisations that are against
any proposed Barrage for all sorts of reasons.
We want to harness that opposition and
concern about the Barrage to create a campaign with
one voice.
One voice which tells the Government
that the negatives of building a Barrage far out weigh
any possible positives to such an extent that Government
and DECC should not even consider investigating any
Barrage as a serious renewable energy option.
We welcome your support and input. Please
have a look though our website, sign the petition and
contact us with any questions.
We must stop the Government from
proceeding with a proposal that is simply not renewable,
efficient, cost-effective, or environmental, because
together we can Stop the
Barrage NOW. |
