SYNOPSIS

The presentation will review the main Severn Tidal Power EIA research studies undertaken by the Hydro-environmental Research Centre, at Cardiff University, particularly with regard to the proposed Severn Barrage, Europe’s largest marine renewable energy project and now in the hands of the private sector. Emphasis will focus on research assessing the potential hydro-environmental impact in the estuary for various tidal power options and the implications for morphological and flood risk assessment. An outline will also be given of research undertaken by the HRC, in collaboration with Aberystwyth University, on light penetration and bacterial-sediment interactions on the water quality in the estuary, together with the likely impact of a barrage on the estuary’s response to climate change and sea level rise. The results will show that two-way power generation – not previously considered in much detail – offers the opportunity to provide almost as much power as ebb tide generation only, reduce the peak disturbance to the grid, minimise many of the perceived environmental impacts and offer even enhanced benefits in terms of flood risk and recreational opportunities in the estuary, particularly upstream of a barrage. Future research studies by the HRC will focus more on studying nutrient fluxes in the estuary, pre- and post- any barrage, together with investigating the scope for operating a barrage in such a way that the basin could be used to reduce carbon levels by controlled eutrophication.

Biodata of Speaker

Roger Falconer is CH2M HILL Professor of Water Management, Director of the Hydro-environmental Research Centre in the School of Engineering at Cardiff University.  He was previously Professor of Water Engineering and Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Bradford. He manages a range of research contracts on hydro-environmental modelling and has published over 400 papers and technical reports in the field.  He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng), the Learned Society of Wales, the Institution of Civil Engineers and is currently President of the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research. His computer models have been used extensively in over 100 Environmental Impact Assessment studies worldwide and he consults regularly on major UK and international projects.  He was a member of the Government’s Expert Panel for the Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Project and a member of the Expert Panel and Regional Committee of Hafren Power.