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The barrage, which would be 10 miles long and consist of more than 200 turbines, could provide between 5 and 10% of Britain’s electricity.
Professor Roger Falconer, Halcrow Professor of Water Management, Cardiff University, said:
“The argument that the environmentalists make is that there will be a loss of habitat because low tide will not be as low as before. This is true, however there are very likely to be some positive environmental benefits of the barrage. The problem in the Severn Estuary is that there is a very high tidal range (the second highest in the world). There are also very high currents. This picks up the sand and mud from the river bed, which means that light cannot get through to the bed and living organisms do not readily survive in the dark. The barrage would reduce the currents and therefore make the river bed environment a better habitat for living organisms, because the sand would fall out and there would be more light penetration.
“Many are advocating Tidal Lagoons with no concerns expressed about their potential environmental impact. These are very large structures — effectively offshore islands with a very large hole in the middle. There is no doubt that these will also have a significant impact on the marine environment.
“Either this tidal barrage or any tidal lagoon would need further studies to establish precisely their impact on the marine environment.”
Denys Morgan, the Institution of Civil Engineers’ Manager for Wales, said:
“The Severn Tidal barrage scheme will be our next world class engineering project and would leave an enduring legacy.
“It has the potential to make a massive green contribution to the UK’s energy needs — generating around 5% of our total demand.
“We believe the environmental issues associated with the project can be engineered successfully and sympathetically.
“The project could create opportunities and employment over a long period for the Welsh construction industry and will benefit the Welsh economy and tourism industry.
“Ultimately, Wales, surrounded on three sides by water, has massive tidal generation potential.”
Simon Harrison, Director of Energy at consultancy Mott MacDonald and chair of the energy sector, said:
“The real challenge will be finding private sector investors willing to take the risk on such a large and complex project – it makes nuclear look quite simple. Then of course the low carbon energy benefits will need to be balanced against the severe environmental impacts.”
Brian Robinson, Head of Energy at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said:
“The Sustainable Development Commission Report is a timely and comprehensive contribution to the energy debate. While top priority must be to tackle the growing demand for energy, through efficiency improvements and the elimination of waste, as a nation we can and should also do much more to support the development of renewable energy technologies. While the UK is blessed with many sources of clean, renewable energy on and around its shores we are currently only scratching on the surface of them and only using 2%. The option of a sustainable tidal barrage in the Severn Estuary must be fully investigated and if (as seems likely) it is found to be viable, implemented quickly.
“The major advantage of a Severn Barrage would be its contribution to a low carbon economy, which would be seriously undermined if it were also to be used as a road bridge – a rail link would make more sense.”
Robert Freer, Chartered Engineer, said:
“A good idea but needs a pumped storage scheme of similar capacity to make it really useful.
“Without storage the money could be better spent elsewhere at present.
“Better still to start with the Mersey Barrage, much smaller but it is cheaper to make mistakes on a small scale before attempting something as large and expensive as the Severn Barrage.”
Dr Nick Baker, Lancaster University Renewable Energy Group, said:
“This country needs to make brave decisions to meet its future energy requirements. Local environmental impacts need to be balanced against the more pressing issues of reducing carbon emissions and ensuring national security of energy supply. An investment of this magnitude, which would supply a good proportion of our energy needs for the next generation, would send a clear signal that this country takes its environmental obligation seriously.”