Mersey Tidal Power Study judged “innovative and entrepreneurial”

Buro Happold was a winner at the Association for Consultancy and Engineering’s inaugural award ceremony on 25th June, claiming the Research, Studies and Consulting award for its work on the Mersey Tidal Power Study.

The study, which assesses the options available for generating renewable tidal energy from the River Mersey, was described by judges as “a piece of work which refreshes and updates… innovative thinking and real evidence of an entrepreneurial approach made this entry stand out. It proposed complex solutions with care for the environment, and set out a path for the urban regeneration of one of our major cities.”

Buro Happold’s study was commissioned by Peel Environmental Ltd, a division of Peel Holdings, together with the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).

“We are committed to renewable energy strategies,” said Peter Nears, Strategic Planning Director of Peel Holdings. “And we feel that this accolade from such a distinguished panel of judges is worthy recognition at the highest national level of this dynamic piece of work.  Peel is delighted to have instigated such an initiative in pursuit of its wider environmental goal, generating power from the River Mersey.”

Joe Flanagan, Head of Energy at the NWDA added: “It is vital that England’s Northwest utilises one its finest natural assets to become the leading region for the promotion of renewable energy. We are delighted this pioneering programme has been celebrated with a highly recognisable national award. As Climate Change moves up the political agenda, the Northwest is demonstrating its commitment and leading the way for the rest of the UK.”

A Mersey tidal power scheme could supply a substantial portion of local energy needs

The study came about in 2005, when Buro Happold, together with architect Michael Franklin, re-opened the question of tidal power generation from the Mersey, and lobbied in both the public and private sectors for support. In 2006, Peel and the NWDA agreed to fund a study to explore the scope, impacts and implications of using the Mersey Estuary for tidal power generation.

“The Mersey Estuary has a ten-metre tidal range, one of the largest in the UK, and is considered one of the best locations in the country for a tidal power scheme that could supply a substantial portion of the energy needs of Liverpool and Merseyside,” said Mike Cooper, Buro Happold office director based in Manchester. “It is also an ecologically diverse and internationally important area, which needs to be recognised in any scheme.”

The study initially appraised the geographical characteristics of the river and estuary, and then looked at the area in terms of human environment and commercial shipping to and from the principal destinations along the river. In tandem with this, it considered the biological and physical environments which would be needed for the project to be viable.

The study of the biological environment identified mudflats, salt marshes, wetland areas and inter-tidal sediments, each containing vital sites for birds and marine life to thrive. Meanwhile, the physical environment was digitally modelled to establish the area and time of exposure on the mudflats which would be needed to sustain the biological environment.

The next step was to assess the tidal generation technologies and options in four study zones, and from that to calculate an initial estimate of the power and energy which could be harnessed. The results ranged considerably – for example at Zone 2, from 700MW of power and an annual capacity of 1200GW/h using a tidal barrage, to 20MW of power and an annual capacity of 40GW/h using tidal stream converters. Other technologies included waterwheels, along with tidal lagoons, gates and fences.

Options ranged from waterwheels to barrages

“The study raised the profile of the River Mersey as a potential site for tidal power generation on both a regional and national level, and has laid the foundations for a detailed Phase 2 study, which will lead to choosing a preferred scheme,” said Cooper. “At Buro Happold we are very excited about the prospect of being at the forefront of renewable energy developments on this scale.”

Furthermore, it has reinvigorated the case for the potential for a world-class project in the north-west, to generate renewable energy while also addressing environmental protection and enhancement issues, without hindering river traffic or trade.

The successful completion of the next phase could see a planning submission by 2010, with implementation by 2020.

Project team:
Client: Peel Environmental Ltd and NWDA
Buro Happold services: Research consultancy (water engineering)

Ends

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Buro Happold is a multi-disciplinary international practice of consulting engineers established in 1976. We now employ over 1,700 staff in 21 offices worldwide, and our aim is to produce high quality engineering design in concept, in detail and in execution, on time, to programme and delivering excellent value for money. Our distinctive culture and ethos is still based on the same principles of care, value and elegance that were established when the practice was founded.
We offer structural, building services, civil, infrastructure and façade engineering, as well as a broad range of specialist consultancy services including sustainability, ground and environmental engineering, fire and security design, health and safety management, inclusive and urban design, project management, and specialist CAD and computer simulation provision.

Peel Environmental Ltd
Peel Holdings owns transport-related infrastructure including the Mersey Docks and Manchester Ship Canal, and is committed to renewable energy strategies, including wind power as well as tidal power generation. Peel Environmental is a division of Peel Holdings.

For more information, see www.peel.co.uk