The challenge for Government and industry is to find ways to harness this energy at an acceptable financial cost, which maximises the real economic value generated while balancing the impact on the environment, other marine users and economic interests. Over the decades several schemes have been proposed, and a numberof strategic reviews conducted to understand where deployment might take place. To date however proposed large scale schemes, although they may have been technically feasible, have fallen in terms of the cost of energy, risk and their environmental and socio-economic impact.
This discussion paper proposes an alternative “balanced multi technology approach” which has been developed from an on-going dialogue with industry through the Bristol Tidal Energy Forum and South West Marine Energy Park, as well as input from a number of economic and environmental stakeholders. The basis of this approach is to consider how multiple technologies could be deployed over time to harness the range of energy resources throughout the Bristol Channel in a way which will generate significant energy and economic benefits in balance with the environment and other marine users.
