That stored energy lagoon project might actually go ahead

[d000hg]

If only there was some way of boats being able to get through a barrier with water at a different level either side.

It's a PITA though. It'd be like them putting sets of traffic lights or toll-booths every motorway junction.

[VectraMan]

If only there was some way of boats being able to get through a barrier with water at a different level either side.

I've never been to Swansea but I remember a school trip to Weston Super Mud where the sea disappeared 2 miles out in the middle of the day. Some kind of barrier to keep the sea closer to the tourists sounds like a great idea.

The human race has been messing with water for centuries. Most the major rivers have weirs and locks, or have been diverted one way or another, and there's already lots of sea defences or ports with barriers. There's little natural about our coasts or rivers; may as well make use of it.

[milanbenes]

Seems like a good idea but the Severn barrage and other HEP projects on major rivers with strong tidal flows and minimal river traffic would be better imho.

'ere, thaaaat's the Severn innit

How much commercial traffic a year go up to Lydney or Sharpness ? the rest of 'em the boaties can use their TomToms to figure out an alternative route through the canal network

Milan.

[LondonManc]

And also for cycling around, apparently.

EDIT: along, rather than around.

Nice edit, just before the fish with a bike joke.

[I just need to test it]

Wouldn't all those new walls be perfect for fishing off?

And also for cycling around, apparently.

EDIT: along, rather than around.

[LondonManc]

Seems like a good idea but the Severn barrage and other HEP projects on major rivers with strong tidal flows and minimal river traffic would be better imho.

[barrydidit]

Wouldn't all those new walls be perfect for fishing off?

Possibly not with your average trawler

[d000hg]

watched both the videos, and the final comments, anglers are worried about the effect it will have on wildlife ffs

they should have built the severn barrage years ago - it's a no brainer

Milan.

Wouldn't all those new walls be perfect for fishing off?

[milanbenes]

watched both the videos, and the final comments, anglers are worried about the effect it will have on wildlife ffs

they should have built the severn barrage years ago - it's a no brainer

Milan.

[tomtomagain]

[url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-38571240]

I'm a little dubious that we never (and nobody ever) seems to have done it before... it's a simple idea so why not?

It's a simple idea ( get energy from the sea ) but not a simple implementation.

[d000hg]

We're pretty good at building sea-walls and such things in the UK... we have a lot of practice

I share your cynicism over actually getting the damn thing built on time/budget though.

[DimPrawn]

It's CUK, we only do knee jerk reactions.

It will never work - i.e. it will break / fall apart and cost a fortune and then at some point be abandoned, the tax-payer will pick up the bill.

[d000hg]

Tidal lagoon: £1.3bn Swansea Bay project to be backed - BBC News

I didn't think it would get the go-ahead but it is sounding like it might now.
I like the fact it's very low-tech which means it should be predictable what energy we actually get out of the thing.

I'm a little dubious that we never (and nobody ever) seems to have done it before... it's a simple idea so why not?

Impact-wise I wouldn't want to see our coasts ringed with concrete walls but it seems it can open up new spaces for use. And I don't know how big these things need to be - windmills we need to cover the whole country so would we need to encase the entire coast-line or something much less dramatic?

Any thoughts beyond the predictable "it's green and I like green so it's good" / "it's green so it's stupid" knee-jerk reactions? The BBC article suggested it might work out comparably expensive to the new Hinkley project for instance - is that good or bad? Is innovating in this field good for UK's dealings with other nations? etc etc