A new £250 million tidal barrier is being proposed to be constructed across the River Clyde which will not only create a flood barrier but would also be able to generate enough renewable energy to power all the homes in Glasgow.
The barrage would run between Ardmore Point and Greenock and has been put forward to the Scottish Government by experts at Strathclyde University, Colin MacFarlane, an emeritus professor of engineering, and Robert McNair, a marine architect. Robert said,
“We feel the time is right to open up the debate about what we really are going to do about the major flood issues of the near, mid-term and long-term future. Severe flooding could permanently damage the estuary environment and the expense of flood prevention will eventually be overwhelming.”
As well as providing a solution to problems with flooding in the area, renewable energy technology would be built into the proposed tidal barrier. This would then be able to contribute to the country’s renewable energy targets, producing as much energy as is required to power all of Glasgow’s homes. This would therefore make a significant impact on reducing Scotland’s carbon footprint.
There are concerns however at whether the necessary amount of funding to enable the tidal barrier to go ahead would be able to be put aside. This would not be the first time that the installation of a barrage in the River Clyde has been proposed, but it was previously rejected based on considerations regarding the engineering involved with constructing the tidal barrier.
With the current economic climate and a number of other investments in building developments having had budget cuts, or being cancelled altogether, it is understandable why people have concerns about the project getting to fruition. But with increased demand for renewable energy and a finite amount of fossil fuels available, it is important for as many viable clean energy projects as possible to receive the funding and support they deserve.
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Tags: alternative energy, electricity, fossil fuels, glasgow, renewable energy, river clyde, strathclyde university, tidal power