Three Western Gateway supported projects funded by the Welsh Government’s tidal research challenge

Results from the challenge were published today with three projects receiving support as part of this new investment into the potential for tidal energy. 

The winners of the Tidal Lagoon Challenge were:

• In the Environment category: submitted by Swansea University, in partnership with Fish Guidance Systems Ltd, Natural England, Batri Ltd & DST Innovations Ltd, the project aims to provide fish migration data and developing and validating an acoustic fish deterrence system for twaite shad project. The project will use fish tagging and monitoring to test the effectiveness of acoustic fish deterrence (AFD) as a mitigation measure for tidal range deployment.  The project was supported in its bid with a letter of support from the Western Gateway.
• In the Engineering and Technical category: submitted by Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, in partnership with Cardiff University, Intertek and Western Gateway, with the FLOMax Flexible Lagoon Operation for Maximal Value project. The project will use modelling to quantify the value of developing tidal range power.
• In the Socio-economic and Finance category: submitted by Cardiff University, in partnership with Western Gateway and British Hydropower Association Ltd with the Tidal Lagoon Schemes: Ownership, Equity and Finance project. The project will consider how different ownership and development/financing models for tidal lagoons could have positive impacts on the Welsh economy.

The results were announced by Julie James MS, Minster for Climate Change, who issued a statement announcing the winners of the Tidal Lagoon Challenge.  

In her statement, the minister said: “The Welsh Government is a strong supporter of Marine Energy, knowing the necessity of delivering green renewable energy, and the incredible opportunity presented by Wales’s coastline.

“The Tidal Lagoon Challenge will directly support innovative research that will work to reduce or remove a barrier that is currently preventing tidal lagoons being developed or quantify a potential benefit of tidal lagoon development.”

Cllr Huw Thomas, Leader of Cardiff City Council and Western Gateway board member, said: “It is great to see these winners be announced today.  Each will play a key part in helping the Severn Estuary Commission in their work to understand the potential for harnessing this immense potential energy source.

“The Western Gateway, as the only partnership which brings together local leaders from both England and Wales, is uniquely well placed to support this work.  By bringing together experts and Governments from both sides of the Severn, we are confident that we can finally answer the question of whether there is a potential solution for harnessing this energy whilst also protecting business and the environment.”

The Severn Estuary Commission had its first initial meeting this week in the Senedd in Cardiff.  Now its work has launched, the commission will be looking to make recommendations to the Western Gateway board and ultimately both Governments by March 2025.

You can read more about the Commission on the new Severn Estuary commission website.