Tidal lagoon energy review to give 'clarity'
bbc.com 10 February 2016
An independent review of tidal lagoon energy will examine its feasibility, the UK government has said, amid delays to a £1bn project in Swansea.
Backers have warned the scheme could be at risk unless ministers agree the level of subsidy within weeks.
David Cameron fuelled fears in January when he said his enthusiasm for tidal energy was "reducing".
Ministers said a decision on the lagoon was expected in the autumn, after the review was published.
Announcing the review on Wednesday, Energy Minister Lord Bourne said it was "exciting, but as yet an untested technology".
The Swansea lagoon would be the first of six around Britain's coastline, which it is claimed could generate 8% of the UK's electricity, with a life cycle of 120 years.
Building work on the lagoon in Swansea has already been delayed by a year, after negotiations stalled over how much public money it would need.
'Clarity'
"I want to better understand whether tidal lagoons can be cost effective, and what their impact on bills will be - both today and in the longer term," Lord Bourne said on Wednesday.
"This review will help give us that clarity so we can determine what role tidal lagoons could have as part of our plans to provide secure, clean and affordable energy for families and businesses across the country."
The review, to start in spring, will look at:
Cost effectiveness of tidal lagoon power as part of the UK energy mix
Potential scale of opportunities in the UK and globally, including the supply chain
Ways of financing tidal lagoons
What size the first such project should be
Scope for competition in delivering lagoons
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