Liverpool’s tidal range energy scheme ripe for design updates

A tidal energy barrage scheme that could provide power for up to one million homes, proposed by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA), might soon get a streamlined design that could bring the project a step closer to realization.

The proposed scheme, dubbed the Mersey Tidal Power Project, could create thousands of local jobs and supply the growing electricity needs of Liverpool City Region with clean and renewable energy, should the project come to fruition in the future.

The project has a development and deployment timescale over the next decade and an operational life of over 120 years, locking in the low-carbon generation for a century.

The Mersey tidal power scheme is likely going to be in the region of 1-3.6GW capacity, according to LCRCA, which is exploring the conceptual designs for the plant that could be built either as tidal barrage or lagoon power plant, Offshore Energy understands.

In that regard, LCRCA has launched a market testing exercise in the form of a prior information notice, looking for technical advisor and designer that could advise on, and further develop the conceptual designs for the scheme.

The current conceptual design was developed as elemental structures that can now be developed further to schematic design concept, according to LCRCA.

This review and development work will be related to overall design and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) spatial requirements, materials and embedded carbon, method of construction, construction risks as well as construction costs and program, LCRCA said.

This is expected to deliver recommendations for improvements with the aim of reducing construction risks, identifying design gaps, and improving construction cost estimates.

Also, the work will entail the development of conceptual design for the major M&E equipment, and updating of the design package including drawings, 3D models, bill of materials, construction program and cost book.

The estimated value of the contact is £350,000, according to LCRCA, which plans to announce the formal contract notice tender in mid-March 2021.

The project, which received £2.7 million from LCRCA in 2020, already saw a global engineering consultancy Arup complete a skeleton outline business case (SOBC) for a tidal energy scheme in 2017.

Arup completed this report in 2018, focusing on a tidal barrage and two lagoon options. The work demonstrated the potential deliverability of a major energy scheme, leading the LCRCA to commit to a further development phase in 2019.

In April 2019, the LCRCA procured a consortium of technical, commercial, financial, and legal advisors led by Arup, in addition to appointing a head of tidal development to lead the further development of scheme options.

The options appraisal work and whole energy market analysis identified potential schemes that could be considered and confirmed that the UK Energy system transition was likely to increasingly value low-carbon generation assets such as tidal energy.

The current phase of the project, the phase 3 is running until March 2022. During this phase, Martin Land was appointed as project director in late May 2020, and a small internal project team was created to further develop the scheme viability and concept design and bring forward an outline business case.

The period of engagement for the Mersey Tidal Commission Steering Group, led by Brent Cheshire, has been extended as well during this phase to July 2021. The commission, together with industry experts and academics, has provided scrutiny of the project findings and make recommendations to support decision making.

According to LCRCA, the main activity of phase 3 is to progress the understanding of the project, to aid selection of a preferred technical scheme and geographical preference either as a barrage scheme in the river or a lagoon scheme in Liverpool Bay.

This includes the assessment of the likely cost, schedule and benefits of further development and consenting, and an outline of the capital investment costs and viability.

Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, who originally ‘revived’ the project back in 2017, recently stressed his support for the project once again as the LCRCA released a report which analyzed the scale and pace of change needed to make Liverpool City Region zero-carbon by 2040 or sooner.

Rotheram said: “We are facing a race against time to save our planet from the threat of climate change. It will not happen overnight and will not be easy, but we all have our part to play – and there is a world of opportunity available to us by embracing that change.

“If trains, docks, and canals made us the gateway to the first industrial revolution – then our emerging strengths in wind, tidal and hydrogen can make us leaders in the green industrial revolution, creating tens of thousands of high-quality, high paying jobs for local people.

“At COP26 in Glasgow in November we showed to the world that we are one of the places leading the way through innovative and significant industrial projects including Mersey Tidal, Glass Futures and HyNet. Make no mistake, this is our moment. I want others to look to the Liverpool City Region as the exemplar when it comes to tackling climate change.”