"Tackling the climate emergency is a global challenge that we can no longer afford to ignore," says Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region.
Rotheram's comments come as advanced proposals to build the world's largest tidal scheme on the banks of the River Mersey have been unveiled.
It is believed Mersey Tidal Power has the potential to become the world's largest tidal scheme, and the "first of a kind" for the UK.
It is hoped that the barrage scheme could generate clean, predictable energy for 120 years and create thousands of jobs in its construction and operation as well as manage environmental issues associated with climate change—but what exactly is it?
What is a tidal barrage?
The University of Strathclyde calls a tidal barrage a dam-like structure with turbines placed on the bottom of the reservoir.
The dam creates a barrier between the sea and the tidal basin and takes advantage of the change in tide levels to generate power, also known as hydroelectricity.
Gates are used, opening and closing regularly to control the flow of wawter and maximising the power generated.
The only existing tidal barrage in Europe is in La Rance, France and it has been operating since 1966.
Électricité de France (EDF) says that the reason for the successful operation of its tidal power plant is that it produces electricity when the tide goes out but also when it rises
According to the EDF: "This is possibly thanks to the 'bulb' production groups which operate in both directions and are suitable for operating a dam with a drop of less than 30m and a very high flow."
Advantages and disadvantages
The construction of a tidal barrage can be a very costly endeavour and there are limited sites suitable for tidal power generation, hence the limited number of plants around the world currently.
That said, there are many great advantages of tidal barrages, like offering a renewable and zero-carbon emission energy source. Tidal currents are also predictable - low and high tides follow cycles, making it easy to know when energy will be produced throughout any given day.
Tidal barrages can also produce high amounts of energy–substantially more than a wind turbine.
The Mersey tidal power project
Councillor David Baines, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority portfolio holder for net-zero and air quality, said: "The Mersey Tidal Power project would be the largest tidal range scheme in the world, using tried and tested technology for the first time in the UK."
"The multibillion-pound project would potentially create thousands of local jobs, bringing economic and resilience benefits to the Liverpool city region, in an asset that could operate for more than 120 years."
Click to subscribe to Insider's daily newsletters, magazines or to become a member.
