That stored energy lagoon project might actually go ahead

[d000hg]

Tidal lagoon: £1.3bn Swansea Bay project to be backed - BBC News

I didn't think it would get the go-ahead but it is sounding like it might now.
I like the fact it's very low-tech which means it should be predictable what energy we actually get out of the thing.

I'm a little dubious that we never (and nobody ever) seems to have done it before... it's a simple idea so why not?

Impact-wise I wouldn't want to see our coasts ringed with concrete walls but it seems it can open up new spaces for use. And I don't know how big these things need to be - windmills we need to cover the whole country so would we need to encase the entire coast-line or something much less dramatic?

Any thoughts beyond the predictable "it's green and I like green so it's good" / "it's green so it's stupid" knee-jerk reactions? The BBC article suggested it might work out comparably expensive to the new Hinkley project for instance - is that good or bad? Is innovating in this field good for UK's dealings with other nations? etc etc

[DimPrawn]

It's CUK, we only do knee jerk reactions.

It will never work - i.e. it will break / fall apart and cost a fortune and then at some point be abandoned, the tax-payer will pick up the bill.

[d000hg]

We're pretty good at building sea-walls and such things in the UK... we have a lot of practice

I share your cynicism over actually getting the damn thing built on time/budget though.

[tomtomagain]

[url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-38571240]

I'm a little dubious that we never (and nobody ever) seems to have done it before... it's a simple idea so why not?

It's a simple idea ( get energy from the sea ) but not a simple implementation.

[milanbenes]

watched both the videos, and the final comments, anglers are worried about the effect it will have on wildlife ffs

they should have built the severn barrage years ago - it's a no brainer

Milan.

[d000hg]

watched both the videos, and the final comments, anglers are worried about the effect it will have on wildlife ffs

they should have built the severn barrage years ago - it's a no brainer

Milan.

Wouldn't all those new walls be perfect for fishing off?

[barrydidit]

Wouldn't all those new walls be perfect for fishing off?

Possibly not with your average trawler

[LondonManc]

Seems like a good idea but the Severn barrage and other HEP projects on major rivers with strong tidal flows and minimal river traffic would be better imho.

[I just need to test it]

Wouldn't all those new walls be perfect for fishing off?

And also for cycling around, apparently.

EDIT: along, rather than around.

[LondonManc]

And also for cycling around, apparently.

EDIT: along, rather than around.

Nice edit, just before the fish with a bike joke.