If You Wish To Sail Up The Mersey- Best Get On With It

[C08]

Although tidal power generation has much going for it, like most things there are winners & losers.
£2.5m boost for River Mersey tidal power plan

 

[Beneteau381]

Indeed and whilst our wind turbines are supplying a lot of our electricity nowadays, there is no such thing as a free lunch! That wind that is driving the turbines is slowed down by them, basic physics! I have never seen a peer reviewed article about these effects! The age old story about a butterfly wing flutter etc etc! So what is the effect of these offshore wind farms and their wind slowing effects? Does anyone know? The shouts of free power? Free it aint!

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Indeed and whilst our wind turbines are supplying a lot of our electricity nowadays, there is no such thing as a free lunch! That wind that is driving the turbines is slowed down by them, basic physics! I have never seen a peer reviewed article about these effects! The age old story about a butterfly wing flutter etc etc! So what is the effect of these offshore wind farms and their wind slowing effects? Does anyone know? The shouts of free power? Free it aint!

A faintly scientific but very under-referenced take on it here:
Large-scale wind energy slows down winds and reduces turbine efficiencies

 

[pcatterall]

I spent almost 2 years in the late 60s surveying Morecambe bay for a proposed barrage. Possibly becoming viable again. It combined a, much needed, new road and rail link to Barrow in Furness.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

I spent almost 2 years in the late 60s surveying Morecambe bay for a proposed barrage. Possibly becoming viable again. It combined a, much needed, new road and rail link to Barrow in Furness.

Nothing personal but why does it take 2 years to know whether something is a goer or not.

I K Brunel used to take about a fortnight .

 

[Quandary]

Nothing personal but why does it take 2 years to know whether something is a goer or not.

I K Brunel used to take about a fortnight .

Perhaps he had to work out a cost for It.

 

[[3889]]

Although tidal power generation has much going for it, like most things there are winners & losers.
£2.5m boost for River Mersey tidal power plan

If it's the same basic plan that's been knocking about for a couple of decades then there will be a lock for river access. It wouldn't do to cut off Manchester from the sea, would it?

 

[JumbleDuck]

Indeed and whilst our wind turbines are supplying a lot of our electricity nowadays, there is no such thing as a free lunch! That wind that is driving the turbines is slowed down by them, basic physics! I have never seen a peer reviewed article about these effects!

By a happy coincidence I have just been looking into this and writing it up. The Vesta 3MW turbines at Robin Rigg are 125m high and 450m apart, and at full chat each one takes about 1% of the available wind energy in a 125m x 450m rectangle. Of course the wind extends a lot higher than 125m, so with vertical mixing as well the reduction well (ie a couple of km) downstream is unlikely to be more than 0.1%.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

I wonder if the £3-4 billion it costs to build a tidal scheme would produce less emissions and save more money if every home in the wider Liverpool area was insulated instead to the best standard possible, including adding solar panels.

 

[C08]

If it's the same basic plan that's been knocking about for a couple of decades then there will be a lock for river access. It wouldn't do to cut off Manchester from the sea, would it?

I had assumed that it would be upstream from the ship canal access at Eastham?

 

[peteK]

It will be more money wasted on consultants,been talking about it for years.

 

[Mike k]

IMO there is no way a barrage would constrict marine traffic when port authority just spent shed loads on a deep water container freight terminal and ferries to Ireland and IOM operate regularly. Then there are the two main channels of Garston and Eastham so important for trade and access to MSC. I would be interested to learn of the location of said barrage.

 

[pcatterall]

I wonder if the £3-4 billion it costs to build a tidal scheme would produce less emissions and save more money if every home in the wider Liverpool area was insulated instead to the best standard possible, including adding solar panels.

Quite, generation and conservation need to go hand in hand.

 

[superheat6k]

Nothing personal but why does it take 2 years to know whether something is a goer or not.

I K Brunel used to take about a fortnight .

They have yet to name a University after a Council dogsbody ! Having joined our local Parish Council I'm amazed they can arrange to empty the bins, let alone design a tidal wind generation array !