Britain Is Building The World's Largest Tidal Power Project

[@TheImpossibleBuild]

Is this actually a feasible solution for Merseyside?

[@terryhoath1983]

1. Britain is NOT, I repeat NOT "Building The World's Largest Tidal Power Project" That is a downright clickbait lie. 2. The West Coast of England does NOT, repeat NOT have 4 tides a day. It has one tide every 12 hours and 25 minutes. Southampton has 4 tides a day because of the 2 tides a day up and down the English Channel washing around the Isle of Wight first from one side and then a couple of hours later from the other side. Rotterdam in the Netherlands also has 4 tides a day the alternate one are little more than a bounce in the middle of the low tide. Antwerp, just down the Coast has only 2 tides a day 3. 0.28 There is no such place as "Merseyside Town". It is an artificial administrative district of a regional authority. 4. Although the lower lying areas of places that you have named may be liable to flooding large areas of the Sefton administative district, the Wirral, Runcorn and Widnes are close to or above 50 ft above sea level and much of these places is above 100 ft above sea level. 5. Why at 0.57 are you showing an animation of a tidal streaming school project ..... and then go on and talk about barrages ? 6. "As far as the River Mersey goes" HAAAR HAAR hahaha ! The River Mersey rises nearly a thousand feet up in the Pennines. It follows a fairly tortuous course. From a height of a little over 40 ft above sea level, it tumbles over a weir into the Manchester Ship Canal south-east of Irlam. You have Irlam shown on your map at 2.24 towards the right-hand side. A little further West, it falls out of the otherside of the Manchester Ship Canal. The Canal at that point is about 35 ft above sea level . The Mersey tumbles over two weirs in Warrington and only at that point does it become tidal. By that point the tidal range is only a few feet. 7. You talk about protection from flooding and then you go on about tidal lagoons. Tidal lagoons are a bloody silly idea and will do NOTHING to prevent flooding. 8. 5.52. Your ridiculous piece of animation seems to show water flowing >> 9. If what you mean by "around the hour" a totally ridiculous expression, you mean "continuously" it shows that you know nothing about tides. At each change of tide there is what is called "slack tide". Hardly any water moves during slack tide. There is also about half an hour either side as the speed of flow diminishes to nothing and then after slack tide takes time to build up again. Turbines that will deal with a 3-4 ft head are quite different to tidal streaming turbines. Tidal streaming turbines will do nothing for flood protection.You appear to be talking about barrage turbines which will produce next to nothing as the head diminishes and then picks up again.The very best that could be expected is power for about 5 hours per 6 hour 12.5 min falling tide and the same on the rising tide. Maximum power will only be produced in the middle 4 hours. Some neap tides at Liverpool are only 12 feet and will only produce about a third of the electricity of a good spring tide with a longer dead period than on spring tides. 10 You also don't understand about tidal range. The tidal range of "up to 10 metres" is only experienced at Liverpool Pier Head. As the water enters the wider back estuary,that range diminishes somewhat. Also, heights above sea level are taken from the mean or mid-tide so a 32 ft tidal range means 16 ft above mean tide dropping back to 16 ft below mean tide. In short, this video is a load of clickbait DRIVEL.

[@margaretjones777]

It's debatable and even doubtful for a number of reasons. 1) The built up areas along the Mersey (and much of the Merseyside coast) are more hilly than you might expect, and so are at little risk of flooding - indeed, they haven't been flooded at any time. In reality, the UK is gradually tilting towards the east, so the sea is actually retreating along much of the west coast - something that is very apparent along Dee Estuary (in Merseyside). 2) There is still a lot of commercial maritime activity within the Mersey, including several docks, two ferry terminals, a major ship-builder, a busy marina and one of the UK's largest oil refineries, all of which would be impeded by any barrage. Yes, you could build additional lock gates, but this would still leave these businesses at a competitive disadvantage. Any barrage could easily spell the death of (for example) Cammell Laird, one of the biggest employers in the region. 3) The Mersey contains a huge amount of silt that would rapidly build up behind any barrage, and so would require continuous dredging. It's not like the hard, rocky shore of (say) Brittany, in which barrages can operate with only modest maintenance. Indeed, the reduced flow within the Mersey caused by any barrage would almost certainly necessitate additional dredging to keep the Port of Liverpool (one of the UK's largest) open. 4) Perhaps surprisingly, the mudflats of the Mersey are an important wildlife area, especially for migrating birds, so any barrage would be fiercely resisted on environmental grounds. 5) The existing infrastructure on Merseyside (especially the roads and railways) is configured in such a way that any barrage would need to be a considerable distance upstream, which would obviously reduce the amount of electricity that could be generated. This is not to say that a barrage shouldn't be considered, but it's unlikely that it would achieve a satisfactory cost/benefit ratio.

[@Alex_Plante]

@@margaretjones777 in any case, you do not need a barrage to place turbines in the water.

[@stephenbroomhead4110]

Nah hes full off it

[@MrDavidht]

Just checked the tides for Liverpool for today 5/10/2023 high tide at 3.28am and 3.50pm. Only 2 tides, stopped watching when you said 4 tides.

[@becomingfr33]

I've never understood why we don't make use of tidal power. Unlike solar and wind its reliable and can produce electricity 24 hours a day, and has unlimited potential. Yes its going to cost a lot to begin with like all new technology but will eventually become more economical the more widespread it becomes.

[@joeking1019]

Nothing new about the tech, just the project cash, getting the job started, but we are dealing with councils

[@becomingfr33]

@@joeking1019 Well it might not be new, but there are only three large scale tidal energy projects in the world. It's about an economy of scale. The more projects are built, the cheaper it will become.

[@joeking1019]

@@becomingfr33 Yes, the no-brainer no one thought of, tide is a constant unlike the other nonsense.

[@gary.richardson]

The reliability of the design is very important. You wouldn't want to buy a car if the lifespan is too short for adequate return on investment and not to mention maintenance costs.

[@paulhaskell-cooper676]

Theres plenty of money for daft nuclear power?

[@paulroberts2235]

It may be a good idea, but I don't think the government would proceed with it. Helping the British people isn't really on their agenda.

[@viktorianas]

Aren't the elected British people as well??

[@paulroberts2235]

@viktorianas They are, but they have no intentions of helping the British people.

[@viktorianas]

@@paulroberts2235 so why do you elect them every single time??

[@paulroberts2235]

@viktorianas I don't. I don't even vote. I don't see the point. I look at it like it's a 2 headed snake. Who I'd vote for would be irrelevant.

[@AWellesley]

We mostly don’t - our broken electoral system means the last time the government actually won the popular vote was in 1935. Governments regularly win power with ~35% of the popular vote, ie 65% of the country don’t want them. It’s not really democracy.

[@mattf1986ut]

I worked as a ships agent on these docks in Merseyside between 2010-16 this was a legit project being talked about by Peel Port's back then all comes down to the funding soon as that is sorted it'll probably go ahead, Peel is already investing on the Wirral side of the river plus the surge in energry prices might make it a viable project . hope it goes ahead as it'll power my house haha

[@Matityahu755]

Would sooner the govt. build this tidal power station here, than the areas of Liverpool City Region and surrounding counties of Cheshire and Lancashire getting that HS2!!

[@Cossie2k]

​Unfortunately your comment didnt age well!

[@ruzziasht349]

I think the British government would like to see Liverpool under water

[@johnbev2336]

The Netherlands are a leading country to prevent the sea from taking over the land. Sea walls can prevent and also utilise the title wave to produce electricity

[@owentaylor9884]

Tidal lagoons need 3 locations to cover slac water periods as the tide moves from east to west. Tories however want continuous dependency on coal and oil, their funders

[@johnwilliams7653]

The Netherlands have fewer idle idiots apparent in their government than Britain...

[@t-rod4456]

@@owentaylor9884we need domestic oil. Oil dependence won’t go away anytime soon so if we reduce our own oil supply where is it going to come from? Imports from places like the Middle East who control the price of oil by increasing/decreasing supply. The government and a lot of people understands this.

[@thomasherrin6798]

So it's not "Is Building" but "May Build" correcting the Title!?!

[@TheStanford01]

There was a tidal barrier planned over 60 years ago across Morecambe Bay but unfortunately that never got built.

[@jontalbot1]

My favourite bit is the picture of a picturesque fishing village somewhere in the South West when referring to Widnes and Warrington

[@garryhingley1]

The British at their best, coming up with innovating ways to produce green energy and having to partner with the South Koreans to do it. If they took the time to get the ferry across the Channel to St Malo in France they would discover the worlds second largest tidal barrage that has been producing green electricity since 1966! Fifty seven years ago.

[@alanfarrance8639]

British at their best? Mate, it’s just bollocks, you’re never going to see it happen unfortunately.

[@jasonhesson1030]

Just an addition. Britain isn't being over flooded by climate change and rising sea levels. The UK is settling back down to where it was before the last ice age. At the last ice age Great Britain lifted up in the South due to the weight of the ice sheets and thus now there are no more ice sheets the South is now settling back down. This see-saw action is what is giving folk the impression of rising sea levels. I learned this basic fact in secondary school.

[@29brendus]

Correct.

[@klausolekristiansen2960]

This does not mean that seas are not also rising.

[@jasonhesson1030]

@@klausolekristiansen2960 Prove to me otherwise then.

[@MrTench8]

Been visiting the same west coast town for 50 years and i have not seen a change in sea levels!

[@29brendus]

@@MrTench8 Well that's because there is not any change in sea levels. And that can be well proved from the earliest photographs, and of course scientific measurements. Erosion, of course, is a different phenonemon.

[@malp78]

this will be built just after we complete our Unicorn farm.

[@vespasian266]

Salt water is a big problem apparently. components rot out pretty fast. hence the known unknowns of tidy power costs.

[@markjones4704]

ask the french the rive rance tidal barrage

[@alanhat5252]

Salt water is a known problem with many solutions.

[@garrettmillard525]

That's wrong. The French barrage mentioned above did absolutely experience issues when it was created half a century ago, but the use of cathodic protection (sacrificial cathodes, the same thing used in your water heater at home) basically eliminates this issue while only using a small % of the plants power production. As well as use of plastic piping instead of steel. The copper-nickel-aluminum alloy components they used are also basically immune to sea-water corrosion.

[@carelgoodheir692]

@@markjones4704 Interestingly no-one (apart from a smaller Soviet scheme) has copied the French. That suggests there are serious problems with damming inlets. At the time the Skye Bridge got built there was an alternative proposal to dam the straights at Kylerhea and at Kyleakin. The Kylerhea dam would have had the tidal generators, the Kyleakin dam would have carried the road to Skye and perhaps a railway extension. It would have had lock gates to allow ships into Loch Duich. But, the amount that would have been generated would not have justified the costs, the environmental drawbacks and the inconvenience to ships and road traffic involved. There are trials going on in the Pentland Firth, to install turbines on the sea bottom turned by the tides. That may prove a better way of harvesting tidal power. Then other straights off Scotland's westr coast could get them too and between them there would be continuous supply - slack water comes at different times up the west of Britain.

[@jasonhesson1030]

If they're touting for the Mersey Barrier . . . why not build the Severn Barrier as well as the Severn has one of the largest tidal surges in the world.

[@Missi0n141]

Agreed!

[@colinporter7108]

Why not develop every possible site within the UK. It makes long term sense and should have been started decades ago. Oh and we also need more reservoirs! Why is our government asleep?

[@harrypotter4309]

Same sort of thing was proposed across The Wash on the east coast. It was going to have turbines and a road on top, which would have cut journeys by 50 miles or so, but haven't heard any more about it for a couple of decades. Instead, we got wind turbines. poor substitute, but someone made money on them no doubt. Short term profit, no long-term strategy.

[@tomriley5790]

Severn Barrier would be a lot bigger, the Mouth of the Mersey is particularly narrow.

[@LordElpme]

@@colinporter7108Because no Tory MP with the power to make it happen has financial interest in any of the companies that would profit from it.

[@davidkelly3751]

Tidal patterns are very high. This was attempted in the Severn Estuary but was abandoned. Not sure Anfield is at risk of being submerged, there is an old technology called a levy.

[@pilkipilki4472]

it is on a hill

[@williamlawrenson8345]

As an ex-Liverpudlian, projects like these have been proposed many times. Although it could provide solutions to two problems, energy and tidal flood defence, as you say, many hurdles lie in the way. Upstream of Liverpool, there are salt marshes, feeding grounds for sea birds. These could be lost. Where do you place it to allow shipping, nearer the mouth with lock gates to provide an deep water harbour, or little further upstream, after the entrance to the Manchester Ship Canal and save the cost of large lock gates. Many issues to resolve but great to see that it is being thought of again.

[@craigmc83]

Ex-liverpudlian? You gave up being Scouse?

[@colinwilson9122]

Tidal power like this proposal would be more beneficial than HS2

[@trevorb5978]

And about a fortieth of the cost

[@paxo32]

Nice brief clip of looe in Cornwall

[@valproton3841]

Liverpool is in the midlands, which is not sinking. It's the south that is sinking because of the rebound effect of melting ice caps from c15'000 years ago. Scotland is rising from the same effect, so the sea level has not changed much at all in Scotland. Tidal power is a good renewable energy source, but it has nothing to do with sea levels.

[@BritishAnts]

This is an AI generated video, add context, voice requirement, subject matter and press enter! The foreplay - repeating the question, create imaginary instructions, surveys and guff about legal restrictions etc etc but with re-used footage thats used in the fully charged programme and random Americans scraping their heads and pointing! Cut video to under 11 mins and make it regional to get extra traction on YT and watch he money come in! No human required other than accept the advertising revenue! 😂

[@tomriley5790]

Liverpool is not in the Midlands sealevel is rising everywhere regardless of glacial rebound.

[@0ctatr0n]

You know the video is made for Americans when they have to explain basic things like how the tides work.

[@paulsyms2142]

And when their gratuitous money clips show wads of US Dollars and Euros.

[@chinnyvision]

Or that Looe in Cornwall isn't on Merseyside (0.54).

[@johnos4892]

How do we know how much it will cost (3 billion pounds) if the design has not even been selected?

[@bobgriffin316]

I expect all the designs have a similar price. I expect that one design is probably slightly better than the others. That will be the one that would be chosen if it ever got started.

[@angharadhafod]

I was surprised you mentioned 4 tides a day for the Mersey. So I checked. Are you sure? Or are you confusing it with the Solent, which has 4 high tides a day because water can come at it from two different ways (because of the Isle of Wight)? Such a situation doesn't exist off the coast of Liverpool. At least, Ireland is too far out to have such an effect on Irish sea waters.

[@JohnCaddick-uq4dp]

by 4 he means tide in tide out twice a day

[@davecooper3238]

@@JohnCaddick-uq4dpGiving four slack tides in around 24 hours.

[@itsjudystube]

@@davecooper3238what do you mean by slack tide

[@davecooper3238]

@@itsjudystube Please refer to :- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slack_tide

[@garycarmichael8432]

It won’t happen while the current UK government is in power. They have reneged on their green commitments and they’ve just cancelled the Birmingham to Manchester link of HS2. The government refused to fund a similar scheme in Swansea a few years ago.

[@Allegedly2right]

They will spend about 2-3£Million on a feasibility study and there won’t be a hole dug do you want to put money on it.

[@kaneturner2853]

The stock footage in this kills me 🤣🤣🤣 that gal inside the abandoned building with the flooding.. I can no longer take this video seriously bahah

[@tonitouchberry6257]

There are so many ways this can be done, that I am amazed it has'nt been done already! Tidal change is the most consistant and powerful sorce of power on this earth!

[@charliechalk]

Great video!

[@leonardpollock8693]

Yes Build the tidal barrage. The Mersey spring ebb tide flows at 10 to 12 knots. There is one heck of a lot of power going to waste. In building the barrage, use it as a roadway/causeway to make a third road crossing between Liverpool and Birkenhead. Also put in shipping locks. The Dutch have a similar system for many years at Ijmuiden. The dutch have constructed the Afskuitdijk, a 25 mile tidal barrage across the Ijsselmeer. What are we waiting for. Get on with it.!!!!

[@mikeharvey9811]

There’s a fine one in la Ronce France, check it out, it’s been going for decades. Barb

[@G7OEA]

As someone who lives 1km inland of livepool docks, we aint going to be under water anytime soon. Also Everton football club are building their new stadium at Bramley Dock. I cant see them investing millions into a new stadium that will be under water in 20 years. The tidal barrarge alwould have to be built south of the Manchester ship canal entrance otherwise it will need a set of locks to let the marine traffic in and out. I doubt i will see this in my lifetime. Nice footage of the liverpool waterfront.

[@hometechUK]

The UK government are Useless, 3 years ago South Wales wanted funding for a tidal power in Swansea but the goverrwoukd not give a penny to help. It would already be half way through construction if they have help fund.

[@chazzerbox131]

Wales has its own government and energy is one of the things that is devolved to the Welsh assembly not the UK government this is the problem with devolution

[@johnwilliams7653]

Not useless: actively evil. Austerity. Covid victims. Starving children. drowning boat-people. Not useless. wilfully evil.

[@christoffussenegger9377]

The cost is likely too high for just 1.5TWh of electric energy per year. Some 100-200 wind turbines would deliver a similar amount of energy, but for a fraction (I estimate one third) of the cost.

[@Hession0Drasha]

Build a big one between devon and wales 😊

[@colinporter7108]

The UK must be a world leader in tidal power. Tidal power is a vital component of future power for The Uk and could help secure energy Independence. We should rely upon our own technology and skill base to design and build the infrastructure

[@batcollins3714]

Ere we go again with this "world leader" rubbish. You are just a tiny island now isolated from world trade. You will never be a "world" or"global" leader in anything.

[@baldy3405]

Scotland for years has tired to push tidal power but consecutive uk governments keep pushing them away.

[@TheKIMANO]

It seems like a really good idea that can contribute to solving two big current and future problems. I don't think you can see any locks for the ships?.. There is probably a lot of ship traffic up along the river. I also think that it is important to build it in a way so that new generations of turbines are relatively easy to install. I look forward to following the project.

[@thewiseperson8748]

Fantastic ! Bravo !

[@gordonmynard855]

I think its success is critical. The Dutch are a shining example of how to keep low lying land protected. The lagoons could extend to protect the northern suburbs as well

[@porkpie2884]

5:22 "experts say" 🤣

[@robfielding100]

Terrific analysis

[@philiphookham8135]

I've spent a lot of time in the Netherlands this year. Their civil engineering is absolutely awesome. Somehow, they find the money to build the impossible and just get on with it. Then I come back to to the UK to find there's no water supply to my house because the Testwood pumping station can't cope when the river Test is in flood and the improvements are scheduled to start sometime in the next five years - if they get approved (SO45 postcode Nov 2023). Forgive me for sounding negative as I flush my toilet using rainwater, but in my humble opinion the UK government has no idea how to do forward planning of infrastructure projects. The HS2 railway and the UK electrical grid being two other obvious examples.

[@MrFriskyWhiskey]

After HS2, London Underground, Track/Test & Trace, Ferry Contracts, London 2012 Olympics, I wouldn’t trust the UK Government to Project Manage its own funeral.

[@jonathanwetherell3609]

Tidal barrages make sense, as a flood defence with the added benefit of green energy. Otherwise free standing tidal turbines are the key. The British Isles have great scope for these, with so much sea and the phasing of tidal flows around the coast gives power 24/7. The barrier is R&D costs. Government, currently, will leave it to the private sector who look for low risk/ fast return of their investments.

[@tomriley5790]

Another proposal particularly liked by the Netherlands government was for a barage accross the Channel and the Northsea from the UK to Norway -- it would generate a huge amound of power. Similarly a barage across the Irish Sea (unfortunately lots of chemical weapons were dumped in that area during world war 2) or Bristol channel.

[@sidguernsey1393]

Wildly Inacurate.

[@bsastarfire250]

Joined up thinking . Coastal protection and energy from the natural movement of water.

[@tomriley5790]

Really interesting and the Mersey esturary would be particularly well suited to it (narrow at the inlet) but honestly the British government doesn't give a damn about anything outside the south of england and barely registers anything outside of London, so unlikely it will actually happen.

[@scoobyflew]

I've said for 25 years that the Menai Straits in Wales should have a tidal barrage, the flow through there is tremendous. You are literally using astronomical levels of power!

[@ed-eo2ke]

you could have tidal stream in the Straits but a Barrage would not work because you need an enclosed area, the tide would simply flow around Anglesey and resulting in a very small head.

[@scoobyflew]

@@ed-eo2ke interesting that does seem logical...

[@MichaelWardPerceptivelight]

The whole of Morecombe Bay from Fleetwood to Barrow would also make sense as there are four rivers that empty into the largest estuary system in the UK

[@prof.heinous191]

"Merseyside Town" what a great start!

[@ZoahLord]

6:13 - that's specifically the Swansea Tidal Lagoon. An on/off proposal stuck in development hell

[@YewDuct]

As a Liverpudlian, this fiction would evoke a natural disaster if enacted. The Rance Tidal Power Station was constructed in Brittany in 1966, so this is neither new nor impossible technology. It is just a really bad idea. The Mersey (Pronounced Mur-Zee by the way, not Mur-Sea) estuary contains huge sandbanks that are a wildlife sanctuary for wading seabirds. Most of it is covered by tide only to a shallow depth, it's not a giant deep lagoon at all. The effect on the Rance was to cause the river to silt up because of the reduced water flow and this caused a collapse of the ecosystem and huge loss of biodiversity. Simply, if this were a good idea, it would have been done already. Tidal dolphins (floating generators) would generate less power but would not cause silting to a comparable degree as a dam.

[@rogerandroid2186]

Great idea, however, a little more thought (for a lock gate) to get cruise ships in and out. The total lack of tidal power in the UK is a scandal, considering the many high tidal ranges available around the coastline.

[@michaelrhys6167]

They wanted to do this in Swansea ten years ago and the English government stopped it perhaps they didn't want Wales to lead the way

[@IsThisAvailable550]

I think that if they could come up with some kind of crowd funded investment scheme which paid long term dividends, they'd be able to raise the money

[@Paul-cj1wb]

Tidal power will be huge, however building barriers like shown here is not the answer. It's why it hasn't taken off before. There's plenty of power under the water for slow turning powerful turbines. Water is over 800 times denser than air. The ones that will succeed will have a nature covered (for aesthetics) cement pier type line surrounding long lines of turbines along the middle and/or most potent currents of the major tidal rivers and waterways (NOT across them) surrounding them so as to both protect them and to pull the up for service and cleaning when needed. The pier will be surrounded with pull-up (for regular cleaning) strong wire mesh fencing to keep marine life out and negate any marine biologist objections. In this fashion, ships and marine life can go around it on each sides untouched and unaffected.

[@NmpK24]

Some people mentioning the Netherlands but their huge projects were created out of necessity since the whole country is almost at sea level or below it. Many big floods over the centuries culimating in a major one in 1953 which cost over 2500 lives. If funding can not be found dont see the UK govt. getting involved in Merseyside or elsewhere unless a similar natural disaster forces them to.

[@gordonellis3420]

Tidal power is so predictable that I Do Not Understand why its not been done already...!

[@M9dq76]

Firstly, The salt water environment is very degrading on materials which makes it all very difficult and expensive. Secondly a tidal barrage scheme was built in France and resulted in an environmental disaster on the inside of it due to river silting....there is a reason it was never repeated again! Anyway: now you DO understand don't you?

[@s3p4kner]

Rising sea levels? The problem with the Mersey catchment basin isn't the sea, it's the rainfall which despite the presence of the Manchester Ship Canal and the river itself, still manages to burst it's banks every few years. The Govt won't fund this, they can't even control the costs of a new railway line, something Britain used to be very good at building. In the meantime they can't agree on a design, so they just keep throwing money at it.

[@jamesmcdonnell5617]

Get a Real host versus an AI bot. It's ridiculous to hear Mersey pronounced as 'mercy'!

[@malahammer]

relax! I bet you cant pronounce Arkansas or Oughterard or Killiney

[@aaronohara34]

0:55 My guy did not just use this clip when talking about Widnes and Warrington 😂. Much easier on the eyes mind you.

[@philtucker1224]

The principle of most projects where production is involved and sales of the item produced at a profit are involved is called “an investment” as opposed to “a cost”. These large projects are generally funded by private money and not tax-payers money. Subsequently massive numbers of jobs and related support services are also often created and this in turn keeps local unemployment to a minimum. Subsequent financial benefit to local authorities is always an important feature of most successful business plans. Suitable improvements to local infrastructure such as better road networks, improved medical facilities, schools and support services, (mainly also funded by the private investors money) are therefore often shown to be a likely and positive legacy to the local community should the proposed project receive final approval.

[@davidpeters6536]

Are you a Korean investor? It would come from government funds paid for by tax payers.

[@philtucker1224]

@@davidpeters6536 The money comes from selling the electricity dude!

[@philspencelayh5464]

Two problems come to mind, 1st a barrage would probably prevent navigation of the river, not so much these days, 2nd and biggest problem the Government has pretty much screwed the economy and can't even afford to give doctors a decent wage so the cash would have to come from elsewhere.

[@MassiveChetBakerFan]

The Mersey Ship Canal means that ships don't need to sail in the River Mersey.

[@Jake_5693]

@@MassiveChetBakerFanCruise ships dock all year round, ferries to Belfast and the Isle of Man also dock.

[@Starshine2007]

Do they have a crowd funder page? We can build it! Support Liverpool. Mu only worry is compulsory privatisation like the busses in Sheffield.

[@caterthun4853]

The first commercial tidle turbine in Scotland has been held back by lack of government backing. Not sure if it's still the case but I am sure overseas governments will be looking to take the lead and then sell the technology back to our country..

[@tonyclough9844]

The problem with tidal power generators is it takes the power out of the tide, this results in it dropping all the silt out of it and silting up of the area.

[@1Rik1]

How would a barrier across the narrow part of the Mersey prevent flooding in Sefton, which is downstream, in the estuary? Also, the UK government would not finance an expensive project outside London.

[@gaynormca8992]

Venice’s tidal wall has proved a DISASTER

[@larrykennedy1351]

I have been saying, tidal power for years, not just the UK but GLOBAL ..

[@Agapimo]

Succeed or sink should provide enough incentive, the generation of energy is a bonus. The real cost of preventing catastrophic economic, social, and environmental damage should be spread out between the private and public sectors as all will benefit.

[@BIGJATPSU]

Just building them on the sea floor would suffice for the power generation and still allow, mostly, unrestricted port access. As for the holding back THE OCEAN... short term it could work, long term is to much upkeep. The Dutch are the masters at it, but projecting forward, gonna cost them A LOT! It's not so much man losing to nature, just nature never loses to man given enough time.

[@carelgoodheir692]

The Dutch rijkswaterstaat (sp?) is an immense organisation, both in funding and in how many it employs. It is well aware of the problems approaching with sea levels rising.

[@Rick-sanches1]

I remember in the 90s the theory of rising sea levels these places wpuld be under water in 30 years 😅

[@judewarner1536]

This is why power generation and distribution should be renationalised. Only central government can afford projects of this nature. There's not enough quick profit for private enterprise.

[@terrywilliams8864]

Should have waited until after the Tory conference. It is very clear no new innovation will happen, especially in the north. A good video though

[@RalphEllis]

London is sinking because of isostatic rebound, not because of climate. R

[@johnevans6399]

If it gets built within the Liverpool area it will probably get pinched.

[@SciurusVulgaris1979]

Put a tidal barrier accross The North Channel and thereby also give Nothern Ireland a rail conection to GB and Europe!

[@gilbertfranklin1537]

The biggest concern is whether they can build these without the Chinese getting involved. Apparently there will be debt from the funding, and I would hate to see Britain paying China for labor or equipment costs.

[@gurglejug627]

Nothing can be done for Warrington! Have you been there and seen the place? ;) It's like the Croydon of the North.

[@philipwood9526]

So why are we not doing this instead of piling 100s of Billions into the white Elephant that is H.S 2.

[@H4N5O1O]

0:54 mercy side LMAO.

[@bluemarlin2004]

Man can find a way to land on the moon. This tells us possibility is not the hindrance but the will.

[@joankirby1944]

Where is the sea level rising parkgate where king henry the 8th sailed into is now dry land plus other places and old photos show the water levels havnt risen i heard one side of england gains a bit of land and the other loses a bit food for thought.

[@fastfreddy19641]

Great idea but the current tory government is not big on supporting green energy

[@wgj4813]

Scaremongering if it happens to West Lancashire there will be a nation wide problem. However harnessing tidal energy is an idea to consider.

[@Falstaff1893]

This will not stop flooding as land in front of the barrier will bear the brunt of rising sea levels a perfect example is the Thames barrier when its raised all the lower level land further downstream ends up flooded

[@BoB2011yay]

‘Merseyside town’ that famous place.

[@davidwebb4904]

“Merseyside Town” LMAO

[@synthmaker]

Very interesting video but the loud background music makes it very hard for me to enjoy it.

[@johnwiddowson7240]

There's one in France on the Rance and its been generating for 50 years

[@MrMassivefavour]

I wonder if the electricity for the people will be free? Maybe they should ask the people of the city to pay through their local taxes with the deal being free electricity for 20 years

[@alancrowe6417]

We were told in cumbria in the 1950s that it would be vertualy free once they built Calder hall/Winscales/Selafield, didn't happen!

[@701983]

The depicting of continuous constant tidal power is wrong, since the tides don't switch from full rising tide to full falling tide within seconds. Actually, you only get a fraction of peak power on average. And there are times of absolutely no power (switch from rising to falling/falling to rising tide). The video mentioned 1.5 TWh per year, which equates to an average power of only 171 MW. Which would be only 14% of the mentioned 1.2 GW peak power. The big advantage over PV and wind power is predictability and reliability of fluctuating power, but not continuity (constant power).

[@701983]

But of course, if you interconnect a couple of tidal power plants of similar power, but with phase-shifted tides (some distance between them), you could get more or less continuous power.

[@joependleton6293]

Of course, "people down stream" will be greatful ! Great historical city of their's.

[@lucylane7397]

There is no one down stream

[@Sam-lm4ef]

Merseyside town???

[@andyhurrell]

Only three billion? HS2 is looking increasingly like an expensive white elephant.

[@pamelahomeyer748]

Impressive

[@davidsivills3599]

This will never get built it will be very expensive, anything planned on merseyside never gets built.If it starts it will be abandoned half way through.

[@SteveDobson-e5x]

The Mersey Barrage has been discussed for many decades. Most recently since the 1970s.

[@AReasonablePerspective]

Air filled drums and pulleys are the ticket. Less infastructure and more energy

[@magsb3]

There could be a toll road put on top to help with the finances.

[@kendavis5686]

What do I know, but this looks nuts to me since the problem is (just like London) not the sea so much as the sea plus the extreme rain storms that global warming will bring i.e the water coming down the river is as dangerous as the sea.

[@brendanpells912]

£3bn for a project that could generate 1.5 TWh per year? For less than £1bn you can build a gas-fired power station that could generate 15 TWh per year.