Visionary plans for a £2 billion Wash tidal energy project take shape
Infrastructure developer, Centre Port Holdings is forging ahead with the first stage of the major renewables scheme, located in the Wash on the east coast of England by preparing a Development Consent Order application for a new tidal barrage.
GCI The Wash Tidal Barrage
If successful it would feature the world’s first offshore deep-sea container terminal.
As well as supplying vast quantities of green energy to shipping operations, the 12-mile-long structure would also provide coastal flood defences for up to a million people, and a 20-minute road link for motorists, connecting Lincolnshire and Norfolk.
Once developed, the zero carbon deep-sea container terminal will be capable of processing between 1.5 million and 4m containers annually and handle the world’s largest container ships, feeder services and roll on roll off vessels.
The plan will feature a large-scale hydro-electric structure, which will capture the incoming and outgoing tides twice a day.
Cross section of the scheme
In doing so, it would provide predictable, low carbon energy for the terminal, as well as up to 600,000 homes and businesses in the region.Proposals for a similar barrage were abandoned soon after they were first unveiled in 2008, but in 2025 the logic is stark and straightforward. Climate change is accelerating, along with rising sea levels.
James Sutcliffe
James Sutcliffe, chief executive at Centre Port Holdings, said: “Centre Port is a multiple income generating development where decarbonising the logistics chain is a priority”.
“Centre Port provides multiple business opportunities and a lower/ zero carbon operation across the import /export chain, whilst also being 50% nearer the East and West Midlands it serves.
“It is well placed to drive new economic opportunities in Lincolnshire/Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, and job creation in local communities that are otherwise reliant on the agricultural sector.
“The local environment is seriously at risk from climate change. Our mission is to retain the Wash boundaries, its wildlife and ecology and to minimise climate change impacts that could devastate these sensitive areas.”
Location of the plan on England’s east coast and impression of the world’s first offshore deep-sea container terminal.
It is reported Centre Port formed a strategic partnership with Centrica, which has encouraged the company to hire environmental and technical experts to begin work on the detailed development proposal and Centrica would also provide a guaranteed price for the renewable energy produced by the tidal turbines to underpin their construction.
The project is also expected to deliver additional renewable energy which could be used to create green hydrogen, helping to decarbonise the farming and transport sector.
According to Centre Port, the scheme would support thousands of jobs during the construction phase, as well as 500 specialist jobs on the container terminal and more for power production but is likely to attract considerable opposition from conservationists.