Latest plans unveiled for new Swansea Bay tidal lagoon

The scheme is the brainchild of the working party set up by Swansea City Council in the wake of the UK Government’s decision not to support a tidal lagoon power plant in Swansea Bay.

A report drawn up by Holistic Capital for the working party is due to be considered by next week’s meeting of the Swansea Bay City Region Joint Committee.

This reworked scheme would involve what is now being called an integrated renewables hub, which would combine power production with “sustainable, floating modular residential accommodation” to be located inside the lagoon and protected by its walls.

Other elements of the scheme would involve a solar farm, a battery storage facility, the production of pure hydrogen and oxygen and an underwater data centre.

The number of homes that could be delivered across the total scheme has been calculated at around 10,000.

With a projected demand of 4,000 public sector homes in prospect, Holistic Capital has suggested that there could be a case for establishing a modular homes manufacturing plant locally.

Rob Stewart, the city’s council leader and chairman of the city region’s task force, insisted that there was huge support to deliver the project. He said: “Despite the UK Government not backing the previous proposals, we never gave up hope on the opportunity to deliver a major renewables project in Swansea Bay”.

He added that “the new proposal is a larger and more ambitious renewable energy development that’s built upon the natural tidal benefits of Swansea Bay and complementary technology to generate zero-carbon power”.

“The tidal lagoon is at the heart of the new proposal and gives us the opportunity to create a new floating community of homes and businesses within the sea wall”.

“This has already been successful in countries like Holland, Germany and Denmark, providing a sustainable solution to issues including population density and climate change”.

28 May 2019