Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon Project Reports Examples

Executive Summary 2

Introduction 2
Methodology 4
Findings 5
Discussion 5
Conclusion 7

Reference List 8

Appendix 10
Executive Summary
Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon Project is intended to establish a power project that generates indigenous, renewable, cheap, and sustainable electric power from lagoon tide. Since the project is likely to impact significantly on the social, environmental, and economical status of the locals, a survey was conducted to determine the level of acceptance of the project among the community members. In the survey, a questionnaire with 3 items was used. The results show that most locals approve of the project.
Introduction
The Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon Project is aimed at developing large scale, indigenous electricity that emits low-carbon gas and provides a long-term, sustainable, and affordable power to more than 155,000 homes for 120 years (Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay, n.d.). The proposed project seeks to employ the existing technology involving low-head bulb turbines. The low-head turbines are projected to have a runner diameter of 7m. The turbines will also be submerged permanently below the low water level in the Swansea Bay. Electricity will be generated as a result of the flow of water past the turbine blades. The flow is attributed to the gravity resulting from the difference in the tidal height between the inside and the outside of the walls of the lagoon (Proposal overview & vision | Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay, n.d). This application differs from the techniques employed in electrical production from dams in that unlike the other techniques, this technique is more efficient in electric energy production in both directions (ebb and flood tides).
This project involves the efforts of the world’s leading turbine manufacturers who seek to aid in the optimization of turbine technology and energy outputs. Adequate studies have been conducted for the project’s appraisal. For instance, accurate tidal data from the Swansea Bay has been used to carry out the energy output studies since 2011. The studies are meant to assess the potential of the lagoon to produce adequate energy for the generation of electricity. So far, the studies have given positive results, hence, boosting the prospects for the project.
As a result of the implementation of this project, many benefits will be realized. To start with, the project will generate electricity that will be used by the locals (Baker, Walbancke, and Leach, 2006). The project is projected to produce a large-scale electric energy in the period of 120 years during which the project will be in operation. Secondly, the project seeks to create recreation and amenity facilities. In this case, this project seeks to attract tourists by showcasing the tidal range technology. The local community will benefit greatly in this case. The tidal lagoon will also become a venue for both the local and the national sports use. Sports such as swimming, walking, running, and sailing are likely to be attracted by the project. The project is also going to revamp the economy of Swansea Bay City. This change will be attributed to the marine energy generated through this project.
Involvement of the members of the local community will be instrumental in the realization of the project goals. We acknowledge that the member of the community plays a very significant role in giving the project an enormous momentum (Hershkowitz and Lin, 2002). Consequently, we intend to engage the locals in the initiation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the project. The locals also play an important role in ensuring that the project last for the period for which it is intended. In order to encourage the locals to appreciate the project, it is important to make them feel being part of the project. Consequently, their approval was important at the inception stage of the project. Therefore, we conducted a study aimed at determining the level of acceptance of the project by the locals. In this case, we sought to determine if there was support among the locals for the idea of using renewable energy sources with an aim of reducing carbon emission. In addition, we sought to determine the availability of the market for using the tidal lagoon for sport and recreation.
Methodology
This study employed both the primary and secondary research methodologies. To begin with, secondary sources were consulted for information regarding the prospect of getting market for the sport and recreational services that the project seeks to create. This approach helped obtain qualitative data regarding the project. The process was undertaken through a thorough literature review in which sources from various databases were consulted. The findings were then compiled and presented.
With regard to the quantitative data, a survey was conducted among the locals. First, the consent of the prospective respondents was sought. In this case, written consent was obtained. The participants were then recruited randomly from the target population using certain criteria. In this case, prospective participants had to be adults aged 20 years and above. Furthermore, the prospective participants had to be residents of the area and must have lived there for the last five years. At the end of the recruitment exercise, a total of 40 participants had been recruited to take part in the survey. This number consisted of 20 women and 20 men. A face-to-face interview was conducted. Participants who could not be reached physically were interviewed on the phone. The questionnaire used was comprised of three items. The respondent was meant to address all the items from the first to the third in that order.
Findings
The quantitative data revealed that nearly all the members of the local community approved of the project. In this case, thirty eight out of the forty participants were in support of the project. On the other hand, two respondents were against the project. The respondents who approve the project cited the creation of employment and tourist attraction as the main advantages of the project. On the other hand, the respondents who did not support the project cited possible destruction of the natural landscape and disruption of the normal activities by the locals at the site of the project as some of the drawbacks associated with the project. Figure 1 shown below shows the percentage of locals who support the project and those who are opposed to the project. The survey reveals that 95 percent of the locals are in support of the project. On the other hand, only 5 percent of the locals were not in support of the project. In question 2, nearly all respondents scored the yes response. On the other hand, 80% scored yes response in the third item in the same item, 15% chose no while 5% chose maybe. This means that most locals were in support of the project.
The literature review finds that UK is endowed with many resources from which renewable energy sources can be harvested. The tidal waves in the Swansea Bay Lagoon are some of the renewable energy sources that UK can exploit to boost its electric power capacity.
Discussion
The survey reveals that nearly all the locals are in support of the project. The potential benefits likely to result from the project are known to the locals. In addition, the high approval of the project partly attributed to the excitement among the locals. The commitment by the developed countries, England inclusive, calls for the necessity to exploit renewable sources that are also affordable and sustainable. The lagoon at Swansea Bay is a suitable site for the generation of clean, sustainable, and affordable electric energy (Sustainable Development Commission, 2007). If implemented, the project is projected to generate high energy that will boost electric energy supply for the locals. According to the report submitted to the planning inspectorate by tidal lagoon power limited, Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon Project is projected to generate 250-350 MW (Great Britain and Great Britain, 2013). In addition, the project will generate an estimated output of 400,000 MWh/year (Great Britain and Great Britain, 2013).
Tidal lagoons are one of the best natural sources of renewable forms of energy (Radtke, Couch, and Dent, 2010). The project focuses of the tidal lagoon due to its potential to generate significant energy to supply the residents of the local area with electricity for the 120 year that the project is intended to run. The Swansea Bay is a suitable site for the project for several reasons. First, the Severn Estuary holds the second highest tidal range globally. High tidal range means a high ability to generate high power output.
The benefits that will be derived from the implementation of the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon Project are numerous (Callaway, 2012). To start with, the project will realize a huge improvement in the country’s total energy production from renewable sources. According to the Great Britain (2008), Swansea Bay Lagoon (TEL and DTI) will generate an annual output of 411GWh. Paillard, Lacroix, Lamblin, and Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer (2009) indicate that the project will produce 60MW. Based on the projected output of the project, UK will be able to cut on its carbon emission. This will be a significant progress towards meeting its commitment towards reducing the effects of global warming. As a result, UK will be able to reduce its carbon emission by 236,000 tonnes each year (Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay, n.d.).
Another advantage of the project is that it will create a suitable site for recreational facilities. As a result, the economy of the local city will improve tremendously. Different kinds of sports will take place at the site where the project will be established.
The locals are aware of all the potential benefits that can be derived from the project. Consequently, the majority have expressed their support for the project. The Welsh economy will benefit heavily from the project. As a matter of fact, the Welsh economy will benefit from an estimated £316 million.
Conclusion
Based on the survey undertaken, there is no serious concern among the locals with respect to the project. Instead, the project is highly supported by the locals as they are greatly aware of the potential benefits of the project. Increased job opportunities are one of the benefits the locals are expecting from the project. However, a few people do not approve of the project. The majority of the people in this category cite the possible changes to the natural landscape that they like as some of the drawbacks of the project. We expect that the locals will remain in support of the project throughout the period of its implementation. Efforts are being made to ensure that members of the local community are involved completely in all the aspects of the project. Indeed, some of the main tenders are awarded to local companies. A great proportion of the investment made in the project also goes to the community. Therefore, we look forward to the success of the project in all its stages.
Reference List
Baker, C., Walbancke, J., & Leach, P. (2006). Tidal lagoon power generation scheme in Swansea Bay. A report on behalf.
Callaway, R., Shinn, A. P., Grenfell, S. E., Bron, J. E., Burnell, G., Cook, E. J., Crumlish, M., Shields, R. J. (May 01, 2012). Review of climate change impacts on marine aquaculture in the UK and Ireland. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 22, 3, 389-421.
Great Britain. (2008). The EU's target for renewable energy : 20 % by 2020. London: Stationery Office.
Great Britain., & Great Britain. (2013). A Severn Barrage: Second report of session 2013-14. London: Stationery Office.
Hershkowitz, A., & Lin, M. (2002). Bronx ecology: Blueprint for a new environmentalism. Washington: Island Press.
Paillard, M., Lacroix, D., Lamblin, V., & Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer. (2009). Marine renewable energies: Prospective foresight study for 2030. Versailles: Quae.
Proposal overview & vision | Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.tidallagoonswanseabay.com/proposal-overview-and-vision.aspx
Radtke, J., Couch, S. J., & Dent, C. J. (June 14, 2010). Capacity value of large tidal barrages. 331-336.
Sustainable Development Commission. (2007). Turning the tide: Tidal power in the UK.
Wallis, M. K. Tidal Power for the UK-the Severn Estuary debate. Maria Hawton Mead: Can the UK Off-Site manufactured timber-frame housing market learn from Germany to make off-site manufacturing more sustainable?, 46.
Appendix
Figure 1: The proportion of locals who support and those that are opposed to the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project
Figure 2: The percentage distribution of Yes and No responses to question 2 among the respondents interviewed in the survey.
Figure 3: The percentage distribution of Yes, No, and maybe responses to question 3 among the respondents interviewed in the survey.