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Type
Lecture

Tidal power from the Bristol Channel

Event organised by ICE

Date
19 March 2025
Time
18:30 - 20:00 GMT
Location
Creative Innovation Centre, CIC
The Memorial Hall
Paul Street
Taunton, TA1 3PF
United Kingdom

This event has now ended

Overview

One of the most significant challenges the UK faces is the production of clean, low carbon electricity. West Somerset is already at the centre of helping to meet this challenge with the construction of the massive Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.

However, there are other potential schemes that could also make a difference to a low carbon future. In fact, the greatest natural power source for Somerset is the power of the tides in the Bristol Channel. 

Professor Chris Binnie will examine current energy sources, the alternative ways of harnessing the tides, and discuss the engineering, benefits and issues of the proposed West Somerset Tidal Lagoon scheme which could generate 2500 MW of energy.

Programme

18:00 - 18:30
Doors Open
18:30 - 19:30
Presentation

Speaker

Chris Binnie

Chris Binnie

University of Exeter

visiting professor

Read more

Chris Binnie

Professor Chris Binnie graduated from Cambridge in engineering and law and post-graduated from Imperial College in dam design and hydro power.  He joined the family firm of Binnie & Partners, specialising in water supply and dams.  Later he joined WS Atkins as their director of water, eventually becoming a Main Board director and floating the company.  He has designed two dams over 70m high and one at 50m.   He was an All Reservoir Panel Engineer under the Reservoirs Act for about 30 years.

For tidal power, in the 1980s, Chris was on the STPG Management Board for the Severn Barrage studies.  He then chaired the DECC Independent Engineering and Technical Advisory Board 2008-2010 for the Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Studies.  Since 2018 he has been chairman of West Somerset Lagoon Ltd, promoting the 2,500 MW tidal power scheme. 

Professionally he has been a fellow of ICE for about 40 years and a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering for 30 years. He was President of CIWEM in its Centenary Year, and a Visiting Professor at Exeter University.

For more information please contact:

Yasemin Gurbuz

Topics:

Sustainable Development Goals:

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