A tidal power ‘mega project’ in one of Europe’s iconic waterways could power 1 million homes. But costs are huge
The River Mersey is one of Europe’s most iconic waterways. On top of being a major hub for shipbuilding and industry, it’s been a source of inspiration for a host of writers, artists and musicians over the years.
If all goes to plan, the Mersey could also play a major role in the U.K.’s sustainable future.
Authorities in Liverpool want the river to be home to a huge tidal power project which, they say, could power as many as 1 million homes, generating thousands of jobs for the region in the process.
If built, the facility would have a capacity of at least 1 gigawatt and make use of the Mersey’s tidal range, which is the U.K.’s second highest.
Speaking to CNBC, Martin Land, director of the Mersey Tidal Power Project, outlined how the system would work in practice.
The idea, he explained, is to center it on the creation of “a structure to hold back the tide, or to contain the tide — we let the height build up on one side, and the other side has a low level.”
“And then we let that water, that seawater, pass through turbines and generate electricity,” he added. “So it’s using the potential energy, which is the height difference of the tide.”
This setup is different from installations that use tidal stream turbines, which, in very simple terms, can often look a bit like underwater wind turbines.
Land told CNBC that the project is coming to the end of its concept phase, with a number of scenarios on the table.
“We still have an option for a barrage location, which would cross from the Birkenhead side … the left bank of the Mersey, to the right bank, the Liverpool side,” he said. “Or, alternatively, it could be a lagoon.”
Spanning a body of water, a tidal barrage resembles a dam. The International Renewable Energy Agency describes tidal lagoons as being similar to a barrage, but adds that “they are not necessarily connected to the shore” and are able to “sit within the ocean.”
Tidal barrage systems in operation today include EDF’s 240 megawatt La Rance tidal power plant in France, and South Korea’s 254 MW Sihwa Lake tidal power plant, currently the world’s largest.
A long road
Initial proposals for a tidal barrage spanning the Mersey were formulated in 1924. The current project has taken a number of steps forward in recent times.
In December 2022, an agreement with the Korea Water Resources Corporation — the owner and operator of the Sihwa Lake facility — was signed.
In a statement at the time, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said K-Water had agreed to “share tidal power knowledge.”
The agreement, it added, would see “K-water and the Combined Authority working closely together to explore possibilities for tidal power.”
The Combined Authority in Liverpool is bullish about the prospects for its tidal power project, stating on its website that “tidal power’s time has come” thanks to technological improvements and the climate emergency.
In a statement sent to CNBC, Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, struck a similar tone.
“Once operational, Mersey Tidal Power would have the potential to become the world’s largest tidal power scheme,” he said.
Tidal power facilities have been around for decades — EDF’s La Rance dates back to the 1960s — but a number of projects have made great strides in recent years.
In February 2023, for example, an Edinburgh-headquartered firm said its tidal stream array had achieved a world first by producing 50 gigawatt hours of electricity.
And back in July 2021, a tidal turbine weighing 680 metric tons started grid-connected power generation at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, an archipelago located north of mainland Scotland.
In October of the same year, plans for a £1.7 billion (around $2.05 billion) project incorporating technologies including underwater turbines in waters off Swansea, a coastal city in Wales, were announced.
Renewables and nature
Like many renewable energy projects around the world, concerns have been raised that the development of a major tidal power facility in the Mersey could have a significant effect on the environment.
Cheshire Wildlife Trust, for instance, states it is “keen to support renewable energy schemes in the right place” but adds that “a barrage scheme in the Mersey Estuary has the potential to cause significant environmental damage.”
More generally, the U.S. Energy Information Administration notes that one “potential disadvantage of tidal power is the effect a tidal station can have on plants and animals in estuaries of the tidal basin.”
“Tidal barrages can change the tidal level in the basin and increase turbidity (the amount of matter in suspension in the water),” it adds. “They can also affect navigation and recreation.”
As previously noted, at the moment it’s still to be decided if the scheme planned for the Mersey will be a barrage or lagoon.
For his part, the Mersey Tidal Power Project’s Martin Land sought to emphasize that there was “well developed guidance for the environment impact assessment that you have to perform for mega projects … for big infrastructure projects.”
“We know that in developing project options we need to consider the impact of a scheme on the river and estuary and also whether this can help with the regional issue of rising sea levels,” he added.
Government support needed
Proposals for the Mersey Tidal Power Project represent yet another example of how the U.K. is looking to harness its extensive coastline and become a force in the emerging marine energy sector.
While there is excitement about the plans, a huge amount of work still needs to be done to get the development off the ground.
Among other things, any design will need to incorporate navigation locks for the significant number of ships, both large and small, that travel along the river.
If fully realized, the project’s cost would be significant — the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority calls it a “multi-billion-pound” development.
Given the sheer scale of the project, backing from central government in London will undoubtedly be needed, a point Rotheram acknowledged in his statement to CNBC.
“We have shown that we have the skills, capabilities — and the political will — to make Mersey Tidal Power a success,” he said.
“Now we just need the government to match our ambition with the funding to turn it into a reality.”
During his interview with CNBC, Martin Land echoed Rotheram’s point.
“Government action will allow us the confidence to move forward,” he said. “We’d like to move into single scheme selection this year.”
“And we’d like to get into the formal consenting process so that we can get on with construction and have this operational in the early [20]30s.”
Massachusetts is launching a first-of-its-kind statewide vehicle-to-everything (V2X) pilot program. This two-year initiative, backed by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), aims to deploy 100 bidirectional chargers to homes, school buses, municipal, and commercial fleet participants across the state.
These bidirectional chargers will enable EVs to serve as mobile energy storage units, collectively providing an estimated 1.5 MW of new storage capacity. That means EVs won’t just be getting power – they’ll be giving it back to the grid, helping to balance demand and support renewable energy use. The program is also focused on ensuring that low-income and disadvantaged communities have access to this cutting-edge tech.
The Massachusetts pilot is one of the largest state-led V2X initiatives in the US and is designed to tackle key challenges in deploying bidirectional charging technology. By strategically placing these chargers in a variety of settings, the program aims to identify and resolve barriers to wider adoption of V2X technology.
Massachusetts EV owners and fleet operators enrolled in the program will get bidirectional chargers capable of both vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and backup power operations at no cost. Here’s what they stand to gain:
- No-cost charging infrastructure: Bidirectional charging stations and installation are fully covered for participants.
- Grid resilience: With an estimated 1.5 MW of new flexible and distributed storage assets, the program strengthens Massachusetts’ energy infrastructure.
- Clean energy integration: V2G technology allows EVs to charge when renewable energy is available and discharge stored energy when it’s not, supporting the state’s clean energy goals.
- Backup power: EV batteries can be used as backup power sources during outages.
- Revenue opportunities: Some participants can earn money by sending stored energy back to the grid.
Clean energy solutions firm Resource Innovations and vehicle-grid integration tech company The Mobility House are leading the program’s implementation. “With the charging infrastructure provided through this program, we’re eliminating financial barriers and enabling school districts, homeowners, and fleets to access reliable backup power,” said Kelly Helfrich of Resource Innovations. “We aim to create a scalable blueprint for V2X programs nationwide.”
“Bidirectional charging benefits vehicle owners by providing backup power and revenue opportunities while strengthening the grid for the entire community,” added Russell Vare of The Mobility House North America.
The program is open for enrollment now through June 2025. For more details, visit the MassCEC V2X Program webpage. A list of eligible bidirectional vehicles can be found on that page.
Read more: Cambridge’s new solar VPPA is the largest ever by any US city
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Compton, California, has unveiled 25 new electric school buses – the school district’s first – and 25 Tellus 180 kW DC fast chargers.
Compton Unified School District (CUSD) in southern Los Angeles County is putting 17 Thomas Built Type A and eight Thomas Built Type C electric school buses on the road this spring. In addition to working with Thomas Built, CUSD also collaborated with electrification-as-a-service provider Highland Electric Fleet, utility Southern California Edison, and school transportation provider Durham School Services.
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program awarded funds for the vehicles in the program’s first round. EPA also awarded CUSD funds for the third round of the program and anticipates introducing an additional 25 EV school buses in the future.
“I can’t stress enough how vital grants like these are and the need for continued support from our partners in government at the state and federal level to fund additional grants for school districts and their transportation partners that are ready to deliver and operate zero-emission buses,” said Tim Wertner, CEO of Durham School Services.
CUSD, which serves Compton and parts of the cities of Carson and Los Angeles, currently serves more than 17,000 students at 36 sites. The district has a high school graduation rate of 93% and an 88% college acceptance rate. One in 11 children in Los Angeles County have asthma, which makes the need for emissions-free school transportation that much more pressing.
Read more: Thomas Built Buses debuts its next-gen electric school bus
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After cutting lease prices by $200 this month, the Rivian R1S is now surprisingly affordable. It may even be a better deal than the new Tesla Model Y.
Rivian cuts R1S lease prices by $200 per month
Rivian’s R1S is one of the hottest electric SUVs on the market. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you’re missing out.
With some of the best deals to date, now may be the time. Rivian lowered R1S lease prices earlier this month to just $599 for 36 months, with $8,493 due at signing (30,000 miles). The offer is for the new 2025 R1S Adventure Dual Standard, which starts at $75,900.
Before the price cut, the R1S was listed at $799 per month, with $8,694 due at signing. The electric SUV now has the same lease price as the R1T, despite costing $6,000 more.
The 2025 R1T Dual Motor starts at $69,900, essentially making it a free $6,000 upgrade. At that price, you may even want to consider it over the new Tesla Model Y.
Tesla’s new Model Y Launch Series arrived with lease prices of $699 for 36 months. With $4,393 due at signing, the effective rate is $821 per month, or just $13 less than the R1S at $834. However, the 2025 R1S costs nearly $15,000 more, with the Model Y Launch Series price at $59,990.
Rivian is also offering an “All-Electric Upgrade Offer” of up to $6,000 for those looking to trade-in their gas-powered car, but base models are not included.
| Starting Price | Range (EPA-est.) |
|
| 2025 Rivian R1S Dual Standard | $75,900 | 270 miles |
| 2026 Tesla Model Y Launch Series | $59,990 | 327 miles |
To take advantage of the Rivian R1S lease deal, you must order it before March 15 and take delivery on or before March 31, 2025.
The 2025 Rivian R1S Dual Standard Motor has an EPA-estimated range of up to 270 miles. Tesla’s new Model Y Launch Series gets up to 327 miles.
Which electric SUV would you choose? Rivian’s R1S or the new Tesla Model Y? If you’re ready to check them out for yourself, you can use our links below to find deals on the Rivian R1S and Tesla Model Y in your area.
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