By Chris Davey
Copperhouse pool looking South West – photo by Chris Davey
Back in March I was thinking about the concept of “false dilemma”, specifically a decision between adaptation to changes in the climate, and mitigation measures to limit climate breakdown. I argued that this isn’t a decision to be made – we need to do both – and that they’re obviously interrelated. Then another one popped into my head – once you get your eye in, they’re everywhere!
As a planet, we are expanding renewables quite fast, and they are now the cheapest form of energy; and yet across the world as a whole, carbon emissions are not falling (however, the pandemic did cause a blip). I have become interested in a local renewable energy project (more on that later) which would provide a small but useful amount of energy, probably via a local “microgrid”. It wouldn’t solve the world’s energy problems, but it would make a contribution to decarbonisation of our electricity supply.
But arguably, the real problem now is the painfully slow phase-out of fossil fuels, with new licences for oil and gas exploitation still being granted, contrary to the current recommendations of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and the IEA (International Energy Agency). Basically, the newly introduced renewables (mostly wind and solar) are simply keeping pace with the increased demand from countries whose energy needs are growing. So is the “real” priority to cut fossil fuel use – and, if so, how to campaign on this? I’ve already left my previous fossil fuel-loving/funding bank, and that’s an obvious top move to make. I’ve also shifted to a green-energy-only electricity supplier. What next? Maybe try to get my pension fund to divest from fossil fuels… (actually many fund members have been trying that for a while, without success). But then the (low energy) lightbulb moment happened… this too is a false dilemma: we need to do both, and right now.
So I am going to continue to press my pension fund to get rid of their fossil fuel investments – after all, Dutch pension provider PFZW has done this (well, almost completely) so why can’t they all? But I also intend to help to get this local renewable energy project off the ground…
Back in the 2010s, a feasibility study was done, supported by the EU European Regional Development Fund, on harnessing the energy from the tidal pools at Hayle (Copperhouse Pool and Carnsew Pool). The study found that this idea was viable, in principle, although more work would have to be done on the detail, not least commissioning an environmental impact assessment (EIA), especially with respect to the various bird species that use the pools. Some further work has been done, and it was shown that Carnsew Pool would provide the better option.
This would be a tidal range project, in which water is held in the pool, then released through turbines to provide electrical power. This is a seriously under-exploited route to long-term highly predictable renewable energy. La Rance in France is a great example of such a project. Sometimes the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow**, but tides go in and out every day “for ever”!
More sites have been identified around the coast of the South West, where similar projects could be applicable. So not only would this project provide useful amounts of energy for the local community, it could also serve as a demonstrator as to what could be achieved elsewhere around our coastline. Cornwall leads the way on wind and solar (only Wiltshire has more solar capacity per capita than Cornwall), and obviously on geothermal – let’s add tidal to the mix! This would probably be a community energy project, which is a growing area, as community groups decide to take their future energy needs into their own hands. Some are small, others quite large scale, for example the Westmill Wind Farm and Solar Park.
If you feel you’d like to be a part of this exciting venture, or at least receive some more information, then please get in touch with me via ecocrunch@yahoo.com.
**Of course, energy storage can fill the gaps in solar and wind provision, and this is already being rolled out in various locations, including for example the Gridserve EV charging station at Cornwall Services, near Victoria.
