London Eye architect wants to build a huge tidal power station on a 14-mile arc off the coast Somerset it could help Britain meet growing demand for electricity to power artificial intelligence – and create a new race track that will allow cyclists to race across the Bristol Channel.
Julia Barfield, who designed the Eye and the i360 observation tower in Brighton, is part of the team behind the £11 billion proposal. It will curve from Minehead to Watchet and use 125 underwater turbines to harness the power of the world's second highest tide.
The proposal comes amid growing concerns that Britain's rapidly growing use of artificial intelligence will lead to more carbon emissions unless more renewable energy sources are found. The AI boom is expected to lead to a surge in electricity demand across the UK, which the government rated this month could more than double by 2050.
“If the solution is to continue to implement more and more artificial intelligence—which I'm surprised isn't being questioned more during the climate emergency—then we'll be better off with renewables,” Barfield said. “Data centers can double energy demand, and this is a predictable and reliable source.”
The barrier will not span the full width of the canal, but will instead curve towards the Somerset coast and back with a maximum output of 2.5GW – which is close to the peak power that will be produced by the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, located just 12 miles to the east. This would be enough to power 2 million homes.
The project includes a path along the top of the semi-circular dam for walkers and cyclists willing to brave the south-westerly winds, a water sports pier, a beach and an observation tower. Local MP Rachel Gilmour, who supports the plan, said the route “will be absolutely iconic”.
Designers have tentatively suggested that data centers could also be housed inside the structure, allowing them to take advantage of cheap seawater cooling. It is hoped that oyster and mussel beds, arrays of floating solar panels and a coastal amphitheater will help boost the economy of Minehead, once a popular resort and now one of the 20% most deprived areas in the UK.
The UK's latest energy policy says tidal and wave energy could play a role “if their costs can be reduced”.
“We have people who want to fund it, but they will only do it if the government provides support,” said Aidan Clegg, chief executive of the consortium. “They need to take this seriously. This is not hypothetical – we have a strong plan.”
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesman said: “We are open to considering well-developed proposals to harness tidal energy in the bays and estuaries around our coastlines that demonstrate good value for money. Energy Council AI brings together people like Neso [the National Energy System Operator]EDF, Microsoft and Google to address AI energy needs, explore opportunities to attract investment and support the development of low-carbon energy for data centers.”
Tidal energy is more predictable than wind and solar, even though there are several hours each day when the tides change with little or no energy. Supporters West Somerset Lagoon The project believes it will last 120 years and therefore produce electricity cheaper than nuclear power.
It was first conceived several years ago with the aim of reducing the UK's carbon emissions. Since then, the artificial intelligence revolution has begun, which is now leading to a sharp increase in energy demand. British national energy system operator Neso predicted Electricity demand for data centers will triple by 2035. The huge racks of microprocessors needed to train and run artificial intelligence models and store the ever-growing mountains of data that the 21st century high-tech economy relies on will account for the majority of the overall increase in electricity demand in the commercial sector.
The West Somerset Lagoon is the latest proposal to harness the tidal power of the Severn Estuary. In the 1980s it was proposed to build other lagoons in a narrower part of the estuary, closer to Bristol, while full barrage from Cardiff to Weston-super-Mare has only recently been proposed, raising concerns about large-scale and irreversible changes to the estuary system. The latest backers of the idea say the lagoon will not interrupt shipping channels leading to the ports of Bristol and Cardiff and is outside protected areas such as local nature reserves and special conservation areas.
“Minehead and this whole area of West Somerset is an area of deprivation and this project will create positive change,” Barfield said. “It will create full-time skilled jobs, a water sports area, a beach, a visitor centre, an observation tower and cultural facilities. It could also become a center for marine farming of mussels, seaweed and oysters. These are the kinds of businesses that local youth could develop because the tides will be more controlled.”
