Tidal lagoons could help towards meeting ambitious global and national renewable energy
and carbon reduction targets, contributing towards tackling climate change through the
displacement of fossil fuel generation. Lagoons have additional benefits over other forms of
renewable energy which include: predictability, use of proven technology, long expected life
spans (100 years) and the ability to be strategically located to provide a base load supply of
continuous energy. Despite these advantages there are no tidal lagoons in the world to date,
the key barriers to lagoon development have been cost and environmental concerns.
This research shows how to optimise tidal lagoons in terms of the environment, considering
the wider socio-economic implications of lagoon developments as multi-use facilities. Through
industry engagement, the research provides a snapshot of industry perspectives, allowing
presentation of the key environmental impacts and benefits of tidal lagoons. It then uses
systematic literature review to investigate transferable solution options from other relevant
coastal and marine industries to address these key impacts. Finally, the research
demonstrates use of a potential methodology to select and assess solution options which
allows for consideration of the wider environmental, socio-economic implications of lagoons.
Unlike many other large-scale marine energy projects tidal lagoons have the potential to be
multi-use, multi-benefit facilities which are likely to have far reaching environmental, social and
economic impacts, both positive and negative. The lagoon sector is in its infancy with recent
political debates arising over the ‘value for money’ of lagoons and the cost of developments to
both the tax payer and to the environment. Independent research addressing the uncertainty
surrounding the environmental impacts of lagoons and considering how to optimise lagoons
in terms of the potential value they could provide to society is now more important than ever
