Roberto Bocca
June 6, 2025
Liverpool plans a new tidal barrier that would span the River Mersey, harvesting clean and reliable power for up to 1 million homes.
The project offers a dual benefit. The tidal barrier would not only generate electricity but also protect the city from floods. Additionally, it would provide a new walking and cycling route across the river.
This project capitalizes on Liverpool's high tidal range to generate electricity with turbines. With 28 turbines and a 700MW capacity, it would be the world's largest tidal scheme, powering the entire city for 120 years.
Liverpool aims to achieve its goal of becoming net zero by 2040, a decade ahead of national targets with this project.
Tidal power has the potential to play a crucial role in the global energy transition, with an estimated capacity to harvest 1 terawatt of energy worldwide, equivalent to global solar power capacity in 2023. To achieve net zero by 2050, global investment in clean energy needs to triple by 2030.