River & Tidal Energy
Services offered include technical advice on:
- Applying 0-D models for design optimisation of energy generation for tidal energy structures (such as barrages and lagoons) and river hydro-electric schemes.
- Applying 2-D/3-D hydro-environmental models, with turbines and sluices, for predicting hydro-power and environmental impacts of tidal energy structures.
- Applying hydro-morphological models for predicting morphological changes associated with tidal and river energy structures.
- Design and operation of turbines in tidal structures and river hydro-electric schemes.
- Assessing the resilience of tidal and river energy structures to climate change, sea level rise and flood risk impact.
Roger has worked extensively on tidal and river renewable energy projects since 2005. He is most renowned in this field for his project work, publications, lectures and press and media interviews on the Severn Barrage, tidal lagoons and run-of-the-river hydro-electric schemes.
His key activities in this field include:
- Continuously developing, refining and applying his computational models to predict hydrodynamic, hydropower, water quality and sediment transport processes and changes resulting from tidal energy structures, such as the Severn Barrage and tidal lagoons.
- Membership of the Expert Panel for the UK Government’s Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Studies (2008-10) www.gov.uk/government/collections/severn-tidal-power-feasibility-study-conclusions.
- Supporting companies and stakeholders in modelling sediment transport fluxes and concentrations, both for cohesive and non-cohesive sediments, and estimating morphological changes associated with long term bathymetric changes.
- Technical consultancy and membership of the Regional Board of Hafren Power Ltd. (2010-14), with responsibility for designing a new Severn Barrage with two-way energy generation and significantly reduced inter-tidal habitat losses etc.
- Presented to the House of Commons Select Committee on Energy and Climate Change (2013).
- Membership of the Technical Advisory Board of Natural Energy Wyre (2017-date), providing technical advice on the development of the proposed Wyre Barrage project (vii) engaging in TV and media interviews with regard to water quality and sediment transport processes, such as the Severn Barrage hydro-environmental impacts (BBC).
- Consultancy support to ITP Energise for the Hendry Review of Tidal Lagoons (2016), providing an assessment of the case for Lagoons to the independent Government review.
- Membership of the Board of Directors of Dragon River and Tidal Ltd. (2017-date), a company launched to develop state-of-the-art turbines for energy generation from river and tidal sources.
- Publishing journal and conference papers and delivering presentations on barrages, lagoons and tidal renewable energy.
- Engaging in TV and media interviews with regard to tidal energy, the Severn Barrage and tidal lagoons, such as Swansea Bay Lagoon (BBC).
Severn Barrage with Two-Way Generation (Hafren Power Scheme)
Predicted Currents in the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary without Severn Barrage