Under daring suggestions put up by the Commons Speaker, the Thames’ tidal power may be exploited to assist Parliament in coping with the cost-of-living issue.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle has requested specialists working on the vast, protracted project to renovate the Palace of Westminster to assess if it is feasible to harness the river that runs by the Grade I-listed building’s hydroelectric potential.
One proposal for lowering energy expenses on the legislative estate, a World Heritage Site, is reportedly to investigate placing hydroelectric turbines beside the renowned Commons Terrace.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle has asked experts involved in the refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster to look into the feasibility of generating hydroelectricity from the River Thames
The Speaker’s proposals emerged after Liz Truss announced she was lifting the ban on fracking as part of the Government’s response to the energy crisis.
The new Prime Minister told MPs that the moratorium in place since 2019 would be lifted in areas where local communities support the technology.
Last night, sources close to Sir Lindsay dismissed warnings that the Thames was not deep enough at Westminster to install a turbine.
One said: ‘It might be too shallow at the House of Lords’ end but at the Commons end it’s much deeper.’
Allies also pointed out that the late Queen had installed hydroelectric turbines at Windsor Castle and at her beloved Balmoral.
Two years ago, she overcame objections from the local council to win permission for a turbine at Balmoral expected to generate power worth £650,000 a year – enough to supply the estate, with a potential surplus to be sold to the National Grid.
The Speaker’s proposals emerged after Liz Truss announced she was lifting the ban on fracking as part of the Government’s response to the energy crisis
However, some experts poured cold water on Sir Lindsay’s plan – with one saying that a Terrace-side turbine would probably only generate enough power to boil a kettle.
Neil Kermode, of the European Marine Energy Centre, warned that the river outside the Commons was too shallow to make a turbine worthwhile.
He said: ‘It’s about two metres deep at low tide so that would limit the size of machines.’
Some experts poured cold water on Sir Lindsay’s plan – with one saying that a Terrace-side turbine at the Parliament site would probably only generate enough power to boil a kettle
The Port of London Authority indicated that ‘current technology is not well suited to environments like the Thames, with its large tidal range and heavy silt burden’.
There have also been concerns about the effect of a turbine on river traffic.
The Speaker’s allies admitted it was not clear yet ‘whether it would even be possible’ to install a turbine but insisted the idea should at least be examined.