UK developer Centre Port reveals plans for Centrica-backed £2bn, 12-mile tidal energy scheme

Plans have been unveiled for a £2 billion UK tidal energy project that could supply green energy to 600,000 homes.

Infrastructure developer Centre Port Holdings is forging ahead with the first stage of the major renewables scheme, located in the Wash, an estuary on the east coast of England.

If the project gets off the ground, it would support scores of jobs and feature the world’s first tidal powered deep-sea container terminal.

As well as supplying vast quantities of green energy to shipping operations, the 12-mile long structure would also provide landside flood defences for up to a million people.

And it could also provide a 20 minute road link for motorists, connecting Lincolnshire and Norfolk.

If built, the zero carbon deep-sea container terminal will be capable of processing between 1.5 million and 4m containers annually.

It would also handle the world’s largest container ships, feeder services and roll on roll off vessels.

Centre Port is proposing to build a hydro-electric structure within the project, which will capture the incoming and out-going tides twice a day.

In doing so, it would provide predictable, low carbon energy for the terminal, as well as up to 600,000 homes and businesses in the region.