The project to harness one of the world’s largest tidal ranges (of up to 14m) to turn turbines to generate carbon free power for UK electricity consumers looks like it might go ahead and is being examined by UK Government officials.  The Severn Estuary barrage could provide five per cent of the nation’s electricity and provide thousands of jobs to the local economy, but could according to marine and wildlife charities threaten local marine habitats and internationally important wetlands.   Debbie Pain, director of conservation with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust said: “The Severn estuary with its incredibly large tides is absolutely the right place to be looking to generate tidal energy. However, that must not come at the expense of the natural environment.” She said the trust had not seen the details of the proposal and remained open-minded. But Dr Pain added: “However, if it is still going to make a vast difference to the tidal range, it is going to change the estuary dramatically. That sort of damage simply cannot be compensated for elsewhere. “The government would have to demonstrate that it is adhering in principle and practice to the legally binding European Union Habitats and Birds Directives.” In May, a spokesperson for the RSPB said it “wishes to see Severn tidal energy harnessed but not at the expense of important and protected wildlife”. “We will support technologies or alternative schemes that could deliver this, but the conventional barrage would be an environmental disaster and be in breach of the EU habitats directive.” A spokesperson for Friends of the Earth has also said that harnessing tidal energy was “vitally important,” but called this project “the wrong solution”. Friends of the Earth said tidal energy can be captured “by other technologies with considerably less damaging consequences”. “Putting all our eggs into one risky project would block other possibilities, and the growth in jobs and technology these could produce.” The project shows just how controversial such schemes can be.  A decision on the proposal is expected in winter.