We need the government’s support with the UK’s biggest clean energy opportunity
3 min read
If we’re serious about reaching Net Zero, improving energy security, and creating long-term, good-quality jobs, then we need to back bold, ambitious projects that can deliver on all three.
And in the Liverpool City Region, we’re working to do just that.
Mersey Tidal Power is the biggest clean energy opportunity in the UK – and one of the most exciting renewable energy projects anywhere in the world.
It’s a chance to harness the natural rhythm of the tides to generate clean, predictable energy for more than a century. Enough to power hundreds of thousands of homes, every single day, for at least the next 120 years.
But this is about more than just clean energy.
We’re talking about thousands of new, skilled jobs – from design and engineering to manufacturing and construction. We’re talking about apprenticeships for young people. About reskilling workers in industries that need a future.
This is a project that can underpin a regional supply chain, support local businesses, and inspire the next generation of climate engineers and green tech innovators.
It’s also about fairness – making sure the benefits of Britain’s green transition are felt in working-class communities, not just on corporate balance sheets.
And Mersey Tidal is just one part of our bigger plan to lead the green industrial revolution from the banks of the Mersey.
We’re already home to HyNet North West, one of the UK’s leading hydrogen and carbon capture projects, creating 6,000 jobs and helping decarbonise heavy industry. We’re rolling out heat networks to deliver low-cost, low-carbon heating for homes and businesses. And we’re investing more than £100m in retrofit schemes that are cutting emissions and energy bills – especially for lower-income families.
That’s why we call ourselves the UK’s Renewable Energy Coast. We’ve got the assets. We’ve got the ambition. And we’ve got a track record of delivering.
But we know that the green transition won’t happen by accident – or through the market alone. It needs leadership and public investment. That’s why the government’s plan for Great British Energy is such a vital part of the puzzle. It would allow us to get behind major clean energy projects like Mersey Tidal – not just to turn a profit, but to deliver for the people and the planet.
We’ve done the groundwork. We’ve got the local support, the engineering know-how, and a deliverable plan. Now we need the government to support us with the development funding to get us ready to start building by the end of the decade.
This is long-term thinking in action. A once-in-a-generation chance to reshape our energy system, strengthen our economy, and leave something behind that will still be delivering benefits in the middle of the 22nd century.
It’s also a chance to reconnect the communities on both sides of the river. We’re exploring how Mersey Tidal could double as a new active travel crossing, creating safe, clean routes for walkers, cyclists – and maybe even public transport.
Mersey Tidal Power isn’t just a clean energy scheme. It’s a statement of what’s possible when you believe in the potential of places too often overlooked – and give local leaders the tools to get on with the job.
So, from the banks of the Mersey, we’re not just looking to power homes.
We’re ready to power the future.
