Shortlist for Severn energy plans

The barrage would stretch from south Wales to the Somerset coast

A shortlist of proposed schemes to harness renewable energy from the tides of the Severn estuary will be announced by the UK Government later.

Five projects will be selected from 10 examined over the last six months.

Among these is a 10 mile long barrage proposal from Lavernock Point, Vale of Glamorgan to Somerset which has come under fire from environmental groups.

Others schemes include tidal fences, reefs and lagoons, which would be less harmful to wildlife, say backers.

The shortlist, which will be unveiled by Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband, will be put out to public consultation before a final shortlist is confirmed.

The preferred project is due to be selected in 2010.

SEVERN ENERGY PLANS Outer Barrage from Minehead to Aberthaw This would be the largest barrage and would make maximum use of the Severn Estuary tidal resource Middle Barrage from Brean Down to Lavernock Point Most well-studied option, known as the Cardiff-Weston barrage Middle Barrage from Hinkley to Lavernock Point As option two but lands at Hinkley Inner Barrage (Shoots Barrage) Also known as English Stones scheme and studied in detail by the Sustainable Development Commission Beachley Barrage Barrage further upstream, smaller generating capacity than Shoots Tidal fence A barrier constructed over part of the Cardiff to Weston line, with open sections, incorporating tidal stream turbines Lagoon enclosure On the Welsh grounds (Fleming lagoon) Tidal lagoon A proposal for a number of tidal lagoons Tidal reef A concept that would include floating turbines Severn Lake A barrage just over a half-a-mile wide in the same location as the Cardiff-Weston scheme, including a wave farm and four marinas

The Severn, which has the second-largest tidal range in the world with 42ft high tides, could significantly contribute to meeting the government's renewable energy targets.

But conservationists fear some of the plans for the estuary could be hugely damaging to wildlife.

Environmental campaigners also say barrage electricity would be more expensive than renewable alternatives.

The long list, published last summer, included the well-studied 10-mile barrage plan, which could generate up to 5% of the UK's electricity within 14 years at a cost of an estimated