Tidal current power effects on nearby sandbanks: a case study in the Race of Alderney.

A validated numerical model of tidal flows and sediment transport around the Alderney South Banks was used to investigate the potential effects of large (300 MW) tidal turbine arrays at different locations in Alderney territorial waters. Two methods were used, firstly looking at hydrodynamic changes only and secondly modelling sediment transport over a non-erodible bed. The baseline hydrodynamic model was validated relative to ADCP velocity data collected in the immediate vicinity of the sandbank. Real-world sand transport rates were inferred from sand-wave migrations and agree favourably with sediment transport residuals calculated from model outputs. Outputs from the sediment model reproduced realistic morphological behaviours over the bank. Seventeen different locations were considered; most did not result in significant hydrodynamic changes over the South Banks; however, three array locations were singled out as requiring extra caution if development were to occur. The results provide a case for optimizing the array locations for twin objectives of maximizing array power and minimizing impacts on the sandbanks. This article is part of the theme issue 'New insights on tidal dynamics and tidal energy harvesting in the Alderney Race'.

Dataset of the livability performance of the city of Birmingham, UK, as measured by its citizen wellbeing, resource security, resource efficiency and carbon emissions.

This data article presents the UK City LIFE1 data set for the city of Birmingham, UK. UK City LIFE1 is a new, comprehensive and holistic method for measuring the livable sustainability performance of UK cities. The Birmingham data set comprises 346 indicators structured simultaneously (1) within a four-tier, outcome-based framework in order to aid in their interpretation (e.g., promote healthy living and healthy long lives, minimize energy use, uncouple economic vitality from CO2 emissions) and (2) thematically in order to complement government and disciplinary siloes (e.g., health, energy, economy, climate change). Birmingham data for the indicators are presented within an Excel spreadsheet with their type, units, geographic area, year, source, link to secondary data files, data collection method, data availability and any relevant calculations and notes. This paper provides a detailed description of UK city LIFE1 in order to enable comparable data sets to be produced for other UK cities. The Birmingham data set is made publically available at http://epapers.bham.ac.uk/3040/ to facilitate this and to enable further analyses. The UK City LIFE1 Birmingham data set has been used to understand what is known and what is not known about the livable sustainability performance of the city and to inform how Birmingham City Council can take action now to improve its understanding and its performance into the future (see "Improving city-scale measures of livable sustainability: A study of urban measurement and assessment through application to the city of Birmingham, UK" Leach et al. [2]).