Renwables institure set for multi-million pound investment

By SCOTT MACNAB
Published on 11/06/2012 13:43

A £6.7 million renewable energy boost will complete the funding for a major centre for research and innovation in Glasgow, the Scottish Government today announced.

The European Funding for the Technology & Innovation Centre (TIC) at Strathclyde University will help develop a world leading centre for the development of renewable energy technologies and enabling technologies.

Capital funding of £89m has already been secured from a range of partners, including Scottish Enterprise & Scottish Funding Council, with the £6.7m ERDF contribution being the final piece in the jigsaw, enabling the project to proceed.

The university, alongside industry partners, aims to more than double the scale of research investment from £70m to more than £150m over the next 5 years and create up to 500 new, high value research, technology and engineering jobs.

Infrastructure Secretary Alex Neil said: “I am sure this project can prove a real boost for our economy, securing massive research investment and hundreds of new jobs.

“I am absolutely determined that we focus our investment from areas like European funds on these kind of high value projects that create jobs and ensure we fully exploit our massive potential in areas like renewable energy.

“For the world class expertise we have in areas like renewables to flourish, we need to put in place the right infrastructure and superb facilities.”