Research sites power ahead

TWO new centres of expertise have been launched at Heriot-Watt University today.

The centres will provide a platform for collaboration between academics and industry to focus on research in the energy sector.

The first - the Scottish Institute for Solar Energy Research - aims to enhance partnerships in solar technologies to become a leading research and development institute. The second, the Centre for Advanced Energy Storage and Recovery - seeks to develop expertise on thermoelectric power generation, fuel cell materials and hydrogen storage materials. The centres were set to be opened by the Scottish Green Party's Jim Macdonald this morning.