A cash injection of £6.7 million will complete the funding for a major centre for research and innovation in Glasgow, an MSP said today.

Alex Neil, cabinet secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment, said the announcement was a "substantial boost" for the renewables industry.

And energy minister Fergus Ewing said Scotland has a "responsibility" to seize jobs and investment opportunities.

The funding will help develop the Technology & Innovation Centre (TIC) at Strathclyde University, a centre for the development of renewable energy alongside other technologies.

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Capital funding of £89m has already been secured from a range of partners, including Scottish Enterprise & Scottish Funding Council, with the £6.7m contribution from the European Regional Development Fund being the final piece in the jigsaw.

Research investment will be more-than-doubled from £70m to more than £150m over the next 5 years and up to 500 new, high value research, technology and engineering jobs will be created.

Mr Neil said: "It is a substantial boost for our renewables industry that we have secured the final £6.7 million that will enable this world class project to go ahead. 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."

Mr Ewing said: "Scotland leads the world in renewable energy and we have a responsibility to make sure our nation seizes this opportunity to create tens of thousands of new jobs and secure billions of pounds of investment in our economy."

(NE)