Inverness College UHI, in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Community Energy Scotland, are to establish Scotland's first centre to offer training on the installation of microrenewables.

The facility will work with local businesses to support their entry to the small-scale renewable energy and low carbon market. This could be through the installation of micro-renewables, the design and construction of sustainable buildings or the development, testing and manufacture of renewables kit.

The Centre will also collaborate with national and international partners to bring best practice and new market opportunities to the Highlands. Working with Community Energy Scotland and HIE one of its aims is to develop a better understanding amongst the public and businesses of the opportunities which renewable energy can create within the Highlands.

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HIE Senior Development Manager Colin Grant said:"HIE is supporting the creation of a new Micro-renewables Centre at Inverness College because it is vital that businesses and individuals in the Highlands and Islands who want to learn new renewables skills, to allow them to work in this fast growing industry, can do so locally.

"We need to take advantage of the increasing demand for fitting and servicing technologies like small scale wind turbines, ground and air source heat pumps and solar and woodfuel systems. HIE is working hard to support ground-breaking work in the renewables sector in the Highlands and Islands and this is another step in ensuring we have the skilled workforce in place to take advantage of the opportunities it presents."

Inverness College has already trained around 140 individuals in the installation of solar domestic hot water equipment and works with Dimplex to deliver manufacturer-specific training in the installation of air source heat pumps.

The College will be equipping a dedicated installer training centre and will gain approval for nationally recognised certificated courses in air and ground source heat pumps; woody biomass; and photo-voltaic installation.

The Centre will be the first in Scotland to offer installer training in the complete suite of small-scale renewables technology and the College has a demonstration wood chip boiler heating its campus at the Scottish School of Forestry in Balloch, Inverness.

(GK/JM)