A £1.6m investment in Aberdeen's Scottish European Green Energy Centre (SEGEC) through the European Regional Development Fund, was announced today.

The Scottish Government is also providing more than £1m of funding over the next three years.

At the official opening of the Centre, based at the University of Aberdeen, First Minister Alex Salmond said it would strengthen Scotland's position as leader in sustainable energy demonstration and deployment.

SEGEC will focus on marine energy, offshore wind, long distance super grid development and smart distribution grids, carbon capture and storage, renewable heat and energy efficiency.

It aims to help the Scottish green energy sector secure maximum benefits from engagement with Europe through developing partnerships with businesses and institutions, designing collaborative projects and identifying and accessing European funding.

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SEGEC has been established as a company limited by guarantee. Head of ITI Energy, Duncan Botting, was recently named the Executive Chair of the Centre while the body is being established and other board members are drawn from research partners, the energy industry and government bodies.

The FM said: "The Scottish European Green Energy Centre aims to build on Aberdeen's long-established global reputation as an energy hub by positioning Scotland at the forefront of European innovation, research and development in clean, renewable energy.

"The £1.6m investment of European funding will, through SEGEC, embrace the energy related opportunities presented through Scotland's leading global effort to reduce climate change. Scotland's natural capital can create tens of thousands of green jobs."

SEGEC Executive Chair Duncan Botting said: "We welcome the First Minister's announcement today and we have already started work by identifying and facilitating no less than three key European Recovery Fund projects that were delivered to the European Commission in mid-July.

"The partners involved with this process have commended SEGEC for the high degree of quality and excellence in service that we have been able to offer. Looking forward, there is a terrific opportunity to deliver real world demonstration and deployment projects of scale for Scotland to benefit our green energy ambitions."

Professor Jim McDonald, Chair of the Energy Technology Partnership, believes SEGEC will help ensure a dedicated focal point for research collaborations between Scotland and the EU, where there are significant funding opportunities and challenging targets to deliver a low carbon economy.

(GK/KMcA)