Queen’s Uni receives €9.3m for new wave of research

Queen’s University in Belfast has been granted more than €9.3 million (£8.3m) in funding for research into marine-based renewable energy sources. The Bryden Centre for Advanced Marine and Bio-Energy Research […]

Queen’s University in Belfast has been granted more than €9.3 million (£8.3m) in funding for research into marine-based renewable energy sources.

The Bryden Centre for Advanced Marine and Bio-Energy Research will use the money for green projects, with a particular focus on wave and tidal power generation.

It includes the use of tidal power at Strangford Lough and the North Antrim Coast, ocean energy sites in Western Scotland as well as the potential for wave and tidal generation in Donegal.

The EU-funded project will recruit 34 PhD students and six post-doctoral research associates to produce industry relevant research that has the potential for strong commercial benefit.

It will also look into bioenergy, specifically heat, biogas and electricity which can be produced through anaerobic digestion of good waste.

Match-funding for the projects has been provided by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in Ireland and the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland.

Gina McIntyre, CEO of the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), said: “The region has a low level of industry-relevant research and innovation within the renewable energy sector. The Bryden Centre project will help address this issue by creating a new centre of competence made up of dedicated PhD students creating high quality research with strong commercial potential.”

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