A new hub putting Scotland at the heart of European green energy research will be launched in Brussels tonight.
The Scottish European Green Energy Centre (SEGEC) will play a pivotal role in putting Scotland at the centre of European research, development and deployment of clean energy technologies, such as carbon capture and renewable heat.
The official launch by Energy Minister Jim Mather, part of St Andrew's week, will be attended by representatives of EU institutions, member states and regions, academia and businesses.
Mr Mather will also meet the European Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs to discuss how the Centre can strengthen the EU's approach to the North Sea Grid, marine renewables and, building on Mr Mather's recent visit to Norway, carbon capture and storage technologies in the North Sea.
Mr Mather said:
"The Scottish Government is committed to making Scotland the Green Energy Capital of Europe and the Scottish European Green Energy Centre marks another significant step towards that goal.
"We are uniquely placed to help Europe deliver sustainable and secure energy supplies. Harnessing our unrivalled renewable energy potential - a quarter of Europe's potential tidal and offshore wind and 10 per cent of its potential wave power - will boost economic growth and help meet tough European climate change targets. And just this month the European Commission confirmed a North Sea supergrid as one of the EU's six strategic infrastructure projects.
"The Scottish European Green Energy Centre will play a critical role in positioning Scotland at the heart of research, development and deployment of sustainable, low carbon energy technologies across Europe.
"Our clear strengths and expertise in our universities, research institutes and commercial sectors are recognised around the world. The Centre's work on low carbon energy research will internationalise complement and add value to existing projects.
"At the heart of the Centre's role will be shaping the European energy supply of the future. It will deliver high quality research and contribute to the future direction of EU energy policy.
"With a business plan in place, we will move ahead and recruit permanent staff - based in Aberdeen, but working throughout Scotland, Brussels and across Europe. The prize is the low carbon, secure, affordable energy supply that we are all seeking. That prize is ambitious, but with the launch of the Scottish European Green Energy Centre, all the more achievable."
The Scottish European Green Energy Centre has five objectives:
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