Belfast Met leads in securing €9.39million for energy sustainability project

The project is aimed at delivering training in the clean energy storage sector in one of the largest EU projects ever secured by an NI led Partnership.

“Belfast Met has always been ahead of the curve,” said Marie-Thérèse McGivern, Principal and CEO of Belfast Met.

“For more than a century we have been upskilling the City’s workforce in line with industry need. Leading the way with linen manufacturing, through shipbuilding, engineering, onward to data technologies and now developing new initiatives in clean energy storage.

“Gencomm opens the latest chapter in the Further Education sector; a chapter where FE is recognised as the primary conduit to deliver the technological skills mix required to enable todays industry to deliver tomorrows energy requirements.”

The College, as lead partner, is working in conjunction with nine universities and private companies across Europe to deliver the GENCOMM Project including the National University of Ireland Galway, the University Institut National des Sciences Appliquées Rouen, France, the Pure Energy Centre, Scotland and three further NI organisations; Viridian, TK Renewables, and Williams Industrial Services.

The project will develop three pilot facilities fuelled by Solar Power, Wind Power and Bioenergy to measure their ability to produce and store hydrogen, together with its viability as a sustainable energy solution for heat, power and fuel for communities across North-West Europe.

“Belfast Met is delighted to secure funding from the Interreg North-West Europe Programme for this exciting energy sustainability project,” said Met director of development, Damian Duffy.

“This is the largest award of EU funding Belfast Met has ever secured and the first time a College in Northern Ireland has been awarded funds from the Interreg North-West Europe Programme.

“This is testament to the strength and innovative nature of the project and the high calibre of partner organisations as we seek to work together to deliver hydrogen based solutions that will help address energy sustainability challenges to communities across North-West Europe.”