A RENEWABLE energy centre that could help create 500 jobs and attract £150 million of investment has cleared its final funding hurdle after £6.7m of European money was pledged to allow the project to proceed.

The Technology & Innovation Centre at Strathclyde University will help to develop renewable energy devices, as well as pharmaceuticals, engineering and health technologies.

The European Regional Development Fund has provided the final £6.7m required for the project.

The centre has secured capital funding of £89m from a range of partners including Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council. It has also attracted Scottish & Southern Energy, the Weir Group, ScottishPower and other cross-sector industrial partners.

The university, alongside its industry partners, aims to more than double the scale of research investment, from £70m to more than £150m over the next five years and create up to 500 research, technology and engineering jobs.

Professor Jim McDonald, principal of Strathclyde University, said: "We are seeking breakthroughs to deal with energy demands, climate change, global health challenges, a testing economic climate and the need for more energy efficient, more advanced technology."