Project Partners

Research Partners

South West College

South West College (SWC) is lead partner on the Renewable Engine project. Based in Northern Ireland, SWC is physically represented at campuses in Cookstown, Dungannon, Enniskillen and Omagh, covering the counties of Tyrone and Fermanagh. SWC have extensive experience of managing and delivering Research & Innovation programmes and industry innovation support with specialisms in Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing and Renewable Energy. As awarded by the UK Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (IKE), SWC are a recognised Investor in Innovation and are the first organisation in Northern Ireland to achieve this standard. The INTERREG IVA funded Centre for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies (CREST) at SWC provides industry R&D, demonstration and testing facilities for new renewable energy products and sustainable technologies.

Queen’s University Belfast

Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) is highly respected across the globe as a centre of teaching excellence and innovative research and is part of the prestigious Russell Group of the UK’s 24 leading research-intensive universities. The School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is directly involved in the Renewable Engine project through the renowned Polymer Processing Research Centre (PPRC) which, for the last two decades, has led in the development of advanced technologies in polymer processing. The school hosts a broad range of manufacturing capabilities including Advanced Engineering workshops, thermoforming and polymer moulding technologies, and robotic assembly.

Advanced Forming Research Centre (University of Strathclyde)

The Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) is a globally-recognised centre of excellence in innovative manufacturing technologies, R&D, and metal forming and forging research. This High-Value Manufacturing Catapult is a collaborative venture between the University of Strathclyde, Scottish Enterprise, UK Government and leading multinational engineering firms. The £80m facility has a world-leading reputation for research and focuses on using its production-scale facilities to take new R&D up the TRL scale and accelerate its industrial exploitation. The AFRC is one of only seven High-Value Manufacturing Catapult centres in the UK.

Institute of Technology Sligo

The Institute of Technology Sligo (ITS) plays an important role in driving economic and social development in the North West of Ireland. Relevant, effective Research & Innovation is a key element of this within a vibrant and productive research community, active in the undergraduate, postgraduate and professional research spheres. The Institute has a number of Strategic Research Centres including The Centre for Environmental Research, Innovation & Sustainability and The Precision Engineering, Materials & Manufacturing Research Centre which are utilised effectively to complement the Renewable Engine research activities.

Associate Partners

Action Renewables

Action Renewables is a leading provider of renewable energy expertise, providing support for renewable energy development through trading electricity and renewable energy certificates. Action Renewables have developed and engaged in a number of EU-funded Projects.

Manufacturing NI

Manufacturing NI is a campaigning organisation which works with member companies, workforce representatives, policymakers and regulators to challenge and encourage change in areas which impact on the cost of doing business, specifically rates, energy and labour.

Mid Ulster District Council

Mid Ulster Council is a local authority straddling two counties; Tyrone and Fermanagh. The Mid Ulster District covers an area of 1714 km² with a population of more than 140,000, living in a mix of urban and rural communities.

Industry Partners

B9 Energy Storage Ltd

B9 Energy was created in 1992 with the main goal of developing renewable energy projects. The business is based in carbon neutral offices in Northern Ireland. B9 Energy is a family owned business. This enables the business to be nimble, radical and innovative. Profits are recycled into new project developments. B9 has a strong heritage in the renewable energy sector. This coupled with a deep understanding of legislation and the ability to spot viable future technologies enables them to view the wider landscape of opportunity offered by the “Age of Sustainability”. B9 Energy has a constitution built around the three foundation stones of environmental best practice, social responsibility and sustainable business.

Booth Welsh Automation

Founded by John Welsh in 1989, Booth Welsh now employs over 200 engineers and consultants worldwide and is part of a global group. Booth Welsh remains a tight-knit team, taking pride in the integrity of all business relationships. The experienced, inspirational management team are strong leaders and make sure that highly skilled staff of the business stay motivated, engaged and committed to high standards of excellence. Booth Welsh became part of the international Clough Group in 2014 and are now their EMEA “Centre for Excellence”, delivering innovative engineering solutions on a truly global scale.

Caley Ocean Systems Ltd

Since 1968, Caley Ocean Systems has held a strong international reputation of delivering unique offshore handling systems to international markets. Capabilities span engineering design, assembly, testing, installation and onsite support. The company has partnered with Industrial Systems and Control Ltd (ISC) for aspects of the project work, a highly regarded control engineering and modelling consultancy who specialise in challenging, novel or high-risk industrial applications. ISC has a strong client list across many industry sectors including automotive, marine, oil/gas, nuclear power and renewables. Their approach is to understand system behaviours through data and physics-based modelling, review requirements, rigorously evaluate solutions in simulation and build/deploy the final control system.

Doosan Babcock

Doosan Babcock is part of a powerful combination of companies united under the Doosan Group to deliver complementary technologies, skills and value to customers the world over. From conception as a boiler systems pioneer in 1881 to providing technologies for the world’s first commercial nuclear power plant in the 1950s, the company has grown to become a trusted partner to the global power industry. Doosan Babcock provides world-class expertise as a trusted name in power generation for more than a century. Leading the way with next generation fuel cell technologies, comprehensive turnkey solutions take care of every customer need from fuel cell feasibility studies, engineering and design, to commissioning on-going maintenance and customer care.

Kastus Technologies

Kastus is an award-winning surface innovation company founded in 2013 with global headquarters and manufacturing based in the Republic of Ireland. A patented range of antimicrobial coatings have been designed to enhance surfaces across three core industry areas; glass, ceramics and metals. Kastus was developed in response to government, industry and healthcare requests to help reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections, specifically those caused by bacteria and fungus surviving on surfaces and indoor environment.

Kingspan Water & Energy

Kingspan Water & Energy has been creating sustainable solutions that preserve and protect water and energy for over 50 years, supporting homes and businesses across the world. The company portfolio spans two areas; Water Management Solutions (including wastewater, surface water and rainwater harvesting) and Energy Management Solutions (including diesel, oil, AdBlue, agri-storage, renewables and hot water cylinders). Service and Maintenance Solutions is a linchpin across both portfolios, allowing Kingspan to bring customers an exclusive support package. The company also offers intelligent monitoring, utilising the Internet of Things to provide customers with enhanced insight and greater control over their water and energy assets.

Organic Power Ireland Ltd

Organic Power is an ambitious SME based in Northern Ireland with the goal of optimising the renewables capability and reducing the carbon footprint of Europe’s farming sector. Through the Renewable Engine project, Organic Power plans to test, optimise, and deliver a robust modular small-scale anaerobic digestion system, exploiting the science of digestion by utilising advanced pre-treatments to reduce the size (cost) of digesters dramatically. The digesters are designed to fit and operate inside two standard 40ft transport containers with few internal moving parts, including all necessary components so it is a stand-alone “plug and play” system.

Platinum Tanks

Platinum Tanks is a rotational moulding company based in the Republic of Ireland. They have been creating sustainable, renewable and environmentally friendly solutions for domestic oil and water storage since 2006. Platinum Tanks now employ over 30 staff members and supply both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as well as the UK with an ever-expanding range of domestic oil storage tanks, domestic attic tanks, rainwater harvesting tanks, oil interceptors, coalbunkers and agricultural products. Utilisation of renewable and sustainable resources is another important market for Platinum Tanks.

RotoSim Ltd

RotoSim Ltd is the company behind the creation of the RotoSim software programme, which was developed in the mid-1990s at Queen’s University Belfast. The programme was created for the analysis of powder kinematics in a 3D space. It allows the user to input a CAD model of a part to be manufactured and it predicts the build-up of polymer on the mould, the wall thickness distribution, final part dimensions and cycle times. This enables the moulder to optimise the rotation ratio, speed and oven temperature to achieve a desired material distribution and cycle time.

Soltropy Ltd

Soltropy are pioneers in simplified solar thermal technology for water heating applications. Their patented technology has been developed in response to an increasing demand for domestic and commercial markets to bring about cost effective access to solar thermal technology. The team is strongly committed to helping the environment and has experience in the technology sector, working with renewables and delivering value to customers. Soltropy’s core mission is to make Solar Thermal technology accessible to the mass market, through simple cost effective design solutions that you can trust.

LATEST NEWS

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January31

Renewable Engine programme highlights ground-breaking achievements

INDUSTRY RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN FOCUS AS RENEWABLE ENGINE PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS GROUND-BREAKING ACHIEVEMENTS Led by South West College, the Renewable Engine Programme has culminated in a showcase film demonstrating just some of the successes achieved by the programme over the course of its five-year lifetime. The Renewable Engine Programme was supported with €6.1 million funding … Continued

January28

Industry partner Platinum Tanks launch new product for renewables market

Supported by funding from the Renewable Engine programme delivered in collaboration with South West College, and Queen’s University Belfast, County Monaghan based Platinum Tanks have developed a new self-contained, solar power generator for agricultural use. The company based in Lough Egish employ more than 30 members of staff and supply the UK and Irish markets will an extensive range … Continued