EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY was in the spotlight over green issues last week, as the university’s forging of a major renewable energy agreement coincided with a meeting between climate change researchers and the Universities Secretary, John Denham.

EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY was in the spotlight over green issues last week, as the university’s forging of a major renewable energy agreement coincided with a meeting between climate change researchers and the Universities Secretary, John Denham.

A new deal has been set up between the university and the EDF Group, one of the UK’s largest energy companies, which will enable a major collaboration in the development of wave and tidal current energy.

The five-year agreement will mean that research began by the university into renewable forms of energy will be advanced by the resources of EDF, which currently employs around 13,000 people and provides energy to over 5 million customers in the UK. It is hoped that this partnership will allow improvements in the output, efficiency and distribution of sustainable energy.

Peter Hofman, Director Sustainable Future for EDF Energy said: "We are delighted to be partnering with such a leading scientific establishment as the University of Edinburgh. We are looking forward to working together on renewable energy technologies, a subject that is of critical importance to our company."-

John Denham, the current Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, arrived at the university last Thursday to meet with researchers from the recently established Edinburgh Climate Change Centre.

The centre, a joint effort between Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt Universities, will use the institutions’ combined expertise not only in science, but also in economics, business and law to explore possible solutions to climate change.

Edinburgh University’s Dr Martin Siegert said, "In order to tackle the problem of climate change effectively, we need to consider not only the scientific issues, but the wider picture of how it affects society and the economy.

"The Edinburgh Centre for Climate Change will expand the scope of research to bring a fresh perspective on how best to approach the issue."