Research at Wittenborg – Sustainable and GREAT!
Research at Wittenborg – Sustainable and GREAT!
The GREAT-project (Growing Renewable Energy Applications and Technologies) of which Wittenborg University is a partner is going from strength to strength and was successfully presented in Ireland recently. GREAT is a cross-border EU-funded project which aims to encourage communities and small to medium size enterprises (SME’s) to develop technological solutions for Smart Grid, Renewable Energy and Distributive Generation. It also promotes research and develop policy issues for regulatory authorities and provide structured co-operation opportunities between SMEs, research institutes and technology developers.
In this project, Wittenborg University is developing economic tools to inform and encourage SME to get further engaged in the use of green energy. The first economic tool, dealing with solar energy, was presented at a successful Tech Watch event in Claremorris, Ireland, organized by the Irish partners in GREAT, Údarás na Gaeltachta and WestBIC.
In total there were 165 delegates and positive feedback from many attendees was received! Wittenborg was presented by dr Mirjam Leloux, senior lecturer and researcher in the area of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Wittenborg. As far as the GREAT-project is concerned, she will contribute to research on sustainable energy.
Leloux said in the next few months, Wittenborg will also present and demonstrate the tool to Dutch SMEs in Gelderland, the province where the university is located.
Furthermore, using a dedicated questionnaire, information on challenges and barriers relevant to the further penetration of green energy solutions at SMEs will be gathered at the same time. This information will be used to further inform policy makers in green energy.
Wittenborg director, Maggie Feng who is leading the research centre team for the GREAT-project, said earlier: “Wittenborg believes that its research projects should have a direct impact on the regional economy that our University belongs to, for instance, the Municipality of Apeldoorn, the Province of Gelderland, and even the Netherlands as a whole. The GREAT project provides Wittenborg the opportunity to contribute to development of sustainable policy and implementation of renewable energy application in the region, specifically working with small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), coupled with the stimulation of investment in human capitol, essential for the regional and national economy.”
For more information on the project, please visit http://greatproject.eu.com\
WUP 28/9/2014
©Wittenborg University Press
by James Wittenborg
394 words