Enterprise and Energy, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster has highlighted the role social enterprises can play in creating prosperity through renewable energy generation.

The Minister was speaking as she opened the Social Enterprise and Community Renewable Energy (SECRE) Conference, hosted by the University of Ulster and Action Renewables and themed 'Promoting Renewable Energy in Local Communities'.

Arlene Foster said: "The social economy sector has an important role to play in rebuilding and rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy by creating and sustaining new employment opportunities.

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"As we continue to progress towards our target of 40% renewable energy by 2020, the issue of community benefit and engagement from such projects is becoming increasingly important. Working together, project developers and local communities can ensure that the potential of this emerging sector is maximised for the good of all."

Stressing that opportunities in the renewable energy sector are available to individuals and organisations of all sizes, the Minister continued: "Renewable energy is not the sole preserve of large developers. There are already countless numbers of individuals, small businesses, farms and even schools that have installed renewables. I hope that communities and social enterprises can take advantage of the information and resources available through the SECRE project and reap the economic, social and environmental rewards."

(CD/MH)