Ireland's largest green technology research and development and training facility in Enniskillen has officially opened.

The £1.5 million Centre for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies (CREST), opened by South West College (SWC), provides specialist education, training and R&D support to help small and medium-sized firms compete in the multi-billion pound renewable energy and sustainable technologies sector.

The cross-border facility is supported by the EU INTERREG IVA programme managed by the Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB) with match funding from the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment Northern Ireland; and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in Ireland. The centre was officially opened by UK environmentalist Chris Hines MBE who was formerly the Sustainability Director at the inspirational Eden Project in Cornwall.

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CREST was established through a unique collaboration which pools expertise, resources and know-how from four colleges that have led on sustainability training and innovation in the UK and Ireland, namely SWC, Cavan Innovation and Technology Centre, Institute of Technology Sligo and Dumfries & Galloway College in Scotland.

Tim Stokes, CREST Programme Manager said the facility would help support job opportunities in the fast-growing renewable energy and sustainable technologies sector and power a new period of growth in the border region.

"The renewable energy and sustainable technologies sector is making an increasingly significant contribution to the region's economy, benefitting the environment and creating job opportunities. CREST is about helping small to medium sized businesses take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the fast-growing global drive towards greater sustainability. It provides expertise and a range of facilities to help entrepreneurs and SMEs who might otherwise not have the capacity to do so, to bring innovative sustainable ideas from concept to reality."

(CD/MH)