BELFAST green tech firm Catagen has been awarded almost £5 million from the UK government.

The Titanic Quarter company, which was spun out of research by Queen’s University academic Dr Andrew Woods, has received the money from the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to develop a new climaHtech biohgen bio-hydrogen reactor in Belfast.

The funding is expected to support new high-skilled green jobs in the region, with Catagen expected to grow its team by at least 50 per cent over the next two years.

Catagen has already built a prototype for the Mannok cement plant in Ballyconnell, co Cavan, close to the Fermanagh border.

The company said the new funding will enable it to deliver a full-scale demonstrator by 2025.

Company co-founder, Dr Andrew Woods, said: “Catagen has been on an amazing journey over the past year, not only has our core business expanded its emissions testing work but we have rapidly innovated five new net zero technologies with the support from the department for energy security and net zero.

“This funding award allows us to move into our next phase of development for the ClimaHtech biohgen system, recruiting more engineers as we accelerate our journey to clean and decarbonise the air.”

He said the company is working collaboratively with Joe O’Neill Belfast Harbour for the project.

“We will site the first biohgen system in the harbour estate and grow the size of Catagen’s footprint. “This provides massive opportunity for the early adoption of low-carbon hydrogen to decarbonise transport or heavy industry at a focal point in Belfast, as part of Belfast Harbour’s green port strategy.”