Olsen appointed to energy research centre

From left: Professor Gus Nathan, Director of the Centre for Energy Technology, and The Hon. John Olsen AO, Chair of the Centre's Advisory Board.
Photo by John Kruger.
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Friday, 12 February 2010

Former Premier of South Australia The Hon. John Olsen AO will play a leading role with the University of Adelaide's new Centre for Energy Technology.

Mr Olsen, who last year concluded his term as Australia's Consul-General in New York, has been appointed Chair of the Centre's Advisory Board.

The Centre for Energy Technology (CET) has been established within the University of Adelaide's Environment Institute and the Institute for Mineral and Energy Resources to address the issue of greenhouse gas mitigation.

Under the Directorship of Professor Gus Nathan, the Centre aims to support Australia's transition from a high to low CO2 emission society, through research that will result in cleaner generation, storage, distribution and utilisation of energy.

The Hon. Trish White MP, current chair of South Australia's Economic and Finance Committee, will also bring her parliamentary and engineering experience to the CET Advisory Board.

"Mr Olsen and Ms White bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Board, and the Centre will benefit enormously from their appointment," Professor Nathan says.

"In his new role as Chair of the Advisory Board, Mr Olsen will play a pivotal role in advising on strategic initiatives, new directions, promotion of our activities and facilitating access to industry and government."

Mr Olsen was Consul-General in New York from 2006-2009, following his term as Consul-General in Los Angeles from 2002-2006. During his distinguished parliamentary career as Premier of South Australia, Minister for State Development and Minister for Multicultural Affairs from 1996-2001, Mr Olsen successfully steered some of Australia's largest water management and conservation projects.

"The development and implementation of new energy technology is critical for the nation's future and South Australia is uniquely placed to become a world leader in this field. The Centre for Energy Technology at the University of Adelaide is at the forefront of this, and I'm pleased to be able to support their work," Mr Olsen says.

"The Advisory Board will bring to the Centre leading practitioners from the key stakeholders in industry, government agencies and research from across the nation," Professor Nathan says.

"The Advisory Board's members will represent all key sectors of energy technology, spanning power generation, transmission and storage through to industrial processes."

For more information about the Centre for Energy Technology, visit: www.adelaide.edu.au/environment/cet

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