Daily Telegraph
Thursday 2/4/2009 Page: 18
THE clean energy sector will be bolstered and expanded with an innovative centre created to boost productivity and tap into the sector's greater potential. The national Enterprise Connect Clean Energy Innovation Centre opened yesterday, flagging the beginning of a multi-million-dollar project aimed at supporting associated businesses and helping them to be more productive and dynamic.
The $20 million centre, located at the University of Newcastle's Callaghan campus, will offer a range of hands-on services for small and medium-sized businesses in the sector, including supporting grants to help boost productivity. The centre will capture businesses involved in the generation of energy from renewable and low-carbon sources such as solar, wind, wave, tidal, low-emission coal and biofuels, as well as cogeneration.
Federal Industry and Innovation Minister Kim Carr said the centre will operate by having expert business advisers talking to firms and delivering practical ways to improve their day-to-day processes. "Clean energy is an industry sector with enormous potential for growth," Senator Carr said. "By investing in this centre, we are investing in the future." Newcastle Innovation CEO Brent Jenkins said the centre would be critical to the commercialisation of clean energy technology both in the Hunter region and nationally.
He said University of Newcastle is a leader in clean energy research and the centre will leverage its expertise with other bodies across Australia. "It will provide access to specialist facilities and advice at the university to turn innovative ideas into new products, test products for new markets, help firms become export-ready and provide grants to address areas of weakness," Dr Jenkins said.
Federal Newcastle MP Sharon Grierson said the centre will build on the city's reputation as a great place to do business. "We know the future lies in innovation ... being selected as host city for this important centre positions Newcastle to lead the way in clean energy and provide jobs for the future." Ms Grierson said.
0 comments:
Post a Comment