New technologies could help Australia to meet its greenhouse targets and open up export opportunities to Asia, according to CSIRO Coal and Energy Technology Chief Dr John Wright.

"Demand for energy is growing, both in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Australia is one of the world's largest exporters of primary and secondary energy and should therefore take a leading role in the R&D and application of new power generation technologies," Dr Wright says.

Dr Wright will discuss these issues at the National Science Briefing at Parliament House today (Thursday). He will give an explanation of why Australia's per capita emission level is high, and speak on current technology for power generation and the associated levels of greenhouse gases.

He will also give an overview of new technologies that will allow more efficient coal and gas-fired generation.

Dr Bruce Godfrey, Managing Director of the Energy Research and Development Corporation will then speak on the potential of ceramic fuel cells, the electrochemical answer to power generation, and renewable energy technologies such as hydropower, geothermal energy, solar and wind power and use of biomass wastes.

The National Science Briefing will be held in Committee Room 1R1 at 12.30 today. All welcome.

More information from: Dr John Wright (041) 941 1906 mobile or (02) 9887 8610