Richard Aldous
About
Dr Richard Aldous is chief executive of the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC). With an extensive national and international career in resource development, technology research and executive management in both industry and government, Dr Aldous has worked with a number of international resource companies, including BHP, Newcrest, Iluka and WMC.
Dr Aldous has a PhD in economic geology and career experience in exploration-geoscience, chemical engineering, R&D portfolio management, business development, government policy, and corporate planning. His early career included research into new exploration concepts with BHP, and into the chemistry and industrial processes of cement manufacture with Blue Circle Industries.
He was with the Victorian Government for ten years, most recently as deputy secretary for the Department of Primary Industries, where his responsibilities included the geological survey, energy technology innovation, energy policy, investment attraction, and the regulation of mining, oil and gas, and pipelines.
Dr Aldous has played a leadership role in government action in technology development for climate change mitigation in both renewable energy and low-emission fossil fuel strategies. He initiated and has led Victoria’s carbon capture and storage (CCS) strategy, including the development of carbon storage legislation, geological investigation of storage capacity and programs for energy technology innovation that have funded carbon capture demonstrations and the Otway Project storage trials. He has also championed a large-scale CCS hub concept (currently in the exploration and feasibility stage) and has spoken extensively to stakeholders and local communities on CCS and energy policy.
