PASADENA, CA--(Marketwire - Aug 28, 2012) - At the nation's leading conference focused on high-efficiency trucks and reducing oil dependence, three key federal government and private industry leaders have been added to the agenda, including a key adviser to President Barack Obama on energy policy.
Speaking at the 2012 High-Efficiency Truck Users Forum, (HTUF, pronounced H-Tough) in Charlotte, North Carolina (September 18-20, 2012) will be Heather Zichal, Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change. Throughout her tenure in the federal government, Ms. Zichal has been a strong advocate for policy initiatives to create clean energy jobs, tackle climate change and reduce dependence on oil.
Another high level speaker added to the agenda is Dr. Dane Boysen, Program Director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). He will address the transformative technology research and development initiatives ARPA-e is funding and how they are accelerating advanced technology market penetration. APRA-e has made investments in advanced batteries, electric motors, and light-weight materials that could enable the trucking industry to dramatically reduce its reliance on oil over the next decade. Also included on the tech-heavy agenda is David Mohler, Senior VP & Chief Technology Officer, Duke Energy, to talk about the increasing connections between vehicles, the grid and saving energy.
"We are very pleased to have secured key leading officials from the federal government and industry at HTUF. Clean energy jobs and reducing our dependence on oil are core elements of the President's energy policy, and the Pentagon continues to focus on energy efficiency as a critical component of the nation's energy security. Additionally, ARPA-E has targeted investments to help the next generation of advanced trucks become mainstream by 2020," said CALSTART President and CEO, John Boesel.
The 11th annual HTUF National Conference & Expo is the primary educational and networking event for manufacturers, suppliers, fleets, and government officials interested in learning the latest about high-efficiency truck technology. When the conference was first held, no major truck manufacturer was offering high efficiency (electric or hybrid) trucks for sale. Today, there are more than 30 different electric, hybrid electric, hydraulic hybrid, and "workplace" hybrid trucks available. Registration for the event is now open at htuf2012.org.
"Beyond the conventional clean diesel engines, there are now at least five different advanced propulsion systems for commercial and military trucks. At this year's conference, fleets and others will learn how each of these new drivetrains can be applied and utilized. This is a very exciting time for the trucking industry. Never before have there been such opportunities to make a statement, and to cost-effectively transition away from dependence on the highly volatile and unstable world oil market," said Boesel.
Attendees will be treated to a taste of North Carolina, with a gala reception at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and the opportunity to drive advanced trucks on a professional speedway track at Charlotte's zMax Dragway. Several manufacturers, suppliers and fleet operators in the Southeast region will be sponsoring the event, including Freightliner, Altec, Duke Energy, Southern Company Mack Trucks, Coca-Cola and Siemens.
About HTUF
HTUF is the nation's leading program driving production and use of medium- and heavy-duty high-efficiency trucks and buses. HTUF is a national program operated by CALSTART in partnership with and under contract to the US Army TARDEC National Automotive Center.
About CALSTART
CALSTART is a non-profit organization that is focused on energy security, clean air, and economic development by spurring the growth of the clean transportation technology. CALSTART works nationally, and has offices in California and Colorado. For more about CALSTART and its 150+ member companies visit: www.calstart.org and www.htuf2012.org.
Contact Information:
Contact:
Mary Kathryn Campbell
626/744-5602