Speakers announced for HTUF conference

Heather Zichal, deputy assistant to the president for energy and climate change, will be among the speakers at the upcoming 2012 High-Efficiency Truck Users Forum (HTUF) 11th annual HTUF National Conference & Expo conference in Charlotte, NC. The conference takes place Sept. 18-20.

Zichal has been an advocate for policy initiatives to create clean energy jobs, tackle climate change and reduce dependence on oil.

Also scheduled to speak is Dr. Dane Boysen, program director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). Boysen 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 agenda is David Mohler, senior vice president & 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 John Boesel, president & CEO of Calstart.

The HTUF conference is an educational and networking event for manufacturers, suppliers, fleets, and government officials interested in learning the latest about high-efficiency truck technology.

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.

Registration for the event is now open at htuf2012.org.