There's a world-class line-up of presenters scheduled to take part in a Symposium on Hybrid Electric Systems for Heavy Machinery, scheduled for CQUniversity Mackay on Friday (March 4).

The University's Queensland Centre for Professional Development will host the symposium, including demonstrations on hybrid electric solutions from some of the presenting industries.

Symposium chair Dr Sanath Alahakoon

The symposium will give valuable information about the basic hybrid electric technology, its cost-benefits in terms of reducing operational and maintenance costs and its potential to reduce carbon emissions.

Details are via the QCPD links at http://pathways.cqu.edu.au/ or 07 4970 7322.

Presenters and draft program:

• Mats Leksell, Senior Research Engineer, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden - Fundamentals of Hybrid Electric Systems, Their Applications in Heavy Transport & Machinery
• Peter Walker, District Sale & Marketing Manager, Toyota Motor Corporation Australia - Toyota & Lexus Hybrid technology
• Chris Moroz, National Business Manager - Construction, Komatsu Australia - Komatsu Hybrid Technology for construction and heavy equipment
• Malcolm Pollock, Unloading Maintenance Superintendent, Gladstone Ports Corporation (R G Tanna Coal Terminal) - GPCL's Hybrid Initiatives for Heavy Equipment
• Ulrich Huber, Project Manager, Sensor-Technik Wiedemann, Kaufbeuren, Germany - STW's Drives for Hybrid Electric Systems
• Sanath Alahakoon, Lecturer, CQUniversity - CQUniversity's Research Initiatives on Hybrid Electric Systems

Symposium chair Dr Sanath Alahakoon said most of the heavy machinery used in resource industries is powered by Internal Combustion (IC) engines using fossil fuels.

Symposium chair Dr Sanath Alahakoon inspects a hybrid dozer with Malcolm Pollock from Gladstone Ports Corporation Ltd

"It is well known that an IC engine driven system cannot be run at the operating point of maximum efficiency all the time. This causes an IC engine to emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases during its operation," he said.

"Our symposium aims at introducing the new hybrid electric technology, its benefits and challenges, including presentations mixed with computer simulations and laboratory demonstrations."

It is expected the events will benefit fleet, asset, environmental and maintenance managers as well as engineers, consultants, technicians, academics and researchers.

Dr Alahakoon said CQUniversity is collaborating with Sweden's Royal Institute of Technology to launch a new research initiative on the 'Application of Hybrid Electric Systems for Heavy Machinery and Transportation in Resource Industries'.

"The material covered in the symposiums will help participants to discover the potential for innovative energy efficient, low carbon processes within their industries for the future," he said.

Details are at: http://content.cqu.edu.au/FCWViewer/view.do?page=11438