The second annual High Horsepower (HHP) Summit opened Tuesday, September 17 at the McCormick Place Lakeside Center in Chicago, IL, gathering leading companies from across the globe to examine the economic and environmental opportunities created through the use of cleaner-burning, domestically-abundant natural gas in fuel-hungry high horsepower applications. More than 1,300 executives will attend HHP Summit to share and discuss how natural gas is increasingly used in marine, rail, mining, drilling and pressure pumping industries.
The economic advantages of natural gas are compelling for high fuel consumers in the HHP markets with the opportunity to reduce fuel costs by 30 to 50% and minimize emissions through the use of natural gas as a diesel fuel substitute. The HHP Summit 2013 will showcase success stories from companies that are investing in or considering a transition to this domestically abundant, low cost and clean burning fuel. In addition to the significant economic drivers, increased supply, mobile fueling options and tightening emissions continue to expand the opportunities to use natural gas in these high fuel use operations.
HHP Summit brings together end-users from across North America to hear the latest case studies on the significant economic savings offered by powering HHP sector engines with natural gas. For example, the operator of a standard car ferry can reduce lifetime fuel costs by $10 million and the operator of a small to mid-size container ship can save nearly $100 million on fuel costs over the life of the vessel by switching to natural gas. North American Class I freight railroads burn nearly 4 billion gallons of diesel annually, making these operations candidates to save significant sums by switching from diesel to natural gas.
During HHP Summit 2013, more than 100 industry experts will highlight leading projects, the latest OEM engine technology and retrofit options, fueling supply and refueling infrastructure solutions, and real-world project economics. Industry leaders participating in HHP Summit 2013 that are driving innovation in high horsepower and other applications include heavyweights Caterpillar, Encana, Pivotal LNG, GE, Westport, Chart, Cummins, Shell and many others. In addition, several companies are slated to make announcements at the Summit, indicating this emerging market is already a booming market, with HHP Summit serving as a major catalyst for the growth.
On Tuesday, September 17, the HHP Summit opens with a keynote address from Billy Ainsworth, CEO of Caterpillar’s Progress Rail Services and Electro-Motive Diesel. Wyoming Governor Matt Mead will deliver the lunch keynote and highlight Wyoming’s leadership in energy development and efforts to expand the use of the state’s natural gas to power high horsepower industries operating there. Experts will deliver compelling information that makes the business case to switch from diesel to natural gas during plenary and breakout sessions for the rail, marine, mining, drilling and pressure pumping industries. The grand opening of the HHP Summit technology exhibits and trade show will close out day one, where OEMs, fuel and technology providers will showcase the latest options for the market.
HHP Summit 2013 will continue on Wednesday, September 18 with plenary and sector-specific sessions for the rail, marine, mining, drilling and pressure pumping industries along with a keynote address from Lorenzo Simonelli, President and CEO of GE Transportation. Concluding on Thursday, September 19, HHP Summit will host additional industry-focused sessions and close with a plenary session that will provide an inside look at the emerging natural gas for high horsepower market from the perspective of some of Wall Street’s biggest investment banks including Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, Citi and others.
