Photo credit: Government of Quebec
“Nothing of this plan’s magnitude has been announced before, at least not in Canada. It’s also really exciting in terms of research from the point of view of transportation electrification technology,” says Williamson, who is an expert in transportation electrification and renewable energy systems.
The Government of Quebec plan encourages the development of electrical power grids to charge public transportation vehicles and improvement of battery technology as well as infrastructure for personal vehicle charging.
“Concordia is a leader in research on electric vehicle batteries and energy storage technology,” says Williamson, who predicts Quebec will be the leading force on electrical transport within the next eight to 10 years.
Consortium Inno-VÉ, which is dedicated to electric transport research, will be represented by programs manager Michel Cloutier at the event.
Williamson points out that the Government of Quebec is a mega-producer of electrical energy, the largest in Canada, with 60 hydroelectric dams. Its Transportation Electrification Strategy is expected to create 2,000 jobs in Quebec and attract $1 billion in private investment, including from several auto manufacturers.
“Automakers such as Ford, GM and Toyota have expressed interest in investing in research infrastructure here at Concordia,” says Williamson, who makes efforts to secure scientific research projects with major automotive manufacturers.