Liebherr awarded clean technology prize

Clean Technology Austria 2012 is a state prize awarded to Liebherr-Werk Nenzing for its development of the first hydraulic hybrid drive for cranes and construction machinery.

In late May the ceremony took place in the Vienna Hofburg for the third time. More than 200 projects - more than twice the amount of 2010 - were entered in 2012. Liebherr's prize was in the Energy & Efficiency category. It was awarded by Austria's minister for economic affairs, Reinhold Mitterlehner, for the Pactronic.

"Having built up its know-how for many years Liebherr has now converted it into a ground-breaking innovation so setting new standards especially in energy efficiency. Eco-innovations safeguard qualified jobs, make Austria more competitive on the international market and are a key factor for achieving energy and climate objectives," said Mitterlehner.

The Pactronic system is the first hydraulic hybrid drive for cranes and construction machinery. A benefit is increased handling performance with reduced fuel consumption, Liebherr said. It uses an accumulator as a secondary energy storage device charged by regenerating the reverse power while lowering the load and using the surplus power of the primary energy source.