Louisiana State University
PAE-24: Sustainability Policy Advocacy

The University advocates for the use of greener technology both at the state and federal level. On the state level, LSU was supportive of a bill in the State Legislature requiring state agencies to purchase vehicles that run on alternative fuel (HB 1213 currently under consideration). The purchase of these vehicles can be eased by using the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Revolving Loan Fund. At the federal level, LSU has promoted many research projects as well as advocated for energy policy. LSU has a project to make fossil fuel usage more environmentally friendly and was designated an Energy Frontier Research Center by the US Dept. of Energy. LSU is pursuing another funded project related to extending battery life. On the policy side, David Dismukes of the LSU Energy Center and Joseph Mason in the College of Business have both testified or presented reports to Congress on matters related to energy and energy economics. Outreach & Engagement • The Center for Energy Studies has hosted public events on alternative energy and sustainability since 2005. The events of the past three years promoted clean fuels, green jobs, and sustainable development. 2011: The Louisiana Clean Energy Expo, Clean Fuels Forum, and Green Jobs Panel http://www.enrg.lsu.edu/Conferences/altenergy2011/index.html 2010: Greening an Enterprise Economy http://www.enrg.lsu.edu/Conferences/altenergy2010/index.html 2009: Sustainable Development in a Challenging Economy: http://www.enrg.lsu.edu/Conferences/altenergy2009/index.html • Beginning in fall 2010, CES began hosting a series of alternative energy-themed workshops for the staff of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, as well as representatives from state agencies, including the Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Natural Resources, and Louisiana Economic Development. The October workshop addressed smart grid technologies, their capabilities and functions, and how smart grid fits into broader energy planning for regulated utilities. Subsequent workshops, held in spring 2011, addressed alternative fuel vehicles, environmental regulations, and renewable technologies. • Greater Baton Rouge Clean Cities Coalition Program Support: The objective of the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Program is to reduce petroleum consumption and improve air quality in the five-parish non-attainment area (Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Livingston, and West Baton Rouge Parishes). The coalition attempts to mobilize local stakeholders in government and industry to collaborate on public policy issues, develop joint projects, and promote use of alternative fuels in their communities. • The Center for Energy Studies co-hosted the “Make an Impact” energy efficiency workshop with Entergy, Pew Center, America’s WETLAND Foundation in 2009. The workshop addressed climate change, emissions reduction policy, impacts for Louisiana, and the role of individual action. Research Projects • Louisiana and Mississippi Green Jobs Research: This project provides support for the Louisiana Workforce Commission's (LWC) Occupational Forecasting project. The project identifies key employers, industry groups, and trade associations that are focused on developing green industries and increasing the number of green jobs. The results will be analyzed to identify green jobs in the region and their skill requirements, estimate current employment and wages, estimate the number of open positions and estimate the skill deficits of the workforce currently filling green jobs. Employment projections and skill requirements will be developed to assess training and educational needs implied by the anticipated growth of green jobs in Louisiana and Mississippi. • Co-gen Engineering Education: The Center for Energy Studies’ Minerals Processing Research Division facilitates research and public service programs in process research and technology transfer, sustainable development, energy management, energy sustainability, and inherently safer design. As part of an NSF-funded project, “Integrating a Cogeneration Facility into Engineering Education,” the MPR Division is integrating into chemical and mechanical engineering curricula the study of energy production and management with the analysis of real-time data from the 20 MW cogeneration system at LSU. Making such data web-available will allow sophomore-year students to perform industrial material and energy balance calculations on major unit operations including gas and steam turbines, air conditioning systems, cooling towers, and boilers. For junior-year students, advanced process modeling is exploring, for example, energy recovery in a heat recovery steam generator. • Chemicals from Biomass: The MPR Division seeks to convert industries based on non-renewable resources to ones based on renewable resources. Byproducts of agricultural production – bagasse, cane leaf materials, corn stover, rice husks, and poultry and hog wastes – are potential feedstocks for chemicals and could fulfill some of the energy requirements of the plants. A conceptual design of a biomass feedstock-based chemical production complex was developed that shows conversion routes for biomass feedstocks to chemicals.