2025 News
Center Releases White Paper on the Production and Potential for Biofuels in Louisiana
Center for Energy Studies Assistant Professor of Research, Dr. Anurag Mandalika, has authored a white paper titled, “The Biofuels Landscape in Louisiana”.
This paper discusses biomass types and availability in the state, drawing from an analysis of the US Department of Energy’s Billion Ton 23 report, followed by an assessment of current and potential future biofuels production in Louisiana. Louisiana leads the nation in the production of renewable diesel, and biofuels contribute ~4.2% to primary energy production in the state. Deployment of announced biofuels projects has the potential to increase this contribution to ~9.2%. Production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is likely to see an increase in the state with several project announcements focusing on this fuel. Based on the US Department of Energy’s SAF Grand Challenge target (producing 35 billion gallons by 2050 in the US), the state can meet between 1 and 3% of this target in the near term and mature-market medium terms of biomass production from BT23. The contribution of biofuels to energy generation in the state is likely limited to specific transportation applications such as aviation, maritime, long-haul trucking, etc.
Sustainable deployment of biofuels is not without challenges and concerns, and some of these are identified in this white paper, along with a consideration of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) for the industry in Louisiana.
Read the white paper here.
Center Announces Launch of Louisiana Energy News Online Resource
The Center is pleased to announce the launch of a new online resource — the Louisiana Energy News.
This tool was developed in response to Act 727 of the 2024 Regular Legislative Session, which calls upon CES, in cooperation with the Office of Energy within the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources, to create and maintain a central, comprehensive, and unified energy data and information program for the state.
The Louisiana Energy News Archive compiles and organizes historical news articles and information related to Louisiana's energy sector, offering a centralized view of the developments that shape our state's energy landscape. The archive will be updated approximately daily moving forward, ensuring stakeholders have timely access to important information.
The Louisiana Energy News Archive was created through collaboration between the LSU Center for Energy Studies and the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources to serve as a comprehensive resource for energy stakeholders throughout the state.
Access the Louisiana Energy News application here.
Center Releases White Paper on Potential for Hydrogen in Louisiana
Dr. Anurag Mandalika, Assistant Professor of Research at the Center for Energy Studies, and Dr. Greg Upton Jr., Executive Director and Associate Professor of Research, along with Dr. Brian Snyder, Professor of Environmental Science, and Dr. John Flake, Professor of Chemical Engineering, at LSU have co-authored a white paper titled "The Potential for Hydrogen in Louisiana.”
This paper discusses the different types of hydrogen, their production processes, and current and potential future uses in Louisiana while considering its potential as a low-carbon emission fuel. Low carbon or “clean hydrogen” is the focus of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Section 45V production tax credit which has led to additional interest in hydrogen production in Louisiana.
The authors estimate that the amount of hydrogen currently used in Louisiana is ~2.4 million metric tons each year, primarily for petrochemical production. Results suggest the potential for hydrogen at approximately 13 times that amount from additional uses, chiefly from energy exports.
The Greater New Orleans Development Foundation (GNODF) commissioned LSU-CES to study the potential for hydrogen consumption in Louisiana through the H2theFuture initiative. H2theFuture is a 25-organization partnership led by GNO, Inc. and GNODF, funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. GNODF was provided the opportunity to review and provide feedback on this report. The analysis and opinions expressed are those of the authors alone.
Read the white paper here.