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College of Engineering

The Energy Institute of Louisiana 

The Energy Institute at the University of Louisiana serves as an internationally recognized center of expertise for the development, implementation, and optimization of technologies used for the discovery, production, and management of energy and the impacts of these activities on ecological systems. This includes the Center for Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy, the Center for Environmental Protection, Chemicals and Fuels Development Center, and the Cleco Alternative Energy Center.

Example of the cutting edge research projects and equipment include:

  • Production of biodiesel from algae
  • Development of green chemicals
  • The evaluation of new reflector materials for solar thermal power production of methane using Louisiana food industry wastes
  • Recycling waste gas for enhanced energy conservation
  • A 3-ton per day biomass-fed gasifier which converts biomass into either power or chemicals, through the production of synthesis gas
  • 200-foot-long solar thermal concentrating array system that uses reflected sunlight to produce power via heated fluids, such as steam
  • A 65kW ElectraTherm Green Machine, which is a heat-to-power generating system that captures solar-based heat to generate fuel-free, emission-free electricity
  • A 0.25-ton per day biomass torrefaction unit, which thermally converts biomass, such as wood chips, into biocoal or biochar
  • A mobile 250-gallon anaerobic digester system, which converts waste products into methane
  • A large, high-bay pilot testing area that provides capacity for other pilot-process systems to be developed
  • A fully equipped, state-of-the-art analytical laboratory