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Nicholls State University is among a group of research institutions awarded up to $160 million over the next 10 years, part of the largest grant ever funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation. The consortium, Future Use of Energy in Louisiana or FUEL, includes more than 50 public and private partners.
The NSF Engines grant will support Louisiana’s energy industry, create jobs in the energy sector, develop innovative solutions to energy challenges and help train the world’s energy workforce. The NSF announced the award at a press conference earlier today in Washington, D.C. https://new.nsf.gov/news/nsf-establishes-10-inaugural-regional-innovation
The grant’s focus is energy transition and decarbonization of Louisiana’s industrial corridor. Louisiana is a world leader in energy expertise and solutions, with over 250,000 people working in the energy, chemical and petrochemical industries. Louisiana’s geographic location and its existing infrastructure of plants, refineries and 50,000 miles of pipelines place our state at the epicenter of energy transition. This grant will position Louisiana as the global research and development leader for the expanding energy industry.
FUEL includes private energy companies, universities, community and technical colleges, and state agencies that will work together to drive technology and workforce development supporting Louisiana’s energy industry. FUEL will work to identify and resolve emerging challenges in areas like carbon capture, transport and storage; hydrogen; use of carbon dioxide to produce low-carbon fuels and essential carbon-based products; water use and management; sustainable manufacturing; and policy development.
Through Louisiana Economic Development, the state will also contribute to the project and its projected broad economic impacts with an additional $67.5 million over the next decade. This will include funds to help the higher education partners build a world-class team to convert research into practical and useful solutions.
Nicholls is well-positioned to compete for a portion of these grant dollars with the deployment of the Coastal Data Refinery powered by HEWMEN® at the Coastal Center at Nicholls State University. The Coastal Center is slated to become a leading research facility, supporting a “working coast” in the fight against coastal land loss, coupled with research in energy transition innovations. In partnership with industry leaders, the BALANCED Media | Technology HEWMEN® platform of innovative data management and technology solutions will create opportunities benefitting the Gulf Coast region environmentally and economically.
“Nicholls is at the crossroads where coastal research meets energy innovations. We understand clearly the importance of the balance between saving our coastline with the vital role the energy industry plays in our region,” said Nicholls State University President Jay Clune. “Nicholls is proud to be an integral part of the FUEL consortium that the NSF has recognized with this grant because it has the potential to help change the trajectory of Louisiana, and more particularly our region, for the better.”
The FUEL team is led by LSU’s Andrew Maas, principal investigator on the project and associate vice president for research in the LSU Office of Innovation & Ecosystem Development under the LSU Office of Research & Economic Development.
“This culminating effort is trajectory-changing for energy transition research, commercialization and workforce initiatives in Louisiana and all organizations involved,” Maas said.
The lead for the Nicholls team is Dr. John Doucet, dean of the College of Sciences and Technology. Nicholls is currently preparing proposals for projects including the reduction of industrial carbon dioxide emissions by using carbon capture, usage and subsurface sequestration, as well as research to inform and promote decarbonization through economic and policy solutions.
“”With our long history of training students for the energy workforce, we are proud at Nicholls to serve as a partner in the FUEL initiative. This NSF investment is a mark of confidence that higher education, industry, and agencies in Louisiana can collaborate and innovate to develop the future energy workforce as well as solutions to energy challenges. As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of Nicholls in service to the bayou region and the Gulf Coast, we also welcome that future,” said Doucet.
