Clean Energy

General Information About our Research Group

The development of cost-effective clean energy sources is one of the critical challenges facing our world today. In a time of rising energy prices, we are reminded of the fact that energy costs are embedded in essentially everything we do in our daily lives, from commuting to work to eating our meals.

At LSU, we are focused on preparing, characterizing, and catalysts to convert our most abundant sources of energy, such as coal and natural gas, into clean, efficient energy. This includes alternative fuels such as ethanol and higher alcohols and ultraclean hydrocarbons such as those made by the Fischer-Tropsch process. Hydrogen, produced from these same resources, offers the possibility of clean energy with none of the emissions associated with conventional combustion processes. Catalysts and novel reactor designs are needed to make hydrogen production competitive.

In addition, we are working closely with colleagues to develop efficient ways to convert biomass and other renewables into clean fuels. This includes both biochemical and thermochemical routes to these endproducts. Challenges include selectivity to desired products and removal of trace contaminants.

We are committed to training graduate students in the advanced skills needed to address these issues, and to compete for the very highest levels of academic and professional achievement.

Professors Involved:

Dr. James J. Spivey

• syngas conversion to clean fuel oxygenates
  
  
• fuel processing for hydrogen production
  
  
• Fischer-Tropsch catalysis (Co- and Fe-based)
  
  
• methane activation
  

Dr. Mary Julia (Judy) Wornat

Dr. Gregory L. Griffin

• Nanostructured materials for heterogeneous catalysis and solar energy conversion

Dr. Michael Benton

• Engineering yeast cells for enhanced energy production from cellulose

This page was last updated on May 9, 2008