The Future of Energy is in Louisiana

H₂T is a unifying approach to university-based investments in applied research of low-carbon hydrogen technologies.  Includes four component projects:

• Louisiana State University Carbon Center
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette Green Hydrogen Center
• University of New Orleans Maritime Center
• Nicholls Institute for Engineering Technology

Each project will partner with H₂BD and H₂N University Council.

University of New Orleans Research & Technology Foundation, owner and operator of “The Beach,” is collaborating with the H₂theFuture coalition to establish the “The NeXus Center,” which will serve as the physical and programmatic hub of the green hydrogen cluster. The success of a cluster relies, in part, on the ability to bring stakeholders together to exchange ideas and information. The NeXus Center will serve as the “center of gravity” for cluster stakeholders and the physical manifestation of the H₂theFuture concept.

The NeXus Center is envisioned as a dynamic collaborative facility to host entrepreneurs, professionals and academic researchers working together on technologies around green hydrogen.

Located at The Beach (the brand name for the University of New Orleans Research & Technology Park), the NeXus Center is a well-designed collection of classrooms, innovation labs, open-floor and closed offices, and conference space.

The H₂Business Development project will focus on business attraction, retention, and expansion – as well as entrepreneurship – to recruit and grow clean energy companies in South Louisiana, while marketing the region as an ideal business environment and a leader in the low-carbon hydrogen economy. 

H₂BD will involve three overarching efforts: 1) working with existing companies to support growth and transition into the low-carbon hydrogen value chain, 2) researching and recruiting new companies across the hydrogen value chain (including startup support), and 3) marketing South Louisiana as the epicenter for renewable energy transition.  This project will also facilitate familiarization tours for CEOs and consultants, managing site selection projects, and nurturing startups to support their growth and success.  The goal is to foster economic development to support clean energy in South Louisiana, generating thousands of new jobs and billions in investments.  

Projects within H₂BD are:

• Business Retention & Expansion
• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
• Lead Generation
• Media & Events

H₂Workforce (H₂W), led by the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS), will build the next generation of energy workers through industry-driven training, equitable access and outreach, and career development services.  With higher education, industry, workforce development, nonprofit, and economic development partners working together, H₂W will develop and launch new energy curricula across LCTCS institutions and provide equitable pathways from training directly into high-wage, new energy careers. 

H₂W will lead a re-skilling transition to meet new labor demands created by quality jobs connected to hydrogen production by building capacity and delivering the trained workforce needed for new hydrogen/green energy jobs, while prioritizing equity and access for BIPOC, rural, re-entry, underrepresented, and displaced workers. To achieve equitable access to career training, LCTCS will engage a diverse range of partners, with a focus to accomplish the following:

1. Training Capacity Building – Develop industry-driven curricula to support hydrogen and green energy projects throughout the state
2. Career Services – Build dedicated Career Services Teams in LCTCS schools to work directly with students, faculty, and employers to support student entry into careers upon graduation
3. Equity Partnerships – LCTCS partnership with Urban League of Louisiana and Louisiana Parole Project will create a direct connection with BIPOC, rural, re-entry, and underrepresented communities seeking to transition into hydrogen/green energy sectors
4. Public Outreach Campaign – LCTCS will work with partners to develop a public outreach campaign that illustrates career pathways, training opportunities, and industry exposure with a particular focus on reaching BIPOC, rural, re-entry, and underrepresented communities

The H₂Public Private Partnerships Hydrogen Fueling Barge is an infrastructure investment at the Port of South Louisiana that will provide a clean fueling station for a new fleet of hydrogen-powered river vessels.  This bunkering (fueling) barge will catalyze the construction and launch of a new fleet of low-carbon vessels, fueled by methanol (a hydrogen-derivative), in the lower Mississippi River corridor.  The investment leverages the private-sector investment of the “Marine Vessel (M/V) Hydrogen One,” currently in development by international private partners led by locally-based firm Maritime Partners.  The H₂P3 – Hydrogen Fueling Barge will be the first dedicated methanol/hydrogen-fueled vessel in the U.S. and only the second in the world.  Using this new technology and e-methanol, the ships will have net-zero carbon emissions.

By providing this new fueling asset for e-methanol-fueled vessels, this component project contributes to the overarching cluster strategy by enabling the maritime sector to initiate a transition towards green hydrogen fuels. The H₂P3 project demonstrates the comprehensive, end-to-end value chain of the South Louisiana green hydrogen cluster:  through public private partnerships, our coalition will deliver renewable hydrogen to an existing market, driving both jobs and lower emissions.