The LSU AgCenter is engaged in a broad array of bioenergy/biofuels research and extension activities across Louisiana. With the goal of identifying and evaluating bioenergy production technologies and opportunities that can be economically feasible in Louisiana on a commercial scale, research activities of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station (LAES) are focused in two basic areas: (1) feedstock development and evaluation and (2) feedstock processing and bioenergy production. Research activities in feedstock development include evaluation of potential feedstock crops such as high-fiber sugarcane, sweet sorghum, switchgrass and sweet potatoes for ethanol production as well as a variety of oilseed crops and other feedstocks for biodiesel production. Feedstock processing and bioenergy production research covers a broad range of scientific investigation including gasification and cellulose conversion technologies. TheLouisiana Cooperative Extension Service (LCES) is responsible for bioenergy education and outreach programs to transfer research results and recommendations to agricultural producers, processors and other entities associated with Louisiana agriculture.
More than 25 LSU AgCenter faculty are involved in the various bioenergy/biofuels projects.
The greatest share of the LSU AgCenters projects on bioenergy are conducted at the Audubon Sugar Institute in St. Gabriel, LA.Denise Attaway
Louisiana Intitute for Biofuels and Bioprocessing
Audubon Institute |
Callegari Center |
LAES |
LCES |
The LSU AgCenter is involved in a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture-funded project called the Sustainable Bioproducts Initiative (SUBI) that involves a team of university and industry partners, led by the LSU AgCenter.
Faculty involved in the initiative are studying the regular production of biomass for economically viable conversion to biofuels and bioenergy using existing refinery infrastructure.
Through new and existing industrial partnerships, this project will use energy cane and sweet sorghum to help reinvigorate the Louisiana sugar and chemical industries.
The project will expand the southern regional agricultural sector by utilizing sweet sorghum and energy cane to produce butanol, gasoline, isoprene and byproduct chemicals.
The project is expected to contribute significantly to improving rural prosperity and job creation in the region.