Dr. Anurag Mandalika, Assistant Professor of Research at the Center for Energy Studies, and Dr. Greg Upton Jr., Executive Director and Associate Professor of Research at the Center for Energy Studies, have co-authored a white paper with Dr. Brian Snyder, Professor of Environmental Sciences, and Dr. John Flake, Professor of Chemical Engineering, at LSU. The paper is titled "The Potential for Hydrogen in Louisiana."

This paper discusses the different types of hydrogen, their production processes, and current and potential future uses in Louisiana while considering its potential as a low-carbon-emission fuel. Low-carbon or "clean hydrogen" is the focus of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Section 45V production tax credit, which has led to additional interest in hydrogen production in Louisiana.

The authors estimate that the amount of hydrogen currently used in Louisiana is approximately 2.4 million metric tons each year, primarily for petrochemical production. Results suggest potential hydrogen demand could reach approximately 13 times that amount from additional uses, chiefly from energy exports.

The Greater New Orleans Development Foundation (GNODF) commissioned the LSU Center for Energy Studies to study the potential for hydrogen consumption in Louisiana through the H2theFuture initiative. H2theFuture is a 25-organization partnership led by GNO, Inc. and GNODF, funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. GNODF was provided the opportunity to review and provide feedback on this report. The analysis and opinions expressed are those of the authors alone.

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