Shifts in energy production, a rise in hydrogen use and a continued demand to reduce emissions are three trends Louisiana’s energy industry can keep an eye on for the next 25 years.
That’s according to Regina Davis, ExxonMobil Baton Rouge refinery manager; Lee Stockwell, national leader for carbon capture at Shell; and Brad Ives, director of the LSU Institute for Energy Innovation; who spoke on the future of Louisiana’s energy industry for The Louisiana Energy Outlook, presented by 10/12 Industry Report and Baton Rouge Business Report.
Davis says on a global scale, the population is expected to grow an additional 2 billion, with accompanying energy demand. While developing nations need access to reliable energy, developed nations—such as the U.S.—will focus on energy efficient processes.
Within this shift, there are a lot of opportunities for Louisiana, she says. There may be a shift in what energy Louisiana is producing, but there will also be an accompanying drive to reduce emissions on the backend and carbon capture and sequestration will increase.
Ives also believes there will be a shift, saying the biggest trend he predicts is electrification towards “anything we can electrify.”
There’s especially “enormous” potential for wind energy in Louisiana, although that industry is roughly a decade from being developed. The infrastructure must be resistant to Category 5 hurricane-force winds, he warns.
Ives points to hydrogen and carbon capture and sequestration as important sectors in Louisiana.
Moving towards 2050, Stockwell agrees that energy demand will increase on a global scale. He predicts the next breakthroughs in energy technology will be with energy production and storage in Louisiana.
