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Today, partners from across South Louisiana’s H2theFuture initiative were joined by representatives from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and energy industry leaders for a groundbreaking ceremony commemorating the Louisiana Future Energy Center (LFEC). The Center, located on the campus of The Beach at ɫɫ�о���, will position Louisiana as a national leader in energy innovation, education, and economic growth by establishing a destination for energy startups.

“The Economic Development Administration is proud to support the construction of the Louisiana Future Energy Center with a $10 million award made from President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge,” said Justin Tooley, Director of the American Rescue Plan at the US Economic Development Administration. “This project will bring together some of the best minds and innovators our country has to offer to tackle the challenges of climate change, create good-paying jobs in essential energy industries advance the entire region’s economy equitably and sustainably.”

The Louisiana Future Energy Center was designed with modern private offices, coworking spaces, and event areas, creating an ideal environment for energy startups and established companies to innovate and grow. By advancing next-generation clean energy technologies, the Center will fuel job creation, sustainability, and economic resilience for both the state and the nation. When its doors open, LFEC will stand as a testament to Louisiana’s resolve in sustaining its role as an energy leader well into the future.

“The Louisiana Future Energy Center will serve as the physical and symbolic headquarters of energy innovation in Louisiana,” said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. “Every movement needs a home, and the Louisiana Future Energy Center will be the home of the next economy for our region and state.” 

The regional ecosystem of inventors, engineers, entrepreneurs, and startups in emerging energy sectors currently lacks a unified location to maximize industry growth, a market gap the Center will fill. Further, as regional and state economic development leaders attract energy companies from across the nation and globe to Louisiana, LFEC will be a dynamic landing spot for growth and collaboration with other energy firms. This innovation-driven space will also host joint initiatives with universities and operate as the programmatic hub for future energy activities.

“It is incredibly exciting for The Beach at the University of New Orleans to serve as the home for LFEC,” said Kathy Johnson, president of the University of New Orleans. “It will provide unprecedented opportunity for our faculty to collaborate with researchers from other universities as well as leaders and entrepreneurs from emerging energy sectors. I can’t wait for our students to become part of this ecosystem as they learn skills and develop networks that will prepare them to contribute to Louisiana’s energy workforce.”

Site design was led by EskewDumezRipple+ and construction bids will open by the end of 2024. Construction, slated for completion in Fall 2026, is progressing alongside several enhancements at The Beach campus, including renovations to the Lindy Boggs Conference Center, building upgrades, and new landscape features. The facility will be powered by distributed solar, allowing it to operate emission-free, reflecting the future of clean energy the Center was created to foster.

“Clearly, the world is changing. What hasn’t changed, and will not change, is Louisiana’s commitment to lead and not follow in the global competition for energy investment and innovation,” Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said. “There is a global insistence on energy addition, and the Louisiana Future Energy Center demonstrates yet again that no state in the country is better positioned than ours to take advantage of it.”

The Louisiana Future Energy Center is a project of the GNO, Inc.-led H2theFuture, a Build Back Better Regional Challenge award-winning initiative developed with a partnership of 25 organizations to build a clean hydrogen energy cluster to decarbonize the South Louisiana industrial corridor. Its funding was provided by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), with state matching funds through Louisiana Economic Development.

The initiative was created and is being managed by a cohort of Louisiana universities, private sector stakeholders, and public agencies.