FUEL announces hiring of its inaugural Executive Director
The Louisiana State University-managed projects was one of the inaugural 10 winners of "National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Engines" grants.
Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL), a statewide effort led by Louisiana State University with more than 50 public and private partners, has tapped Michael Mazzola to lead the clean energy transition and decarbonize the state’s industrial corridor. His hiring comes after the FUEL consortium was announced as a recipient of a “National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Engines” grant that will provide up to $160 million to support Louisiana’s energy industry, create jobs, and develop the energy workforce.
Mazzola’s hiring caps FUEL’s months-long, global search for an Executive Director. He brings significant experience to the table, having served previously as Project Director of Clean Carolinas, a regional effort to advance clean energy, including offshore wind, solar, clean hydrogen, marine energy, and the electric-energy delivery and storage systems that support clean energy sources’ integration into the power grid. Clean Carolinas was an “NSF Regional Developmental Engine” winner, funded by a $1 million cooperative agreement to lay the groundwork for the initiative.
Earlier in his career, Mazzola served as Executive Director of the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the Duke Energy Distinguished Chair of Power Engineering Systems. Before that, he served as Associate Director at the Mississippi State University’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) where Mazzola led research in high-voltage engineering, power systems modeling and simulation, the application of silicon carbide semiconductor devices in power electronics and the control of hybrid electric vehicle power trains.
The group will help solve challenges in carbon capture, transportation, and storage; using hydrogen as an alternative fuel; using carbon dioxide to produce low-carbon fuels and essential carbon-based products; water use and management; sustainable manufacturing; and policy development. FUEL’s goals include ensuring that the economic benefits, jobs, and investments from these innovations remain in Louisiana.
FUEL partners include the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Louisiana Board of Regents, Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Greater New Orleans Inc., Shell, ExxonMobil, and Baker Hughes.
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