Alliance aims to position Capital Region as a global leader in low-carbon solutions
Baton Rouge, La. (October 19, 2022) – The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) today announced the formation of the Baton Rouge Area Carbon Reduction Alliance. With input from over 25 organizations from industry, academia, government, and community stakeholders, the alliance aims to drive sustainable, economic growth by positioning the Capital Region as a leader in energy transition, the global energy sector’s shift to providing energy resources with net-zero greenhouse emissions.
As energy demand is expected to increase globally from growing populations and economic expansion, communities across the world are working together to meet the dual challenge of sustainable economic growth while mitigating the risk of climate change. Decarbonizing industrial corridors, such as the Baton Rouge Area’s global industrial corridor, are key to achieving net-zero emissions. Low-carbon technologies, such as carbon capture, Utilization, and Sequestration (CCUS), will play a pivotal role in this energy transition effort.
The alliance will build on the momentum of over $20 billion of publicly announced projects since 2020, considering an investment in the Baton Rouge Area. These projects consist of sustainable investments such as renewable fuels, green and blue hydrogen, CCUS, solar power and circular plastics.
“Louisiana’s Capital Region is well known as a global hub for energy and chemicals,” said Russell Richardson, BRAC senior vice president of business development. “Recently, the region has gained significant momentum in clean, low-carbon energy and chemicals investments. As our community and industry help tackle the challenges of providing low-carbon, sustainable products, and energy, BRAC and its partners are committed to building on the region’s existing industry base and community know-how to position the Capital Region as a global leader in low-carbon solutions.”
“No state is better positioned to lead energy transition and decarbonization innovation,” stated Robert Twilley, LSU Office of Research and Economic Development interim vice president. “Our state’s energy infrastructure, global ports, agricultural feedstocks, coastal geology, and hydrogen storage, along with well-capitalized industry, and well-trained workforce in process technology and university research capacity, uniquely position us to lead in this initiative.”
“Our company estimates there will be a $4 trillion market by 2050 for capturing carbon dioxide and safely storing it underground. We see carbon capture as an important emissions reduction tool to reach net zero goals,” said Joe Colletti, Louisiana venture manager for ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions. “Groups such as the Baton Rouge Area Carbon Reduction Alliance play an essential role in working with our communities and industries to tackle the challenges of climate change and to sustain economic growth.”
BASF Geismar Senior Vice President and General Manager, Jerry Lebold stated, “We are committed to a sustainable future by creating products with lower CO2 emissions and working to reduce our carbon footprint in production and energy. Partnering with groups such as the Baton Rouge Area Carbon Reduction Alliance assists us in exploring new technologies and pursuing use of renewable energies, all of which help achieve our goal of net-zero emissions.”
Governor John Bel Edwards’ Louisiana Climate Task Force Plan shows that Louisiana had net greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 216 million metric tons annually in 2021, with 66% of those emissions coming from the industrial sector. The Carbon Capture Coalition, a national, nonpartisan collaboration of more than 100 companies, unions, conservation, and environmental policy organizations, estimates Louisiana could create up to 4,900 project jobs annually over a 15-year period and 2,500 permanent jobs while capturing 40 million metric tons CO2 per year. The region’s concentration of industry, pipeline infrastructure, industrial workforce, established CCUS regulatory environment, and suitable geology makes the Capital Region one of the most advantageous regions in the world to achieve net-zero emissions and contribute to Governor Edwards’ Climate Task Force Plan to reduce Louisiana’s carbon footprint while creating economic growth.
Below are organizations currently represented in the alliance supporting the Baton Rouge Area as a leader in the energy transition. For more information, contact BRAC’s Senior Vice President of Business Development, Russell Richardson, at russell@brac.org.
Air Liquide
Air Products
Wilbert’s Sons
BASF
Bernhard Capital Partners
Colonial Pipeline
CF Industries
Denbury
DOW
DRAX Biomass
EnLink Midstream
ENTERGY
ExxonMobil
Fidelis New Energy
Great Plains Institute
Grön Fuels
Linde
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR)
Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas (LMOGA)
Louisiana Economic Development (LED)
Louisiana State University (LSU)
Methanex
Oxy
Phillips 66
Placid Refinery
Shell
Shintech
Talos Energy
About the Baton Rouge Area Chamber
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) is an aggressively ambitious regional economic development organization with a bias for action. BRAC seeks to push Baton Rouge beyond the status quo, unleash its potential, and support a vibrant business community that believes the finish line does not exist. BRAC seeks to accelerate economic opportunity in the Baton Rouge Area, for everyone, through BRING IT! Baton Rouge, its five-year, regional strategic plan. Learn more about BRAC at brac.org.