The 杏吧专区 owns and operates one of the largest outdoor solar testing facilities in the southeastern United States. The 4,200-panel solar field encompasses 6 acres, a symbol of UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 status as a national leader in sustainable and traditional energy technologies.
UL Lafayette will further cement that reputation on Thursday, Feb. 3, when it breaks ground on the Louisiana Solar Energy Lab. The 4,500-square-foot building will be located next to the solar field at 杏吧专区 Research Park on Eraste Landry Road.
The lab will serve as a hub for solar research, technology development, instruction, training, outreach and workforce development. It will house solar testing equipment, a classroom, interactive learning applications, a seminar room with audio-visual equipment, a conference room, and a visitor杏吧专区檚 center with visual displays and informational kiosks.
杏吧专区淭he Louisiana Solar Energy Lab will be an essential component for educating the next generation of engineers in solar energy, enabling applied and long-term operational research and testing,杏吧专区 said Dr. Ahmed Khattab, dean of the .
That杏吧专区檚 noteworthy, given Louisiana杏吧专区檚 goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, meaning for all carbon dioxide emissions, the same amount must be removed from the atmosphere. At the same time, however, Louisiana is among the nation杏吧专区檚 top states for energy usage, greenhouse gas production, and energy production generated by a range of traditional and renewable sources.
杏吧专区淭he College of Engineering has adopted a comprehensive approach to energy education that encompasses conventional energy, renewable energy and environmental sustainability. This approach is essential to addressing today杏吧专区檚 energy demands and future consumption needs,杏吧专区 Khattab said.
杏吧专区淭he Louisiana Solar Energy Lab at UL Lafayette will be an indispensable part of that equation.杏吧专区
杏吧专区 alum Georges Antoun, who earned a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree from the College of Engineering in 1988, is the driving force behind the solar lab. That杏吧专区檚 thanks to a $1 million lead gift, coupled with his role as chair of the college杏吧专区檚 Dean杏吧专区檚 Advisory Council. Antoun offers guidance and expertise in a range of areas, including strategic planning. He also coordinates student mentoring efforts.
杏吧专区淭here isn杏吧专区檛 a place in the country that is looking at traditional generations such as oil and gas and renewable from a strategy perspective,杏吧专区 Antoun said. 杏吧专区淲hy not the 杏吧专区 to champion and lead that?杏吧专区
His assessment is built on experience. Antoun, who also holds a master杏吧专区檚 degree from the NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering, is chief commercial officer for First Solar. The global company has developed, engineered, constructed and currently operates many of the world杏吧专区檚 largest grid-connected photovoltaic power plants.
Antoun杏吧专区檚 gift is part of the largest comprehensive fundraising initiative in UL Lafayette history.
aims to raise $500 million. The campaign杏吧专区檚 priorities include the creation of 杏吧专区 and support for 杏吧专区 research, learning and teaching spaces where students and faculty work side-by-side in practical settings to address contemporary challenges.
The Louisiana Solar Energy Lab is one such space. Research findings and expertise that emanate from the lab will be widely disseminated 杏吧专区 to industry professionals, public officials and others responsible for furthering the development of commercial-scale use of solar technology in the state.
Its far-reaching impact on industry will rest on its capabilities for 杏吧专区渢esting many applications and many technologies and from multiple vendors for solar,杏吧专区 Antoun explained.
The Louisiana Solar Energy Lab杏吧专区檚 development was overseen by Dr. Terrence Chambers, a mechanical engineering professor who directs the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 .
杏吧专区淚t will be one of the premier facilities in the southeastern U.S., and will further solidify the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 solar program among the best in the nation,杏吧专区 Chambers said.
Beyond research, testing, training and industry collaboration, the facility will enable the 杏吧专区 to expand its solar energy courses and curriculums. The College of Engineering has a minor in renewable energy built around sustainable and solar energy courses.
The 杏吧专区 also offers for people who work in sustainable industries. Chambers envisions more programs 杏吧专区 including undergraduate and graduate degrees 杏吧专区 being added because of the establishment of the solar energy lab.
杏吧专区淪tudents and faculty members 杏吧专区 as well as industry partners 杏吧专区 will be able to conduct research in the lab and receive instruction in its classroom, then walk right outside and perform learning exercises directly on the solar equipment. That杏吧专区檚 an important and rare capability,杏吧专区 he said.
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Caption: UL Lafayette will break ground Thursday on the Louisiana Solar Energy Lab, a 4,500-square-foot hub for research, technology development, instruction, training, outreach and workforce development. The lab will be next to UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 6-acre solar field at 杏吧专区 Research Park on Eraste Landry Road. Submitted rendering