Center of Excellence

EPA names Texas A&M Energy Systems Lab
Center of Excellence on Displaced Emissions

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials named the Texas Engineering Experiment Station’s Energy Systems Laboratory (ELS) a national Center of Excellence on Displaced Emissions.

College of Architecture faculty members Jeff Haberl and Charles Culp, are ESL associate directors.

The ESL earned the EPA’s recognition by developing the first comprehensive engineering toolkit and database for determining the air emission benefits from increased electric sector energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The ESL’s pioneering work, conducted with guidance from the EPA and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, allows for air quality improvements or emission reductions to be demonstrated.

The designation of the ELS as a Center of Excellence means the lab will:

• Be a central location for the research, gathering and distribution of information about state of the art air pollution measurement techniques for energy efficient and renewable energy projects nationwide
  
  
• Provide technical support for state and local agencies to determine the environmental benefits from clean energy policies and programs and to help states achieve clean air guidelines
  
  
• Provide software technologies it develops to measure emissions reductions for the EPA’s State Implementation Plans.
  
  
• Create a website to communicate state of the art technologies and methodologies about emissions reductions from energy efficient and renewable energy technologies.

 
On behalf of the state commission on environmental quality, the ESL used its toolkit and database to develop emissions estimates for all state agencies participating in the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan — an effort to improve Texas’ air quality through a number of programs involving public and private entities.