Teague starts energy tour
Freshman congressman visits NMSU labs to tout new energy technology
By Todd G. Dickson
The Las Cruces Bulletin\
Fresh from his controversial vote for cap-and-trade energy legislation, freshman Congressman Harry Teague began what he called his Energy Independence Tour at the New Mexico State University engineering college Friday, July 3.
NMSU Provost Waded Cruzado said it was appropriate for Teague to start his Second District tour at NMSU because he has sponsored a bill that could provide funding to train more engineering students to find new fuels and energy technology.
Cruzado said this the kind of support NMSU has come to expect from Teague since he won the congressional seat last November. She said the university is enjoying much more support than before, which she credited to Teague seeing the value of NMSU’s research in energy technology, especially in the area of biofuels.
More than the often mentioned renewable energy sources of solar and wind power, Teague said New Mexico “is primed to be the center of the biofuel industry.” He said he wanted to open up the state’s national labs in order to play a stronger role in generating renewable energy.
NMSU Chemical Engineering [corrected] Department Head Martha Mitchell led Teague on the campus tour of biofuel efforts, including labs with newer equipment where graduate students develop fuel from organic matter, such as algae. One of NMSU’s supporting partners in the biofuel research is Sapphire Energy, which is planning to set up “green crude” operations at the West Mesa Industrial park.
Teague and his crew also viewed a Baja racer that runs on biodiesel, the Freeport McMoRan water lab and a high-pressure vessel.
Teague vowed to help secure more funding to support the efforts.
U.S. Rep. Harry Teague listens to New Mexico State University chemical engineering graduate student Prafulla D. Patil explain his lab’s work on biofuel processing during a visit Friday, July 3, by the New Mexico Democrat. Listening is chemical engineering professor Shuguang Deng.