James Wood has worked in the energy industry for more
than 30 years and has lived in India, Belgium, Colombia,
China and Italy representing the interests of top-tier energy
companies. While his career has taken him around the world,
he now calls the Mountain State home, where he was recently
named the interim director of the West Virginia University
(WVU) Energy Institute.
advance the commercialization of intellectual property (IP),
bring in funding and help researchers in terms of project man-
agement and looking for equity partners. Making an organi-
zation structure that combines the power of two groups seems
to work, is cost effective and brings relevant IP to fruition.”
The WVU Energy Institute is working on a number of exciting
research projects, including
capturing rare earth elements
A Résumé for Success
from acid mine drainage, de-
Wood’s impressive work his-
veloping fracking techniques
tory is what made him a prime
that reduce leakage from well-
candidate to lead the WVU
pad laterals and conducting
Energy Institute. In the past,
early-stage research to see if
he has served as chairman and
methane can be broken up into
CEO of ThermoEnergy Corpo-
different components, the out-
ration; co-founder, president
come of which would be carbon
and CEO of Babcock Power Inc.;
fiber and hydrogen produced
president and COO of Babcock
at a lower cost with little to no
& Wilcox Co.; executive vice
CO 2 emissions
president of McDermott In-
“Pure natural gas is methane,
ternational, Inc.; president of
and we’re looking for ways to
WTI International Inc.; and
separate that into its compo-
senior vice president and gen-
nents,” says Wood. “The way
eral manager of Wheelabrator
that is done in the market today
Environmental Systems Inc.
is by steam methane reforming,
An extraction demonstration at the commissioning ceremony
of the WVU Energy Institute’s Rare Earth Extraction Facility.
He also served as the deputy
which releases large amounts of
Photo by West Virginia University.
assistant secretary of the Office
carbon dioxide. Researchers here
of Clean Coal in the U.S. Depart-
are trying to produce inexpen-
ment of Energy from 2009-
sive, high-strength carbon fiber
2012, during which time he oversaw the Clean Coal Program and hydrogen. I think they’re making progress, and if they do,
and $4.5 billion of congressional appropriations for coal-related it will make major changes to that industry.”
research and projects. He represented the U.S. as a delegate
While Wood was named interim director in late 2018, he
to the 1995 Presidential Mission on Sustainable Energy and has actually been at WVU in some capacity since 2014.
Trade to China and has accepted federal appointments to the
“When the DOE and China formed the U.S.-China Clean
National Coal Council and the U.S.-Egypt Presidents’ Council. Energy Research Center, one of the elements was the ACTC,”
Along with serving the WVU Energy Institute, Wood is also he says. “WVU competed and won management of the ACTC,
the director of the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center’s but it was having a problem getting cost share. The consortium
(CERC) Advanced Coal Technology Consortium (ACTC), consisted of a few universities and private-sector companies.
which is based at WVU.
The private-sector companies weren’t enough, so I joined to
A joint initiative between the U.S. and China to accelerate see if I could find additional cost share partners. I managed
the research, development and deployment of clean energy to convince a few utilities like Southern Company and Duke
technologies, the ACTC engages scientists, engineers, researchers Energy and put together the money we needed. I’ve been here
and industry leaders from around the U.S. to make strides ever since.”
in five focus areas, including advanced coal technologies and
While Wood’s background is not in academia, his career
carbon capture.
experience is what landed him the interim role when the previ-
ous director, Brian Anderson, Ph.D., left to lead the National
A Hub for Innovation
Energy Technology Laboratory.
As the university’s central hub for energy research, the WVU
“I don’t have a Ph.D., I’m not a professor, and I’m not tenured,
Energy Institute is dedicated to facilitating innovative and sus- but I’ve been in business for many years,” he says. “I know a
tainable solutions for the future of energy in the Mountain lot of people, technologies and users of energy, and that back-
State and the U.S. As interim director, Wood works with stake- ground is important at this institute because there is an expecta-
holders both within the university and across the state and region tion here that we will be helpful in finding ways to commercialize
to promote economic development, provide counsel to the state’s the technologies we’re researching and creating. I co-founded
energy sector and facilitate research projects and partnerships. Babcock Power from elements of a bankrupt German company.
Wood’s first directive upon joining the institute was to merge it There is a lot of experience in the background I’ve had running
with the National Research Center on Coal and Energy.
companies, conducting research and funding research. I also
“I wanted to put together an organization that is more had a 20-year run as a trustee of Clarkson University, which
responsive to the kinds of things WVU intended when it drew gave me a working knowledge of how universities operate and
up the energy institute,” he says. “I think WVU intended to what to expect.”
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