In early September, Tulane hosted the second annual Future of Energy forum, with special guests from oil and gas companies, including Shell and Entergy. Although the forum was marketed to students as an opportunity for discourse surrounding the expansion of sustainable energy initiatives, the seemingly contradictory inclusion of these corporations left many students wondering: was this forum a genuine effort at promoting a sustainable future for Tulane and Louisiana, or an attempt from the oil and gas industry to advance its own agenda through virtue signaling? Tulane’s status as a respected academic institution puts it in a position to spearhead sustainability initiatives, yet many students are unimpressed with the lack of progress towards expanding clean energy on campus.
Although Tulane has taken more visible steps towards a sustainable campus within recent years- such as the implementation of a reusable food container system in the student center- much of the student body remains disappointed with the lack of urgency surrounding sustainable projects. Compared to similar institutions, Tulane has fallen behind in the race towards building sustainable infrastructure. For example, Emory University has launched numerous sustainable initiatives, including signing a transformational solar power agreement with a local energy company in 2020, thereby installing over 15,000 solar panels across 16 buildings on the university’s campus (Emory Office of Sustainability Initiatives, 2025). Tulane’s installation of solar panels on fewer than five buildings pales in comparison. Despite a 2022 university partnership with ENFRA, formerly known as Bernhard, with the goal of expanding solar infrastructure on campus, most students are unaware of any progress towards completion of this initiative. This collaboration aims to make solar technology account for 10% of all energy on campus and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 (Simon, 2022).
Of note at Tulane’s Future of Energy Forum, Entergy CEO Drew Marsh took the stage discussing Entergy’s collaboration with Meta AI to break ground on a ten billion dollar data center in northern Louisiana, making it the largest data center in the Western hemisphere- the size of roughly 1,700 football fields (Cohn, 2025). According to Mr. Marsh, the expansion of infrastructure and data centers like this one will stimulate sales growth from 0-5% to 13% for Entergy, with plans for breaking ground on more Louisiana-based data centers in the future.
Amid corporate claims that the collaboration between these Fortune 500 companies will have a transformational effect on the state’s economy and bring thousands of jobs to rural areas, Entergy also disclosed that as a result of this project, its original goal of reaching clean energy seems far less feasible. Marsh stated that their goal of reaching 50% less emissions relative to numbers from 2000 now seems unlikely with the energy from natural gas required to power this mega plant (Marsh, 2025). It remains to be seen whether the plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 will be met or not. Marsh cited carbon capture technology as a potential way for Entergy to mitigate emissions, but this practice of pumping and storing carbon dioxide deep in the earth poses considerable environmental threats, such as groundwater contamination, leakage, and impacts on ecosystems.
Entergy is the long-term utility and energy provider for the greater New Orleans area, operating in the Gulf South since it was founded in 1913. The power company’s 2024 performance report asserted that only 2% of energy produced for the calendar year was from renewables, while modern gas accounted for 42%. The company also owns and operates several nuclear facilities, which create zero carbon emissions, making up for 27% of energy as reported by Entergy. It’s worth noting that these numbers are self-reported by the company, and it remains clear that Entergy is in no hurry to make the transition to clean energy.
It can be disheartening as a student to feel so powerless to stop corporate agendas. A question that I find myself asking is “But what can I do about it?” How can I, a lone individual, make a meaningful difference in the fight against oil lust and destructive environmental policies? Many other students and young people may feel hopeless, depressed, and unable to take concrete action to empower change, yet it is important to remember that we are not alone in our passion for protecting the planet, and that there are other communities of caring individuals who want to fight back.
Epsilon Eta is the only Environmental pre-professional fraternity on campus, and it aims to gather like-minded students who are environmentally conscious and driven to pursue a career in an environmental field. Founded in 2023, their mission statement asserts the effort to “ seek to bridge the gap from the undergraduate atmosphere to professional environmental fields for students at Tulane (Epsilon Eta- Sigma Chapter).” They hold chapter meetings, social functions, and service opportunities, all with the goal of promoting climate initiatives, engaging the student body, and raising awareness about environmental concerns. If you feel called to advocate for eco-friendly practices and policies, consider signing up for recruitment in the Spring!
Sources used for this article include: Cohn, S. (2025, June 25). Meta’s massive data center in Louisiana: Cost, jobs, energy use CNBC, Epsilon Eta — Sigma Chapter. (n.d.). Epsilon Eta: Tulane University, Emory Office of Sustainability Initiatives. (2025). Energy. Emory University, Entergy. (2025). 2024 performance report, Marsh, D. (2025, September 18). A conversation with Drew Marsh [Video]. YouTube, Simon, K. (2022, January 27). Tulane and Bernhard announce partnership to optimize energy infrastructure and improve resiliency. Tulane News.
