Recent strict regulations on emission control are paving the way for new renewable sources of energy. In the agricultural lands, the biomass produced (agricultural residues, animal wastes, etc) could be a source of pollution if not disposed-of properly. Feedlot waste creates significant ground water and air pollution problems, and waste management is a perennial problem. However, by co-firing the biomass in power plants, many advantages can be reaped. Cattle waste is one such source of biomass. For power plants located in the farm belt, the use of biomass is attractive due to reduced transportation costs. Blending small quantities of biomass with coal will reduce fuel costs, harmful emissions, the greenhouse effect, and water/soil pollution.

The laboratory has a small-scale boiler burner and a gasifier for combustion and emissions research and is equipped with appropriate instrumentation and diagnostic systems. Research activities sponsored by various government and private foundations are carried out by graduates and undergraduates and supervised by faculty members. The laboratory is directed by Dr.Kalyan Annamalai, G. Paul Pepper Professor at the Texas A&M Department of Mechanical Engineering.