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Wood named director of WVU Energy Institute

James Wood, director of the WVU Energy Institute

James Wood

Morgantown, W.Va. - We are pleased to announce James Wood, a veteran energy leader in industry and government, has been named director of WVU’s Energy Institute, effective July 1.  Mr. Wood, who has been leading the institute as interim director since November 2018, was recently notified by the Provost’s Office of his permanent appointment.

Under Mr. Wood’s direction, the Energy Institute will continue coordinating advancements in cleaner energy technologies, oil and natural gas research, alternative fuels training, rare earth mineral recovery from acid mine drainage, and water quality research and monitoring as just part of its mission. 

Mr. Wood came to WVU in 2014 from ThermoEnergy Corp., where he was chairman, president and CEO of the Massachusetts-based company focused on industrial wastewater treatment and power generation technologies.

Previously, he was deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Coal.  He was responsible for a $4.5 billion program for research and demonstration projects related to carbon capture and storage, advanced power generation cycles, fuel cells and advanced integrated gas combined cycle processes.

Prior to his government service, Mr. Wood held executive leadership positions with Babcock Power Inc., Babcock & Wilcox Co., McDermott International, Inc., and Wheelabrator Environmental Systems, Inc.

Last year Governor Jim Justice appointed Mr. Wood to his West Virginia’s Downstream Jobs Task Force.  The task force works to increase state infrastructure for manufacturing operations in support of the petrochemical industry. 

-EI-

7/1/20