dac funding

DOE deploys more than $10M into Houston-related carbon capture projects

Four direct air capture projects with ties to Houston just received federal funding. Photo via Getty Images

Four carbon capture projects with ties to the Houston area have collectively received more than $10 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.

What follows is a funding rundown for the four direct air capture (DAC) projects. DAC pulls carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere at any location, while carbon capture generally is done where the emissions happen.

This funding announcement comes on the heels of a subsidiary of Houston-based Occidental receiving about $600 million from the Department of Energy (DOE) for establishment of a DAC hub in South Texas.

Western Regional Direct Air Hub

Houston-based Chevron New Energies, the low-carbon subsidiary of energy giant Chevron USA, is collecting nearly $5 million in funding — $3 million of it from the DOE — for a potential DAC hub in the Bakersfield, California, area.

Chevron says it plans to install equipment at its cogeneration plant in Central California’s San Joaquin Valley so it can inject and permanently store carbon dioxide emissions underground. This is Chevron’s first carbon capture and storage project.

A cogeneration plant produces several forms of energy from a single fuel source.

Last year, Chevron was the lead investor in a $381 million series E funding round for Svante, a Canada-based producer of carbon capture technology.

“Several carbon capture technologies exist today, and they all have important roles to play in addressing the diverse requirements of hard-to-avoid emissions,” Claude Letourneau, president and CEO of Svante, said in a June 2023 announcement about the Central California DAC hub.

Pelican-Gulf Coast Carbon Removal project

Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge has attracted nearly $4.9 million in funding — including nearly $3 million from the DOE — for the proposed Pelican-Gulf Coast Carbon Removal project in the Pelican State. Partners in the Pelican project include the University of Houston and Shell, whose U.S. headquarters is in Houston.

The DAC project would remove CO2 in the atmosphere and permanently store it underground.

Red Rocks DAC Hub

Houston-based Fervo Energy is earmarking earmark its nearly $3.6 million in funding — including almost $2.9 million from the DOE — for development of the Red Rocks DAC Hub in southwest Utah.

Fervo believes more than 10 gigawatts of geothermal resources are available in southwest Utah that would translate into the potential storage of up to 100 million tons of CO2 each year.

“Scaling DAC technology will require abundant clean, firm power and heat to build truly carbon-negative projects,” Fervo says in a LinkedIn post. “As the leader in next-generation geothermal, Fervo is well positioned to support and accelerate the commercial deployment of DAC, while placing Utah at the heart of the energy transition.”

Houston Area DAC Hub

GE Research, the Niskayuna, New York-based R&D arm of General Electric, has scooped up more than $3.3 million in funding — including over $2.5 million from the DOE — to explore creating a DAC hub in the Houston area that would involve clean energy, such as renewable or nuclear power.

The project, being developed in conjunction with Omaha, Nebraska-based energy company Tenaska, would be designed to remove 1 million metric tons of CO2 from the air and permanently store it or use it in a value-add project (or both). Tenaska opened an office in Houston in 2019.

“We know that to truly bring an economical, commercial-scale solution in DAC to the market, it will require a collaborative effort with government, industry, and academic partners,” David Moore, leader of GE’s carbon capture team, said in March 2023. “If we do this right, we could have a commercially deployable DAC solution around the end of this decade.”

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A View From HETI

FlixBus and Greyhound have teamed up with global solar company Green Energy to install roof-mounted solar panels on its buses. Photo via FlixBus

Texas roadways will soon see buses with solar panels thanks to a new partnership.

FlixBus and Greyhound have teamed up with global solar company Green Energy to install roof-mounted solar panels on its buses. The companies will pilot the program with buses operating between Houston and Dallas.

“Expanding the use of solar panels on buses across the United States, FlixBus and Green Energy demonstrate how innovation, sustainability, and profitability can go hand-in-hand,” James Armstrong, president CEO of the Americas at Green Energy, says in a news release. “This partnership is a great example of how modern technology can contribute to a more sustainable future for the transportation and long-distance travel industry.”

Flix’s buses hope to cut carbon dioxide emissions, reduce idling, lower diesel consumption, and double battery life by utilizing solar technology. Also, using the charge controller with an Internet of Things solution will enable FlixBus to monitor diesel savings and carbon dioxide reduction, solar production, and also gather and analyze data for future improvements.

The initiative aligns with FlixBus's commitment to “advance sustainable and affordable travel for everyone,” according to the company. Plans are currently underway to expand this initiative to additional markets, with New Orleans also currently being used.

“Environmentally responsible operations are a core value for FlixBus, and we’ve been consistently pushing the boundaries of intercity transportation with innovative solutions that can help us reduce our impact,” Jay Miller, head of business development, west region at Flix North America, adds. “We’re thrilled to expand our partnership and bring this technology to the U.S. in yet another key step toward achieving our sustainability goals.”

FlixBus, a German company with its North American headquarters in Dallas, acquired Greyhound in 2021.

The pilot program will be a route between Houston and Dallas. Photo via Green Energy

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