mover and shaker

Houston recycling company names new CEO

David Hudson has been named CEO of Elemental Recycling. Photo via LinkedIn

A Houston company that turns recycled plastics into high-purity graphene and hydrogen has named its new leader.

David Hudson has been named CEO of Elemental Recycling. The company, founded in 2019, is an investment of Freestone, a portfolio company of Tailwater Capital. He succeeds Tom Samuels, former CEO and board chair of the company.

"With over two decades of proven expertise in driving strategic growth and profitability across the recycling, waste management, sustainability, and decarbonization sectors, David brings a wealth of experience that makes him the ideal leader to take the reins and guide Elemental into its next phase of innovation and growth," Samuels says in a news release. "I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead for the company under David's leadership. His proven track record and passion for driving positive change make him the perfect steward for the next chapter of Elemental's journey."

Hudson has over 20 years of experience within sustainability across industries. He founded and led Circulus Holdings, a company that turned post-consumer plastics into resins for commercial and industrial use. In that role, he raised almost half a billion dollars in investments, per the news release. He also held leadership roles at Ara Partners, Avangard Innovative, Recology, and Strategic Materials.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to join this exceptional team and contribute to the continued success of Elemental," Hudson says in the release. "Tom's leadership, along with the vision of founders Ron Presswood and Ian Bishop, has positioned the company to become a driving force in the recycling, sustainability, decarbonization, and advanced materials sectors.

"Elemental boasts an exceptional team, and I am eager to collaborate with each member as we navigate the path ahead," he continues. "I am confident that, together, we will grow the Company into a major player in the graphene and hydrogen production spaces and continue to advance Elemental's mission of sustainability."

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A View From HETI

Quaise Energy is developing Project Obsidian, a superhot geothermal plant in central Oregon. Rendering via quaise.com.

Houston-based Quaise Energy is looking to raise $200 million to support the development of a 50-megawatt superhot geothermal plant in Oregon.

The company is seeking $100 million in Series B funding, plus an additional $100 million from grants, debt and project-level finance, a representative from the company tells Energy Capital. Axios first reported the news late last month.

Quaise specializes in terawatt-scale geothermal power. It is known for its millimeter-wave drilling technology, which was developed at MIT.

The company's Project Obsidian development in central Oregon will combine conventional drilling with its millimeter-wave technology. Quaise says the project, targeted to come online in 2030, could be the first commercial plant to operate in superhot rock, a more efficient and abundant resource, but one that requires more advanced and durable drilling technology.

Quaise says Obsidian would initially generate 50 megawatts of "always-on" power and would be designed to add 200 megawatts as additional wells are developed. A power-purchase deal has already been signed for the initial 50 megawatts with an undisclosed customer.

A representative from the company says Quaise would also use the funding to continue advancing its millimeter-wave technology and prepare it for commercialization.

Last year, the company drilled to a depth of about 330 feet using its millimeter-wave technology at its field site in Central Texas.

“Our progress this year has exceeded all expectations,” Carlos Araque, CEO and president of Quaise Energy, said at the time. “We’re drilling faster and deeper at this point than anyone believed possible, proving that millimeter-wave technology is the only tool capable of reaching the superhot rock needed for next-generation geothermal power. We are opening up a path to a new energy frontier.”

Canary Media reports that Quaise plans to drill to nearly 3,300 feet later this year and to deploy its millimeter-wave technology at its power plant in 2027.

Quaise raised $21 million in a Series A1 financing round in 2024 and a $52 million Series A in 2022. Major investors include Prelude Ventures, Safar Partners, Mitsubishi Corporation, Nabors Industries, TechEnergy and others.

Quaise was one of eight Houston-area companies to appear on Time magazine and Statista’s list of America’s Top GreenTech Companies of 2025.

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