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Event spotlights Houston's collaborative approach, innovation driving global energy transition

At the Greater Houston Partnership’s fourth annual Future of Global Energy Conference, industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers gathered to explore how we can collectively create a low-carbon future that is resilient, reliable and sustainable while meeting growing energy demands. Photo via GHP

Houston is poised to lead the global energy transition, but collaboration is key to success.

At the Greater Houston Partnership’s fourth annual Future of Global Energy Conference, industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers gathered to explore one central theme: how we can collectively create a low-carbon future that is resilient, reliable and sustainable while meeting growing energy demands.

The discussions highlighted the critical role of partnerships, investment and innovation in driving Houston’s leadership on the global stage.

The Power of Collaboration

“What we have here in Houston that’s really unique…The importance of collaboration with industry is critical,' says Carmichael Roberts, co-founder and managing partner at Material Impact and co-lead of Breakthrough Energy Ventures' Investment Committee.

Roberts stressed the importance of industry partnerships, noting that while Houston’s energy ecosystem has matured significantly, collaboration is more important than ever to move at the necessary pace.

“Because of our industrial base and our infrastructure, we are uniquely positioned to help those early-stage projects get done. But that also requires risk-taking from capitol providers and incumbent companies," says Bobby Tudor, CEO of Artemis Energy Partners.

The President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Lorie Logan, said transformative issues taking place in our economy provide Houston the ability to lead the energy transition, capitalizing on its robust infrastructure, innovation ecosystem and strategic role in shaping the future of energy.

“Structural changes in the economy, like the energy transition and advances in artificial intelligence, are key drivers fueling strong investment demand and unlocking potential productivity gains,” Logan says.

At the same time, the need to reduce carbon emissions has never been more urgent. With Houston's industrial infrastructure and emerging talent, the region is ready to meet these dual challenges.

Ensuring the Talent of Tomorrow

This year’s conference also featured an Emerging Talent Program supported by Chevron, to bolster the energy sector’s reputation with students and early career professionals to bridge the generational divide on the challenges and opportunities created by the dual challenge.

In addition to that program, Texas Exchange for Energy and Climate Entrepreneurship (TEX-E) hosted a poster competition featuring TEX-E fellows and local university students.

Chase Sellers, a fourth-year PhD student in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department at Rice University, won the competition. Sellers’ presentation focused on improving the affordability and scalability of green hydrogen production via electrolysis.

By fostering connections between experienced professionals and emerging leaders, the conference is helping to cultivate a workforce that is equipped to address the pressing issues facing the industry today.

“As we look to the future, it’s clear that Houston’s role is not just to produce energy but to lead the way in developing and deploying the solutions needed to meet the dual challenge of energy security and climate action," says Jane Stricker, senior vice president of energy transition at GHP and executive director of the Houston Energy Transition Initiative.

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This article originally ran on the Greater Houston Partnership's Houston Energy Transition Initiative blog. HETI exists to support Houston's future as an energy leader. For more information about the Houston Energy Transition Initiative, EnergyCapitalHTX's presenting sponsor, visit htxenergytransition.org.

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A View From HETI

Texas ranked in the bottom half on WalletHub's list of the most energy-efficient states. Photo via unsplash.

Texas has room to improve when it comes to energy efficiency, recent data from WalletHub shows.

The personal finance website ranked Texas at No. 35 on the latest Most & Least Energy-Efficient States list. Texas improved by one spot on the 2025 report, after coming in at No. 36 last year.

The report measured and ranked the efficiency of auto energy and home energy consumption in the 48 U.S. mainland states based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, National Climatic Data Center, U.S. Energy Information Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal Highway Administration.

Texas earned an overall score of 50.60. It was ranked No. 27 for home energy efficiency and No. 41 for auto efficiency. By comparison, No. 1-ranked Vermont earned a score of 85.30, ranking No. 2 for home energy and No. 6 for out energy.

The top five overall states included:

  • No. 1 Vermont
  • No. 2 California
  • No. 3 Washington
  • No. 4 New York
  • No. 5 Massachusetts

South Dakota earned the top rank for home energy efficiency, and Massachusetts earned the top rank for energy efficiency.

“Energy efficiency doesn’t just help save the planet – it also helps save you money by lowering the amount of electricity, gas, oil or other types of energy you need to consume. While there are some steps you can take to become more energy-efficient on your own, living in the right area can give you a big boost," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report. "For example, certain states have much better public transportation systems that minimize your need to drive, at least in big cities. Some places also have better-constructed buildings that retain heat better during the winter or stay cooler during the summer.”

According to the report, some progress is being made in increasing energy efficiency across the country. The U.S. Energy Information Administration expects 26 percent of electricity generation in 2026 will come from renewables. A number of them are being developed in the Houston area, including recent announcements like the Pleasure Island Power Collective in Port Arthur.

Still, Houston earned an abysmal ranking on WalletHub's greenest cities in the U.S. report earlier this year, coming in at No. 99 out of 100. Read more here.

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