Clean tech startups score DOE funds, Houston company secures $12M, and more trending news

These were this week's most-read articles on EnergyCapital. Photo via Getty Images

Editor's note: From a new Houston energy transition exec to strategic partnerships and acquisitions, these are the top headlines that resonated with EnergyCapital readers on social media and daily newsletter this week.

Houston offshore robotics company secures $12M, makes major leadership changes

Houston-based Nauticus Robotics has a new CEO and fresh funding. Photo via LinkedIn

In the wake of a leadership reshuffling and amid lingering financial troubles, publicly traded Nauticus Robotics, a Webster-based developer of subsea robots and software, has netted more than $12 million in a second tranche of funding.

The more than $12 million in new funding includes a $9.5 million loan package.

Nauticus says the funding will accelerate certification of the company’s flagship Aquanaut robot, which is being prepared for its inaugural mission — inspecting a deep-water production facility in the Gulf of Mexico that’s owned by a major oil and gas company. Continue reading.

Houston companies land DOE vouchers for clean tech

Ten energy tech companies in Houston are among 111 organizations to receive up to $250,000 in vouchers from the DOE's Office of Technology Transitions, totaling $9.8 million in funding. Photo via Getty Images

Ten Houston-area companies will receive vouchers from the Department of Energy's latest round of funding to support the adoption of clean energy tech.

The companies are among 111 organizations to receive up to $250,000 in vouchers from the DOE's Office of Technology Transitions, totaling $9.8 million in funding, according to a release from the department.

The voucher program is in collaboration with the Offices of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), and Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). It is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Continue reading.

City offers free composting services to Houstonians looking to reduce landfill contributions

Looking to start composting? This is your month to try it out with free drop-off spots in Houston. Photo via Getty Images

The City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department is launching a free Food Waste Drop-Off pilot program through the end of February.

The program is in collaboration with Council Member Sallie Alcorn, Zero Waste Houston and the City of Houston Health Department, and allows residents to drop off food scraps at four different locations. Continue reading.

New global report names top cleantech startups to keep an eye on

Fervo Energy — and a few other Greentown Labs companies — made a global list of clean tech companies. Photo via fervoenergy.com

Nine Greentown Labs members were recognized on a global list honoring cleantech companies.

Houston-based Fervo Energy was named to Cleantech Group’s Global Cleantech 100 report. Cleantech Group is a research-driven company that aids the public sector, private sector, investors, and also identifies, assesses, and engages with the innovative solutions around climate challenges.

Fervo, a geothermal energy company that specializes in a renewable energy technology that uses hot water to produce electricity, debuted in 2022 on the list, and was honored in the “Energy & Power” category for the second straight year. Continue reading.

Exxon overcomes hefty charge and falling crude prices in fourth quarter to top profit expectations

Shares of the Houston-based company rose 2% before the market opened Friday. Photo via exxonmobil.com

ExxonMobil's fourth-quarter revenue and profits declined along with the price of oil, and the energy giant was weighed down by a hefty impairment charge tied to regulatory issues in California. Still, it posted a healthy adjusted profit and the company raised its quarterly dividend.

Shares of the Houston-based company rose 2% before the market opened Friday.

Revenue for the three months ended Dec. 31 declined to $84.34 billion from $95.43 billion. That fell short of the $91.81 billion that analysts polled by Zacks Investment Research expected. Continue reading.

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A View From HETI

ExxonMobil says it will "slow the pace" of development of its $10 billion plastics manufacturing plant. Photo via Getty Images.

Editor's note: The top energy transition news for Oct. 15-31 includes AI integration among energy leaders and the most promising startups from an annual pitch competition. Here are the most-read EnergyCapitalHTX stories for the second half of October:

1. 2 Houston energy giants appear on Fortune’s inaugural AI ranking

ExxonMobil is on Fortune's first-ever AIQ ranking. Getty Images

Two Houston-area energy leaders appear on Fortune’s inaugural list of the top adopters of AI among Fortune 500 companies. They are: No. 7 energy company ExxonMobil, based in Spring and No. 47 energy company Chevron, based in Houston. They are joined by Spring-based tech company Hewlett Packard Enterprise, No. 19. All three companies have taken a big dive into the AI pool. Continue reading.

2. Energy Tech Nexus names 8 startup winners from Pilotathon pitch event

Eight startups were given awards at Energy Tech Nexus' Pilotathon. Photo via Getty Images.

Energy Tech Nexus held its Pilotathon and Showcase during the second annual Houston Energy & Climate Startup Week last month and granted awards to eight startups. This year's event, focused on the theme "Energy Access and Resilience," offered 24 startups an opportunity to pitch their pilot projects. Continue reading.

3. Houston organization proposes Gulf Coast index for hydrogen market

The Clean Hydrogen Buyers Alliance plans to create the Gulf Coast Hydrogen Index to bring to bring transparency and confidence to hydrogen pricing. Photo via Getty Images

The Clean Hydrogen Buyers Alliance has proposed an index aimed at bringing transparency to pricing in the emerging hydrogen market. The Houston-based alliance said the Gulf Coast Hydrogen Index, based on real-time data, would provide more clarity to pricing in the global market for hydrogen. The benchmarking effort is being designed to benefit clean hydrogen buyers, sellers and investors. The index would help position the U.S. “as the trading anchor for hydrogen’s next chapter as a globally traded commodity,” the alliance said. Continue reading.

4. Houston clean energy company to develop hybrid renewable project in Port Arthur

The new Pleasure Island Power Collective in Port Arthur is expected to generate 391 megawatts of clean power. Photo via unsplash.

Houston-based clean energy company Diligence Offshore Services has announced a strategic partnership with Florida-based floating solar manufacturing company AccuSolar for the development of a renewable energy project in the Port Arthur area. Known as the Pleasure Island Power Collective, it will be built on 2,275 acres across Pleasure Island and Sabine Lake. It is expected to generate 391 megawatts of clean power, alongside a utility-scale battery energy storage system. Continue reading.

5. Port Houston reports emissions progress as cargo volumes climb

Ric Campo says Port Houston is “moving in the right direction.” Photo via Getty Images.

Port Houston’s initiatives to reduce emissions have shown some positive results, according to new data from the Port of Houston Authority. Pulling from the Goods Movement Emissions Inventory (GMEI) report, which tracks port-related air emissions, Port Houston cited several improvements compared to the most recent report from 2019. Continue reading.

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