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Can’t-miss Houston energy event: Energyear USA Conference

An international renewables conference is coming to Houston this week. Photo via energyear.com

A full day of thought leadership, networking, and business development is coming to Houston thanks to an international organization.

When: Thursday, July 20, from 7:30 am to 5 pm.

Where: InterContinental Houston-Medical Center, 6750 Main St.

Price: $999 in-person pass; $399 virtual access

Who: Young professionals working in the energy industry

Learn more and register.

The inaugural Energyear USA will be held this week in Houston. The conference will unite the foremost players in the renewables industry — corporates, investors, financiers, asset managers, technologists, law firms, financial advisors, consultancies, government institutions, and other industry stakeholders.

Don't miss the opening panel, entitled "Powering the Future: Unleashing the potential of renewable energy in Texas and the USA," features Jeff Marootian, senior adviser of the U.S. Department of Energy, and Katie Mehnert, CEO and founder of Ally Energy.

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A View From HETI

Plus Power and the Tennessee Valley Authority are developing the Crawfish Creek Energy Storage project. Photo via pluspower.com

The Woodlands-based Plus Power announced this month that it has entered into a 20-year energy storage agreement with Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), one of the largest public energy providers in the U.S.

Through the agreement, Plus Power and TVA will develop the Crawfish Creek Energy Storage project, a 200-megawatt / 800-megawatt-hour utility-scale battery energy storage facility in Jackson County, Alabama.

Construction on Crawfish Creek Energy Storage is expected to begin in 2028, and commercial operation is planned for the summer of 2029. The project will store electricity when demand is low and release it during peak periods, helping improve grid reliability, affordability, and energy security, according to a news release.

"Battery storage is essential to protecting the reliable, affordable electricity our region depends on to power next-generation technologies," Monika Beckner, TVA vice president, power supply & fuels, said in the release. "Projects like Crawfish Creek strengthen the Valley's energy security, improve our ability to manage extreme conditions, and help unleash American energy."

TVA selected Plus Power for the project in 2025 via a request for proposal to supply new capacity resources needed across the region. Plus Power currently owns and operates nine facilities that provide enhanced power reliability to Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts and Texas, totaling 1,650 megawatts/4,150 megawatt-hours. With this deal, Plus Power is entering its seventh state market and expanding into the Southeast.

"Plus Power is proud to support energy resilience in Jackson County and the Tennessee Valley, a key region for America's military, aerospace, and nuclear innovation," Brian Duncan, chief commercial officer at Plus Power, said in a news release. "Battery energy storage systems are flexible and millisecond-fast, making Crawfish Creek uniquely suited to meet the region's evolving needs. We are excited to partner with TVA to deliver a resource that supports economic expansion while strengthening American energy dominance and security.”

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