winner, winne

3 Houston climate tech companies win challenge for sustainable aviation

Three startups with Houston ties and sustainable solutions were named winners of the Sustainable Aviation Challenge. Photo via Cameron Casey/Pexels

Greentown Houston companies have made the list of companies working toward sustainable aviation technology.

Cemvita and Verne, two Greentown Houston members, and C2V Initiative Year 1 participant Air Company were all named as winners of the World Economic Forum’s Sustainable Aviation Challenge, which will net the winners visibility opportunities, curated introductions to industry partners and potential funders, and other event invitations.

“We look forward to start collaborating with fellow winners and challenge partners to support the decarbonization of the aviation sector,” Cemvita writes in a statement on LinkedIn.

The Sustainable Aviation Challenge on UpLink included innovators who accelerate the adoption and development of sustainable aviation fuel and other propulsion solutions. Aviation accounts for 2 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and air travel is projected to increase over this decade according to the International Energy Agency. The challenge is to reinvent flying and make it compatible with our global net-zero emissions targets. Decarbonizing aviation is one of the goals to help with the goal of global net-zero emissions.

Cemvita’s eCO2™ helped garner the Houston company its spot in the Sustainable Aviation Challenge. The eCO2 takes waste streams and carbon dioxide and uses them to produce valuable materials like plastics,proteins, and fuel feedstock through microbiology. Cemvita also plans to remove 250 million tons per year from the atmosphere by 2050, according to their website.

Last fall, Cemvita Corp. announced a new offtake arrangement with United Airlines. Cemvita's first full-scale sustainable aviation fuel plant will provide up to 1 billion gallons of SAF to United Airlines. The 20-year contract specifies that Cemvita will supply up to 50 million gallons annually to United.

See the full list of World Economic Forum’s Sustainable Aviation Challenge winners here.

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A View From HETI

The move marks the company's third expansion in the Houston area in three years. Photo courtesy of PVH

Solar tracking and manufacturing company PV Hardware USA is increasing its production capacity and expanding its Houston facility in an effort to meet growing demands.

The move marks the company's third expansion in the Houston area in three years. PV Hardware reports a 400 percent surge in national market growth over the past three years, as solar-based projects have been pivotal in energy resilience efforts.

PV Hardware plans to increase the capacity at its Houston facility by 42 percent, according to a news release. With the additional capacity, PV Hardware expects a 35 percent increase in production of pre-assembled parts. The company has not announced whether any additional employees will be hired or the costs of expansion.

In September, the company completed its new dedicated pre-assembly facility, which will help migrate difficult assembly into an easier manufacturing setting. The new pre-assembly area will also assist with streamlined field installation, enhanced schedule predictability and reduction of manual labor.

Citybiz reports that the expansion totals approximately 34,200 square feet.

PV Hardware USA aims to make solar installation more efficient. For large-scale solar projects, PV Hardware USA’s pre-assembly process helps to relieve assembly work done by installation teams. According to PV Hardware USA, it reduces the number of on-site components by 70 percent.

“Traditionally, manufacturers pushed the assembly burden onto the jobsite,” Rodolfo Bitar, vice president of business development for PVH USA, told Renewable Energy Magazine. “We ask a different question: what work can be done more efficiently before the equipment ever leaves the factory? By managing the assembly of 188 loose parts per row in our controlled manufacturing environment, we remove field complexity and make installation highly predictable.”

PV Hardware USA produces single-axis solar trackers made in Texas and has supplied over 52 gigawatts of solar trackers worldwide.

“The expanded presence in Texas underscores a long-term commitment: bringing world-class solar expertise to local American manufacturing, supporting communities, and serving as a reliable partner through the clean energy transition,” the company said in the release.

In July of 2025, the company opened its 95,000-square-foot facility, which was the second Houston location following its initial $30 million U.S. manufacturing facility, which, at 50,000 square feet, is one of America's largest solar tracker manufacturing facilities.

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