ExxonMobil pauses plans for $7B hydrogen plant in Baytown

project on pause

ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Darren Woods said the company was weighing whether it would move forward with a proposed $7 billion low-hydrogen plant in Baytown this summer. Photo via exxonmobil.com

As anticipated, Spring-based oil and gas giant ExxonMobil has paused plans to build a low-hydrogen plant in Baytown, Chairman and CEO Darren Woods told Reuters.

“The suspension of the project, which had already experienced delays, reflects a wider slowdown in efforts by traditional oil and gas firms to transition to cleaner energy sources as many of the initiatives struggle to turn a profit,” Reuters reported.

Woods signaled during ExxonMobil’s second-quarter earnings call that the company was weighing whether it would move forward with the proposed $7 billion plant.

The Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act established a 10-year incentive, the 45V tax credit, for production of clean hydrogen. But under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the period for beginning construction of low-carbon hydrogen projects that qualify for the tax credit has been compressed. The Inflation Reduction Act called for construction to begin by 2033. The Big Beautiful Bill changed the construction start time to early 2028.

“While our project can meet this timeline, we’re concerned about the development of a broader market, which is critical to transition from government incentives,” Woods said during the earnings call.

Woods had said ExxonMobil was figuring out whether a combination of the 45Q tax credit for carbon capture projects and the revised 45V tax credit would enable a broader market for low-carbon hydrogen.

“If we can’t see an eventual path to a market-driven business, we won’t move forward with the [Baytown] project,” Woods told Wall Street analysts.

“We knew that helping to establish a brand-new product and a brand-new market initially driven by government policy would not be easy or advance in a straight line,” he added.

ExxonMobil announced in 2022 that it would build the low-carbon hydrogen plant at its refining and petrochemical complex in Baytown. The company had indicated the plant would start initial production in 2027.

ExxonMobil had said the Baytown plant would produce up to 1 billion cubic feet of hydrogen per day made from natural gas, and capture and store more than 98 percent of the associated carbon dioxide. The plant would have been capable of storing as much as 10 million metric tons of CO2 per year.

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ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Darren Woods said during the company’s recent second-quarter earnings call that the company is "concerned about the development of a broader market" for its low-carbon hydrogen plant in Baytown. Photo via exxonmobil.com

ExxonMobil may delay or cancel plans for $7 billion Baytown hydrogen plant

project uncertainty

Spring-based ExxonMobil, the country’s largest oil and gas company, might delay or cancel what would be the world’s largest low-carbon hydrogen plant due to a significant change in federal law. The project carries a $7 billion price tag.

The Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act created a new 10-year incentive, the 45V tax credit, for production of clean hydrogen. But under President Trump’s "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," the window for starting construction of low-carbon hydrogen projects that qualify for the tax credit has narrowed. The Inflation Reduction Act mandated that construction start by 2033. But the Big Beautiful Bill switched the construction start time to early 2028.

“While our project can meet this timeline, we’re concerned about the development of a broader market, which is critical to transition from government incentives,” ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Darren Woods said during the company’s recent second-quarter earnings call.

Woods said ExxonMobil is working to determine whether a combination of the 45Q tax credit for carbon capture projects and the revised 45V tax credit will help pave the way for a “broader” low-carbon hydrogen market.

“If we can’t see an eventual path to a market-driven business, we won’t move forward with the [Baytown] project,” Woods said.

“We knew that helping to establish a brand-new product and a brand-new market initially driven by government policy would not be easy or advance in a straight line,” he added.

Woods said ExxonMobil is trying to nail down sales contracts connected to the project, including exports of ammonia to Asia and Europe and sales of hydrogen in the U.S.

ExxonMobil announced in 2022 that it would build the low-carbon hydrogen plant at its refining and petrochemical complex in Baytown. The company has said the plant is slated to go online in 2027 and 2028.

As it stands now, ExxonMobil wants the Baytown plant to produce up to 1 billion cubic feet of hydrogen per day made from natural gas, and capture and store more than 98 percent of the associated carbon dioxide. The company has said the project could store as much as 10 million metric tons of CO2 per year.

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5+ must-attend Houston energy events in March: CERAWeek and more

Mark Your Calendar

Editor's note: March is a major month for energy industry events in Houston, including CERAWeek and more must-attend summits and forums. Mark your calendars for the top events of the month, and register now.

March 2-4 — The Future Energy Summit

The Future Energy Summit is a premier global event bringing together visionaries, industry leaders, and energy experts to shape the future of energy. The second edition of the conference will provide a platform for groundbreaking discussions, cutting-edge technologies, and transformative strategies that will accelerate the energy transition.

This event begins March 2. Register here.

March 5 — 2026 Houston CISO Forum

The Energy Conference Network hosts an exclusive, executive-level cybersecurity leadership event for those in the energy industry. The 50-person, half-day forum will bring together chief information security officers, senior cybersecurity leaders, and industry experts for candid conversations, actionable insights, and peer collaboration.

This event takes place March 5 at Hyatt Regency Houston West. Limited registration available here.

March 10-12 — World Hydrogen & Carbon Americas

S&P Global Energy brings together two leading events — Carbon Management Americas and World Hydrogen North America — to form a new must-attend event for those in the hydrogen and carbon industries. More than 800 senior leaders from across the energy value chain will attend this event featuring immersive roundtable discussions, hands-on training, real-world case studies, and unparalleled networking opportunities.

This event begins March 10 at Marriott Marquis Houston. Register here.

March 23-27 — CERAWeek 2026

CERAWeek 2026 will focus on "Convergence and Competition: Energy, Technology and Geopolitics." The industry's foremost thought leaders will convene in Houston to cultivate relationships and exchange transformative ideas during the annual event. CERAWeek 2026 will explore breakthroughs, cross-industry connections, and powerful partnerships that are accelerating the transformation of the global energy system. 2026 highlights include an appearance by tech magnate Bill Gates.

This event begins March 23. Register here.

March 24-25 — 2026 Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition

The Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition, co-hosted by the Rice Alliance, Ion, HETI, and TEX-E, offers two days of exciting pitches from more than 40 global energy ventures that are transforming the industry. On Tuesday, March 24, you can attend a fast-paced pitch preview event at the Ion, followed by the official Pitch Competition at 1 pm on Wednesday, March 25, at George R. Brown Convention Center.

More details available here.

How this Houston expert helps startups turn AI hype into real impact

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Artificial intelligence is now everywhere. It is mentioned in every startup pitch deck, and every corporate roadmap claims to use it. However, many early-stage businesses struggle with the simple question, “What does AI actually mean for my business?”

In a recent podcast episode of EnergyTech Startups, Merab Momen, founder of AI CTO Services and a long time AI practitioner, explains why most founders misunderstand AI, how startups can practically apply it and why Houston is quietly becoming a serious hub for AI-driven innovation.

Filling the AI Leadership Gap

Merab’s career has spanned decades of technology transitions. He worked on neutral networks in the 1990s, constructed computer vision systems long before they were common, and helped install AI solutions inside huge industrial companies. However, he noticed a huge problem when generative AI started to explode into the mainstream-The requirement of a real partner by the founders for AI integration but inability to rely on a full-time CTO and project-based consultants.

“I really needed something which is much more engaging where I can give that partner-level advice to the founders,” he said. By giving firms on-demand access to high-level AI knowledge and expertise, his methodology enables them to analyse tools, steer clear of cost blunders and eventually transition to a permanent technology leader when the time is right.

AI is Older than Most People Think

Despite its recent rise in popularity, AI is nothing new. AI actually began in the 1950s. Merab in his conversation explained how he worked on his first AI project back in the year 1996 that worked perfectly, but the processing power wasn’t just there to make it practical. He continued how he utilized the swarm intelligence models to optimize supply chains, now referred to as MLPOs and data engineering.

From Language Models to Physical World

Much of the public conversation about AI revolves around chatbots and text generation. But Merab sees far greater potential in AI’s interaction with the physical world, especially in industrial settings. He emphasized edge computing and vision language models (VLMs) as significant advances in manufacturing and energy. This physical shift is opening doors for new opportunities for robotics, automated inspections, and industrial safety applications. Merab added that Houston is uniquely positioned for this transition.

Why Houston has an AI Advantage

Silicon Valley may dominate the AI headlines, but Merab believes Houston’s advantage lies beneath the surface. The city doesn’t lag in AI utilization; it just operates in industries where results show differently.

Machine learning isn’t new to Houston’s core industries. Energy companies, manufacturers, logistics providers, and healthcare systems have been using advanced analytics for decades. The difference lies in them innovating in industrial sectors rather than consumer technology.

What’s Next

With the AI CTO Services growing, Merab is working with startups across industries to deploy AI in practical, business-first ways.

He is more interested in assisting founders in finding answers to critical issues than following new trends.

For Houston’s energy and climate tech community, it needs to transform AI enthusiasm into real-world impact.

Listen to the full conversation with Mehrab Momin on the Energy Tech Startups Podcast to learn more.

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Energy Tech Startups Podcast is hosted by Jason Ethier and Nada Ahmed. It delves into Houston's pivotal role in the energy transition, spotlighting entrepreneurs and industry leaders shaping a low-carbon future.

Houston company tapped to run renewables project with Meta power agreement

power deal

Houston-based Consolidated Asset Management Services (CAMS) has been selected to operate Plano-based Nexus Renewable Power's major renewables development, known as Project Goody.

CAMS will provide comprehensive asset management, operations, maintenance, regulatory compliance and remote operations services for the $220 million solar and battery storage project located in Lamar County, Texas, northeast of Dallas.

“The project underscores CAMS’ commitment to supporting dependable, grid-strengthening energy infrastructure across the United States,” Brian Ivany, EVP of CAMS Renewables, said in a news release. “Our team is proud to support Nexus and excited to apply our subject matter expertise and hands-on approach to ensure operational excellence and long-term success of the Goody project.”

Project Goody, or MRG Goody Solar and Storage, will feature a 172-megawatt solar facility paired with 237 megawatts of battery energy storage. The project will be connected to the ERCOT grid. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has signed on as the power offtaker for the project.

Nexus Renewable Power develops, finances and operates solar and energy storage assets. It currently operates projects generating 325 megawatts of solar and 350 megawatts of battery storage, with another 300 megawatts of solar and 1 gigawatt of battery storage projects under construction, according to its website. Project Goody is the first in a series of renewable developments underway, according to Nexus.

CAMS manages and operates energy infrastructure assets for its clients. Last year, it added InfraRed Capital Partners, which owns the 202-megawatt Mesteño Wind Project in the Rio Grande Valley, to its customer list. It also rolled out services to help deliver power to meet the growing demand from AI data centers.

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