Air Liquide and Hyundai agreed to expand hydrogen refuelling networks, storage capacity and more at a meeting in Seoul last week. Photo courtesy Air Liquide.
Air Liquide, which maintains its U.S. headquartered in Houston, and South Korea-based Hyundai Motor Group are expanding their strategic partnership to accelerate the growth of the global hydrogen ecosystem.
The renewal of the companiesâ Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was announced at the Hydrogen Council CEO Summit in Seoul last week. Together, the companies will work to scale hydrogen production, storage, transportation and utilization across Europe, Korea and the United States with a concentration on heavy-duty transport, logistics and public transportation.
Hyundai hopes Air Liquide's technical expertise will help contribute to more sustainable energy and carbon neutrality.
The companies plan to develop hydrogen refueling networks and storage capacity that can meet growing demands. They also plan to commercialize fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) for diverse applications like public transportation, logistics fleets and ports.
"We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with Hyundai Motor Group,â Armelle Levieux, vice president of innovation, electronics and hydrogen at Air Liquide, said in a news release. âCollaborations like this between leaders across the value chain are essential to building the hydrogen economy.â
The partnership has already shown strong progress in South Korea, according to the companies, with Hyundai rolling out more than 2,000 hydrogen buses and 37,000 passenger fuel cell vehicles, with more expected by 2026. Additionally, Air Liquide has boosted supply capabilities in the region with the new state-of-the-art high-pressure hydrogen filling center, Lotte-Air Liquide EnerâHy, in Daesan, an industrial hub near Seoul.
Air Liquide and Hyundai previously signed an MoU in 2018, along with other major South Korean players, agreeing to grow the hydrogen economy.
The new Carbon Measures coalition will create a framework that eliminates double-counting of carbon pollution and attributes emissions to their sources. Photo via Getty Images.
Six companies with a large presence in the Houston area have joined a new coalition of companies pursuing a better way to track the carbon emissions of products they manufacture, purchase and finance.
Air Liquide, whose U.S. headquarters is in Houston
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, whose U.S. headquarters is in Houston
Honeywell, whose Performance Materials and Technologies business is based in Houston.
BASF, whose global oilfield solutions business is based in Houston
Linde, whose Linde Engineering Americas business is based in Houston
Carbon Measures will create an accounting framework that eliminates double-counting of carbon pollution and attributes emissions to their sources, said Amy Brachio, the groupâs CEO. The model is expected to take two years to develop, and between five and seven years to scale up, Bloomberg reported.
The coalition wants to create a system that will âunleash markets and competition,â unlock investments and speed up the pace of emissions reduction, said Brachio, former vice chair of sustainability at professional services firm EY.
âIf you canât measure it, you canât manage it,â said Darren Woods, chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil. âThe first step to reducing global emissions is to know where theyâre coming from â and today, we donât have an accurate system to do this.â
Other members of the coalition include BlackRock-owned Global Infrastructure Partners, Banco Satanader, EY and NextEra Energy.
âTransparent and consistent emissions accounting is not just a technical necessity â itâs a strategic imperative. It enables smarter decisions and accelerates real progress across industries and borders,â said Ken West, president and CEO of Honeywell Energy and Sustainability Solutions.
The U.S. Department of Energy funding is earmarked for the new HyVelocity Hub. Photo via Getty Images
The emerging low-carbon hydrogen ecosystem in Houston and along the Texas Gulf Coast is getting as much as a $1.2 billion lift from the federal government.
The U.S. Department of Energy funding, announced November 20, is earmarked for the new HyVelocity Hub. The hub â backed by energy companies, schools, nonprofits, and other organizations â will serve the countryâs biggest hydrogen-producing area. The region earns that status thanks to more than 1,000 miles of dedicated hydrogen pipelines and almost 50 hydrogen production plants.
âThe HyVelocity Hub demonstrates the power of collaboration in catalyzing economic growth and creating value for communities as we build a regional hydrogen economy that delivers benefits to Gulf Coast communities,â says Paula Gant, president and CEO of Des Plaines, Illinois-based GTI Energy, which is administering the hub.
HyVelocity, which aims to become the largest hydrogen hub in the country, has already received about $22 million of the $1.2 billion in federal funding to kickstart the project.
Organizers of the hydrogen project include:
Arlington, Virginia-based AES Corp.
Air Liquide, whose U.S. headquarters is in Houston
Chevron, which is moving its headquarters to Houston
Spring-based ExxonMobil
Lake Mary, Florida-based Mitsubishi Power Americas
Denmark-based Ărsted
Center for Houstonâs Future
Houston Advanced Research Center
University of Texas at Austin
The hubâs primary contractor is HyVelocity LLC. The company says the hub could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to seven million metric tons per year and create as many as 45,000 over the life of the project.
HyVelocity is looking at several locations in the Houston area and along the Gulf Coast for large-scale production of hydrogen. The process will rely on water from electrolysis along with natural gas from carbon capture and storage. To improve distribution and lower storage costs, the hub envisions creating a hydrogen pipeline system.
Clean hydrogen generated by the hub will help power fuel-cell electric trucks, factories, ammonia plants, refineries, petrochemical facilities, and marine fuel operations.
The deal will enable transportation of ExxonMobilâs low-carbon hydrogen through Air Liquideâs pipeline network. Photo via exxonmobil.com
Spring-based energy giant ExxonMobil has enlisted Air Liquide as a partner for whatâs being billed as the worldâs largest low-carbon hydrogen project.
The deal will enable transportation of ExxonMobilâs low-carbon hydrogen through Air Liquideâs pipeline network. Furthermore, Air Liquide will build and operate four units to supply 9,000 metric tons of oxygen and up to 6,500 metric tons of nitrogen each day for the ExxonMobil project.
Air Liquideâs U.S. headquarters is in Houston.
ExxonMobilâs hydrogen production facility is planned for the companyâs 3,400-acre Baytown refining and petrochemical complex. The project is expected to produce 1 billion cubic feet of low-carbon hydrogen daily from natural gas and more than 1 million tons of low-carbon ammonia annually while capturing more than 98 percent of the associated carbon emissions.
âMomentum continues to build for the worldâs largest low-carbon hydrogen project and the emerging hydrogen market,â Dan Ammann, president of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions, says in a news release.
The hydrogen project is expected to come online in 2027 or 2028.
ExxonMobil says using hydrogen to fuel its olefins plant at Baytown could reduce sitewide carbon emissions by as much as 30 percent. Meanwhile, the carbon capture and storage (CSUS) component of the project would be capable of storing 10 million metric tons of carbon each year, the company says.
Houston's HyVelocity Hub has joined in on a joint letter with the other six H2Hubs asking for revised guidelines. Photo via Getty Images
The group of regional hubs tapped by the United States government to receive funding to develop clean hydrogen projects have banded together to request a revision of the U.S. Department of Treasury's proposed hydrogen production tax credit (45V) guidance.
Houston's HyVelocity Hub, which was selected to receive up to $1.2 billion from the government's initiative, has joined in on a joint letter with the other six H2Hubs asking for revised requirements. HyVelocity also submitted its own letter to the Treasury.
HyVelocity's letter asks for flexibility and certainty the implementation of the âthree pillarsâ for electricity, which include temporality, incrementality, and deliverability.
"It is imperative that to enable the desired environmental, economic, and equity goals of the IRA, private investment in hydrogen production must advance at scale and at an accelerated pace. Hydrogen production project investments require stable market projections and assurance of regulatory stability to ensure the economics of the long-term projects. To support this investment environment, we recommend that projects be granted a 'grandfathered exemption' such that for the project's life, they can use the regulations in place at the time when construction begins," reads the letter from HyVelocity.
HyVelocity, representing the Gulf Coast region, plans to create up to 35,000 construction jobs and 10,000 permanent jobs across nine proposed core projects with a collective investment of more than $10 billion in private capital to bring low-carbon hydrogen to the market.
The Houston-area initiative is backed by industry partners AES Corporation, Air Liquide, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Mitsubishi Power Americas, Ărsted, and Sempra Infrastructure and The spearheaded by GTI Energy and other organizing participants, including the University of Texas at Austin, The Center for Houstonâs Future, Houston Advanced Research Center, and around 90 other supporting partners from academia, industry, government, and beyond.
The projectâs first phase is targeted to produce more than 1.1 million tonnes per annum of low-carbon ammonia by the end of 2027. Photo via Houston.org
Four companies from all around the world have agreed to work on a large-scale, low-carbon ammonia production and export project on the Houston Ship Channel.
Tokyo-based INPEX Corporation, Paris-based Air Liquide Group, Oklahoma City-based LSB Industries Inc., and Houston-based Vopak Moda Houston LLC have agreed to collaborate on the project, which is expected to deliver its first phase by the end of 2027 with the production of more than 1.1 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of low-carbon ammonia.
âAs we approach the achievement of our net zero target by 2050, the unveiling of our low carbon ammonia project in Texas, USA, stands as a momentous testament to INPEX's strong commitment to environmental leadership," INPEX President and CEO Takayuki Ueda says in a news release. "This innovative endeavor marks a significant milestone to create a clean fuel supply chain for a sustainable future.
"By harnessing the power of cutting-edge technologies and collaborative partnerships with Air Liquide, LSB and Vopak Moda, we are accelerating the transition to a low-carbon world, while solidifying our position as a pioneer in energy transformation and a responsible global energy player,â he continues.
Earlier this year, the project completed a feasibility study. Each of the companies will collaborate in various capacities, according to the release, including: Air Liquide and INPEX partnering on low-carbon hydrogen production with their respective technologies; LSB and INPEX collaborating on low-carbon ammonia production, with LSB selecting the ammonia loop technology provider, the pre-FEED, and the engineering, procurement and construction of the facility and LSB overseeing day-to-day operations; INPEX and LSB would sell the low-carbon ammonia and finalize off-take agreements; and Vopak Moda, which currently operates ammonia storage and handling infrastructure, will maintain its ownership of the existing infrastructure and future storage built.
âThis project is well aligned with our strategy to become a leader in the global energy transition through the production of low-carbon ammonia,â Mark Behrman, LSB Industries president and CEO, says in the statement. âAs a long-standing, highly experienced nitrogen producer and developer of nitrogen production facilities, we are uniquely positioned to play a key role in a critical element of this project by overseeing the design, construction and operation of the ammonia loop."
Veolia, a Boston-based company with major operations in Texas, is purchasing hazardous-waste company Clean Earth from Enviri as part of a $3 billion deal.
Veolia is a private water operator, technology provider and hazardous waste and pollution treatment company that operates a large hazardous waste treatment and incineration facility in Port Arthur. Hazardous waste treatment is a growing sector as the clean energy, semiconductor manufacturing, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries generate high levels of waste that need to be handled safely.
Acquiring Clean Earthâs 82 facilities, which include 19 EPA-permitted sites, will expand Veoliaâs reach into 10 new states and will position the company as the second-largest hazardous waste operator in the U.S., according to a news release. The deal is Veoliaâs sixth and largest North American acquisition of 2025.
â(The acquisition) allows us to unlock the full value potential of our U.S. hazardous waste activities and to double our size on this critical, fast-growing sector, creating a No. 2 player,â Estelle Brachlianoff, CEO of Veolia, said in a news release. âWe reinforce our global capacities in hazardous waste and further increase our international footprint.â
Veoliaâs Port Arthur facility specializes in servicing generators with large-volume waste treatment requirements.
The transaction is expected to close mid-2026. Veolia hopes the increased exposure into industries such as retail and healthcare will help to offer a full range of environmental services across the U.S.
âThis continued transformation of our portfolio enhances the growth profile and strength of our group, uniquely positioned to tackle the sustained demand for environmental security,â Brachlianoff added in the release.
Houstonâs Reliant and San Francisco tech company GoodLeap are teaming up to bolster residential battery participation and accelerate the growth of NRGâs virtual power plant (VPP) network in Texas.
Through the new partnership, eligible Reliant customers can either lease a battery or enter into a power purchase agreement with GoodLeap through its GoodGrid program, which incentivises users by offering monthly performance-based rewards for contributing stored power to the grid. Through the Reliant GoodLeap VPP Battery Program, customers will start earning $40 per month in rewards from GoodLeap.
âThese incentives highlight our commitment to making homeowner battery adoption more accessible, effectively offsetting the cost of the battery and making the upgrade a no-cost addition to their homes,â Dan Lotano, COO at GoodLeap, said in a news release.âWeâre proud to work with NRG to unlock the next frontier in distributed energy in Texas. This marks an important step in GoodLeap reaching our nationwide goal of 1.5 GW of managed distributed energy over the next five years.â
Other features of the program include power outage plans, with battery reserves set aside for outage events. The plan also intelligently manages the battery without homeowner interaction.
The partnership comes as Reliantâs parent company, NRG, continues to scale its VPP program. Last year, NRG partnered with California-based Renew Home to distribute hundreds of thousands of VPP-enabled smart thermostats by 2035 in an effort to help households manage and lower their energy costs.
âWe started building our VPP with smart thermostats across Texas, and now this partnership with GoodLeap brings home battery storage into our platform,â Mark Parsons, senior vice president and head of Texas energy at NRG, said in a the release. âEach time we add new devices, weâre enabling Texans to unlock new value from their homes, earn rewards and help build a more resilient grid for everyone. This is about giving customers the opportunity to actively participate in the energy transition and receive tangible benefits for themselves and their communities.
Corrosion is not something most people think about, but for Houston's industrial backbone pipelines, refineries, chemical plants, and water infrastructure, it is a silent and costly threat. Replacing damaged steel and overusing chemicals adds hundreds of millions of tons of carbon emissions every year. Despite the scale of the problem, corrosion detection has barely changed in decades.
In a recent episode of the Energy Tech Startups Podcast, Anwar Sadek, founder and CEO of Corrolytics, explained why the traditional approach is not working and how his team is delivering real-time visibility into one of the most overlooked challenges in the energy transition.
From Lab Insight to Industrial Breakthrough
Anwar began as a researcher studying how metals degrade and how microbes accelerate corrosion. He quickly noticed a major gap. Companies could detect the presence of microorganisms, but they could not tell whether those microbes were actually causing corrosion or how quickly the damage was happening. Most tests required shipping samples to a lab and waiting months for results, long after conditions inside the asset had changed.
That gap inspired Corrolytics' breakthrough. The company developed a portable, real-time electrochemical test that measures microbial corrosion activity directly from fluid samples. No invasive probes. No complex lab work. Just the immediate data operators can act on.
âIt is like switching from film to digital photography,â Anwar says. âWhat used to take months now takes a couple of hours.â
Why Corrosion Matters in Houston's Energy Transition
Houston's energy transition is a blend of innovation and practicality. While the world builds new low-carbon systems, the region still depends on existing industrial infrastructure. Keeping those assets safe, efficient, and emission-conscious is essential.
This is where Corrolytics fits in. Every leak prevented, every pipeline protected, and every unnecessary gallon of biocide avoided reduces emissions and improves operational safety. The company is already seeing interest across oil and gas, petrochemicals, water and wastewater treatment, HVAC, industrial cooling, and biofuels. If fluids move through metal, microbial corrosion can occur, and Corrolytics can detect it.
Because microbes evolve quickly, slow testing methods simply cannot keep up. âBy the time a company gets lab results, the environment has changed completely,â Anwar explains. âYou cannot manage what you cannot measure.â
A Scientist Steps Into the CEO Role
Anwar did not plan to become a CEO. But through the National Science Foundation's ICorps program, he interviewed more than 300 industry stakeholders. Over 95 percent cited microbial corrosion as a major issue with no effective tool to address it. That validation pushed him to transform his research into a product.
Since then, Corrolytics has moved from prototype to real-world pilots in Brazil and Houston, with early partners already using the technology and some preparing to invest. Along the way, Anwar learned to lead teams, speak the language of industry, and guide the company through challenges. âWhen things go wrong, and they do, it is the CEO's job to steady the team,â he says.
Why Houston
Relocating to Houston accelerated everything. Customers, partners, advisors, and manufacturing talent are all here. For industrial and energy tech startups, Houston offers an ecosystem built for scale.
What's Next
Corrolytics is preparing for broader pilots, commercial partnerships, and team growth as it continues its fundraising efforts. For anyone focused on asset integrity, emissions reduction, or industrial innovation, this is a company to watch.
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.
