Houston renewables developer lands $85M for nationwide solar projects

fresh funding

Catalyze has secured an $85 million tax equity investment to support the construction and completion of 75 megawatts of solar projects nationwide in 2025. Photo courtesy of Catalyze

Houston-based Catalyze, a developer of independent power systems, announced it has secured an $85 million tax equity investment from RBC Community Investments.

“RBC’s investment in this portfolio demonstrates our commitment to advancing clean energy solutions within local communities,” Jonathan Cheng, managing director at RBC, said in a news release. “We are excited to partner with Catalyze on the strategic deployment of these and future projects.”

The financing will go toward the construction and completion of 75 megawatts of commercial and industrial solar projects nationwide in 2025. Catalyze’s current generation portfolio now totals 300 megawatts of projects in operations and construction.

The transaction will help Catalyze’s existing relationship with RBC, which demonstrates a commitment to advancing renewable energy solutions at scale.

“RBC is a valued financing partner, and we are pleased to further expand our relationship with this latest investment,” Jared Haines, CEO of Catalyze, said in a news release. “This financing enables us to further our mission to bring scalable distributed generation projects to businesses and communities nationwide.”

Catalyze also has other private equity sponsors in EnCap Investments and Actis.

Last May, Catalyze announced that it secured $100 million in financing from NY Green Bank to support a 79-megawatt portfolio of community distributed generation solar projects across New York state.

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With $100 million in fresh funding, Houston-based Catalyze has announced 10 new solar development projects in New York. Photo via Getty Images

Houston renewable energy developer continues growth in New York with 10 new solar projects

shine on

A Houston renewable energy developer has announced 10 new projects in partnership with a New York company.

Cataly ze selected GreenSpark Solar — an engineering, procurement, and construction company — to work on 10 new renewable energy projects totaling 60 megawatts.

“We’re excited to expand our solar portfolio through this partnership with GreenSpark, which has been a leader in the New York renewable energy landscape for over two decades now,” Jared Haines, CEO of Catalyze, says in a news release. “We look forward to sharing our mutual expertise to provide New Yorkers with affordable and reliable renewable electricity, regardless of geography or income.”

The projects, which are expected to deliver this year through mid 2025, will be funded in part by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority through the NY-Sun Program. The state has a goal of installing 10 gigawatts of distributed solar and reaching 70 percent renewable energy by 2030, per the release.

“Community solar is one of the best avenues to bring the energy transition to low-middle income communities—a movement that GreenSpark is incredibly passionate about,” adds Kevin Schulte, CEO of GreenSpark Solar. “We are excited to support Catalyze’s success in bringing community solar projects online across New York and look forward to supporting them to bring this portfolio of solar projects to fruition, and in turn, bring more renewable energy to our communities.”

The deal follows Catalyze's May announcement that it secured $100 million in financing from NY Green Bank to support a 79 megawatt portfolio of community distributed generation solar projects across the state of New York.

Catalyze also announced another partnership earlier this month with real estate leader Cushman & Wakefield to expand installation of solar panels and battery storage technology at U.S. commercial and industrial properties.

Catalyze has teamed up with Cushman & Wakefield to expand installation of solar panels and battery storage technology. Photo courtesy of Catalyze

Houston renewable energy developer teams up with global commercial real estate biz

collaboration station

Houston-based Catalyze, a developer of independent power systems, has teamed up with commercial real estate services powerhouse Cushman & Wakefield to expand installation of solar panels and battery storage technology at U.S. commercial and industrial properties.

The two companies say the partnership will help owners and tenants of office buildings, warehouses, and other commercial properties reduce utility costs, boost operating income, achieve environmental goals and ease stress on the power grid.

“This partnership marks a significant step forward in our mission to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy among commercial and industrial customers, benefiting both tenants and building owners,” Jared Haines, CEO of Catalyze, says in a news release.

The partnership will enable Cushman & Wakefield to decrease greenhouse gas emissions at facilities it manages for clients as well as its own corporate offices. The real estate sector accounts for about 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions around the world.

“Our strategic partnership with Catalyze is a testament to our shared commitment to decarbonize the built environment by being at the forefront of the clean energy revolution,” says Jessica Francisco, Cushman & Wakefield’s chief sustainability officer. “Together, we are poised to advance the adoption of solar and storage technologies while driving down costs for our clients.”

In May, Catalyze announced that it secured $100 million in financing from NY Green Bank to support a 79 megawatt portfolio of community distributed generation solar projects across the state of New York.

Catalyze’s proprietary suite of technology will bring solar development practices to Lancaster and Amherst areas. Photo courtesy of Catalyze

Houston company secures $100M to fund solar projects across New York

fueling up

Houston’s Catalyze announced that it secured $100 million in financing from NY Green Bank to support a 79 megawatt portfolio of community distributed generation solar projects across the state of New York.

The loan is part of Catalyze’s increased presence in New York State with operational projects coming to Lancaster and Amherst. Catalyze’s proprietary suite of technology will bring solar development practices to the area.

Catalyze is a Houston-headquartered clean energy transition company that builds, owns, finances, and operates solar and battery storage systems. Catalyze is backed by leading energy investors EnCap Investments L.P. and Actis. NY Green Bank is a division of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

The deal aims to advance New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal of installing six gigawatts of distributed solar by 2025. This is part of a larger goal to 10 GW by 2030.

Catalyze owns two proprietary technologies in REenergyze, which is an origination-to-operations software integration platform to accelerate and scale nationwide adoption of commercial and industrial solar and storage, and SolarStrap. SolarStrap isa mounting technology to install rooftop panels.

“We are excited to leverage our extensive community solar expertise to ensure the success of NY Green Bank’s term loan supporting a community distributed generation (CDG) portfolio,” Jared Haines CEO of Catalyze, says in a news release. “CDG is one of the most effective means of making solar energy more accessible to low-to-moderate income communities, and we look forward to how this partnership will support both the goals of NY Green Bank and New York State.”

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CERAWeek 2026 to bring energy leaders to Houston to discuss tech and geopolitics

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CERAWeek returns this month, March 23-27, and will once again bring leading energy executives and government officials to Houston.

The 44th annual event will again host U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.

Wright will participate in a plenary session focused on energy policy with Daniel Yergin, conference chair and vice chairman of S&P Global, on March 23. The following day, he will be featured in the Celebrating 10 Years of U.S. LNG reception with Jack Fusso, president and CEO, of Cheniere Energy. Both events are part of the Executive Conference track.

Burgum will participate in a leadership dialogue plenary session with Yergin on March 25. It is also part of the Executive Conference track. Burgum is also chairman of the National Energy Dominance Council, established by President Trump in 2025.

Top energy executives, many of whom are based in Houston, will also be featured prominently at the week-long event. Other speakers include:

Bill Blevins, director of grid coordination for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
Trevor Best, CEO of Syzygy Plasmonics
Marie Contour Carrere, executive director of the Rice Sustainability Institute
Ryan DuChanois, co-founder and CEO of Solidec
Reginald DesRoches, president of Rice University
Georgina Campbell Flatter, CEO of Greentown Labs
Jim Fitterling, chair and CEO of Dow Inc.
Vicki Hollub, CEO of Occidental Petroleum Corp.
Renu Katon, chancellor and president of the University of Houston
Ryan Lance, chairman and CEO of ConocoPhillips
Olivier Le Peuch, CEO of SLB
Patrick Pouyanné, chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies SE
Adrian Tromel, chief innovation officer and interim VP for Innovation at Rice University
Bobby Tudor, founder and CEO of Artemis Energy Partners and chairman of HETI
Wael Sawan, CEO of Shell plc
Lorenzo Simonelli, chairman and CEO of Baker Hughes Co.
Mike Wirth, chairman and CEO of Chevron Corp.
Jeremy Pitts, managing director of Activate Houston
And many others

This year, CERAWeek will center around the theme of Convergence and Competition: Energy, Technology and Geopolitics.

"Change is inescapable," Yergin said in a news release. "The global energy landscape—and to a large extent the entire global economy—is being fundamentally reshaped by the dual forces of convergence and competition. The race for AI is fusing the energy and technology industries like never before, bringing into sharp relief the need to align energy expansion with sustainable economic growth."

"Yet, the potential for collaboration and innovation is increasingly matched by the risk for collision and conflict in a world marked by geopolitical rivalry, tariffs and fragmented supply chains," he continued. "Reconciling an increasingly complex world with the growing demand for energy that is stable, secure and affordable is a complex reality that CERAWeek 2026 will tackle when global energy leaders meet in Houston."

Key topics of discussion will include:

Politics, Economics, Trade and Supply Chains
Policy, Regulations and Stakeholders
Oil Value Chain
Power, Renewables, Generation and Grid
AI and Digital
Minerals and Mining
Electrification Technologies
Investment and Financing
Chemicals and Materials
Business Strategies
The Innovation Ecosystem
Managing Emissions
Low-Carbon Fuels and Mobility
Climate and Sustainability
Workforce Strategy

The CERAWeek Innovation Agora track, which is the program's deeper dive into technology and innovation, will feature thought leadership on "AI, decarbonization, low carbon fuels, cybersecurity, hydrogen, nuclear, mining and minerals, mobility, automation and more," according to the release.

Agora Hubs will return this year and be divided into three zones: new energies, carbon and climate, and AI. The hubs will feature amphitheater-style sessions and panels. Agora Pods will allow energy startups to showcase their ideas in 20- to 30-minute presentations.

Additionally, CERAWeek will introduce a new program this year on Friday, March 27. Known as Look Forward, it will focus on economics, politics and technology.

See the full agenda for the week here. Find more information and register for the event here.

Houston team unveils model to manage e-waste and more news to know

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Editor's note: The top energy transition news for March includes the "missing link" in scaling e-waste recycling and Houston's future as a leader in CCUS. Plus, we preview the teams pitching at the Energy Venture Day competition during CERAWeek. Here are the five most-read EnergyCapitalHTX stories from March 1-15:

1. Houston researchers propose model to scale e-waste recycling

Jian Shi, Chuyue Wang and Kailai Wang have developed a model that aims to make recycling e-waste economically viable and help recover critical minerals needed for EVs. Photo courtesy UH.

The “missing link” in critical minerals may have been in our junk drawers all along, according to new research from the University of Houston. Jian Shi, an associate professor in the UH Cullen College of Engineering, and his team have unveiled a new supply chain model that aims to make e-waste economically viable and could help make large-scale recycling possible. Continue reading.

2. Houston positioned to lead in Carbon Capture Utilization (CCU), study shows

Jane Stricker reflects on four years at HETI. Courtesy photo

With global demand for energy production while lowering emissions continues to grow, Houston and the Gulf Coast region are uniquely positioned to lead with carbon capture, utilization and sequestration (CCUS). A new study developed by the Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI) in collaboration with Deloitte Consulting explores how the region can transform captured CO₂ into valuable products while supporting continued economic growth and industrial competitiveness. Continue reading.

3. Houston cleantech startup seeks $200M for superhot geothermal plant

Houston cleantech startup seeks $200M for superhot geothermal plant

Quaise Energy is developing Project Obsidian, a superhot geothermal plant in central Oregon. Rendering via quaise.com.

Houston-based Quaise Energy is looking to raise $200 million to support the development of a 50-megawatt superhot geothermal plant in Oregon. The company is seeking $100 million in Series B funding, plus an additional $100 million from grants, debt and project-level finance, a representative from the company tells EnergyCapital. Continue reading.

4. 40+ teams to pitch at annual CERAWeek clean energy competition

40+ teams to pitch at annual CERAWeek clean energy competition

Houston-based HEXASpec took home the top TEX-E prize and $25,000 at last year's Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition. Photo courtesy TEX-E.

The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, the Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI), the Texas Entrepreneurship Exchange for Energy (TEX-E) and the Ion have named the 30-plus energy ventures and teams that will pitch at the 2026 Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition during CERAWeek this month. The selected ventures are "driving efficiency and advancements toward the energy transition," according to the Rice Alliance. Continue reading.

5. Texas data center boom could strain water supply, new report warns

A new report shows that Texas data centers used 25 billion gallons of water in 2025. Photo via HARC report.

As data centers continue to boom throughout Texas, a new report from the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) warns that the trend could strain the state’s water supply. HARC estimates Texas data centers used 25 billion gallons of water in 2025—and that the demand for water will continue to rise to meet the needs of the 464 data centers currently in Texas, as well as 70 additional sites currently under development. Continue reading.

Italian clean energy co. selects The Woodlands for North American HQ

new HQ

An Italian renewable energy company has picked The Woodlands for its North American headquarters.

AB Energy USA will occupy about 11,000 square feet in The Woodlands Towers at The Waterway. The company expects to add about 45 jobs in The Woodlands this year. Beginning in 2027, AB Energy USA will add another 30 jobs over a five-year period.

The new headquarters will be the corporate and governance hub for all of AB Energy’s North American subsidiaries. AB Energy, an arm of Italy-based AB, supplies renewable natural gas systems for industrial, commercial and data center customers. AB has operated in the U.S. since 2014.

“Establishing our North American headquarters in the Energy Capital of the World is a strategic step in AB’s long-term commitment to the U.S. market,” Paolo Ruggeri, North American CEO for AB Energy USA, said in a news release. “Houston gives us access to world-class engineering and energy talent, and strengthens our ability to attract and grow a high-performing team.”

Jevon Gibb, CEO of The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership, said several markets competed for AB Energy’s North American headquarters.

“AB’s decision to establish its North American headquarters here demonstrates The Woodlands’ competitiveness for both international companies and energy sector leaders,” Gibb said.

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