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How Corrolytics is tackling industrial corrosion and cutting emissions

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Anwar Sadek of Corralytics. Courtesy photo

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.

“It is like switching from film to digital photography,” Anwar says. “What used to take months now takes a couple of hours.”

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. “By the time a company gets lab results, the environment has changed completely,” Anwar explains. “You cannot manage what you cannot measure.”

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. “When things go wrong, and they do, it is the CEO's job to steady the team,” 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.

Listen to the full conversation with Anwar Sadek 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.


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Here are all the events on CERAWeek's Agora track you can't miss if learning more about Houston energy innovation is your goal. Staff photo

Here are 20+ CERAWeek 2025 events featuring Houston energy leaders

where to be

CERAWeek 2025 will host more than 1,400 speakers at its annual energy-focused conference taking place March 10-14, with many hailing from Houston.

Under this year's theme, "Moving Ahead: Energy strategies for a complex world,” panels will tackle topics ranging from policy and regulation, geopolitics, power, grid, and electrification, AI and digital, managing emissions, and more.

Most of the innovation-themed events are organized under the Agora track and will feature many Houston-area startups, universities, companies, and scientists. Here are all the events on the Agora track you can't miss if you want to learn more about Houston energy innovation.

Transition in Action: Energy giants shaping a sustainable future

ExxonMobil's Senior Director, Climate Strategy & Technology Vijay Swarup will examine how major energy companies are driving energy transition goals along with panelists from S&P Global, Aramco Ventures and Gentari Sdn Bhd.

This panel is from 12:30-1 p.m. on Monday, March 10. More info here.

Syzygy Plasmonics | Deploying the World’s Most Economic Biogas to SAF Technology

Hear from Syzygy Plasmonics CEO Trevor Best about how the cleantech company's catalyst and reactor work and how the tools can dramatically reduce the cost of producing SAF from biogas from landfills, wastewater, and dairy farms.

This panel is from 2-2:30 p.m. on Monday, March 10. More info here.

Cemvita | The Future of Bioengineered Feedstocks: A Foresight Perspective

Cemvita CEO Moji Karimi will lead this panel.

This panel is from 4:30-5:15 p.m. on Monday, March 10. More info here.

Innovating with Purpose: Strengthening industrial-academic partnerships

David Dankworth, ExxonMobil's Hydrogen Technology Portfolio Manager, and Brian Korgel, the University of Texas Energy Institute Director, will be joined by leaders from MIT and S&P Global to discuss the crucial relationship between universities and industry in fostering purpose-driven innovation.

This panel is from 8:30–9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11. More info here.

Solidec | Low-cost, Low-carbon Chemicals from Air

Solidec co-founder and CEO Ryan DuChanois will discuss how the company's approach to producing hydrogen peroxide and other key chemicals can be low-cost and low-carbon, creating a scalable path for a more sustainable chemical industry.

This panel is from 9-9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11. More information here.

Collaboration Spotlight: The Carbon Hub: A public-private partnership leading the way to a sustainable carbon economy

Panelists from Rice University, Huntsman Advanced Materials, CERAWeek, The Kavli Foundation, and SABIC will discuss Rice's Carbon Hub's transformative power and what the future looks like for those creating this new carbon economy. Matteo Pasquali, the founding Director of the Carbon Hub, will be featured on the panel.

This panel is from 9:30-10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11. More information here.

Rice University | Next-generation Electrolyzers and Electrolysis

Haotian Wang, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Rice University and co-founder of Solidec, will discuss the development of next-generation electrolyzers that enable lower-cost and more energy-efficient carbon capture, chemical manufacturing and critical metal recovery.

This panel is from 9:30–10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11. More information here.

ExxonMobil | Real-world Progress on Building a Low-carbon Business

Schuyler Evans, ExxonMobil's CCS commerical and business development manager low carbon solutions, will speak on how the energy giant is navigating a complex energy transition and share insights into the strategic thinking behind building a new business that helps reduce emissions.

This panel is from 10-10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11. More information here.

Enovate.AI | AI-driven Advantage: Automate. Optimize. Decarbonize.

Enovate.AI Chief Experience Officer Rebecca Nye, joined by Last Mile Production, will show how its 3-clicks digital strategy empowers operators to make faster, smarter decisions—reducing emissions, enhancing productivity and unlocking new levels of profitability.

This panel is from 10:30–11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11. More information here.

Financing the Future: Scaling clean energy through innovative investment strategies

Jim Gable, president of Chevron Technology Ventures and vice president of innovation, along with Greentown Lab's new CEO Georgina Campbell Flatter, will discuss the bankability of technologies in different geographies, investment opportunities in emerging markets, sources of funding and risk management strategies investors are using. Panelists also include leaders from Siemens Energy, Energy Impact Partners, and S&P Global Commodity Insights.

This panel is from 12:30–1:10 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11. More information here.

Sage Geosystems | Geothermal at the Speed of Need: How Sage Geosystems is meeting growing energy demand

Learn from Jason Peart, general manager of strategy and development, how Sage's approach to geothermal technology is tackling the fast-growing energy demands of critical sectors, including data centers, utilities, energy storage, and US Department of Defense projects.

This panel is from 1:30–2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11. More information here.

Rice University | Valuing Nature-based Solutions for CO2 Removal

Carrie Masiello, director of the Rice Sustainability Institute, will introduce to the breadth of nature-based solutions possible, explore some of the most exciting opportunities and give guidance on how to think rigorously about matching individual NBS opportunities to specific portfolio needs.

This panel is from 1:30–2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11. More information here.

Square Robot | Bridging the Divide: How Square Robot's tank inspections align corporate strategy with on-the-ground reality

Square Robot CEO David Lamont will discuss how companies can keep their tank assets online by adopting new technology and navigating the challenges of aligning corporate objectives with site-level realities.

This panel is from 3–3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11. More information here.

The Green Gold Rush: A multi-trillion dollar opportunity?

Bobby Tutor, chairman of Houston Energy Transition Initiative and CEO of Artemis Energy Partners, will be joined by leaders from Accenture, S&P Global, and BeyondNetZero to discuss the immense economic potential of climate solutions and highlight the business opportunities created by the transition to a low-carbon economy.

This panel is from 4–4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11. More information here.

ExxonMobil | Applying Technology to Maximize Value in the Permian Basin

James Ritchie, Exxon's vice president upstream technology portfolio, will share the latest technologies being developed and deployed to improve recovery and capital efficiency in the Permian Basin and demonstrate how these technologies and innovations maximize overall value while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water usage.

This panel is from 2:30–3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12. More information here.

Rice University | Plasma Foundry for Scalable Industrial Decarbonization

Aditya Mohite, a Rice professor and the faculty director of the Rice Engineering Initiative for Energy Transition and Sustainability (REINVENTS), will share how The Plasma Foundry, a 1:1 customized accelerator at Rice, is using cold plasma technology and its accelerator model to provide disruptive solutions at scale.

This panel is from 9:30–10:15 a.m. on Thursday, March 13. More information here.

Fervo Energy | Speed and Scale: The Geothermal Decade Is Now

Quinn Woodard Jr., Fervo Energy's senior director, power generation and surface facilities, will discuss how the company is pioneering transformative EGS technology to power data centers, homes and beyond.

This panel is from 10:30–11 a.m. on Thursday, March 13. More information here.

Corrolytics | Digitizing and Revolutionizing Corrosion Detection and Monitoring for Industrial Assets

Anwar Sadek, Corrolytics co-founder and CEO, will share how the company is revolutionizing corrosion detection and monitoring with patented technology to proactively enhance safety, reduce costs and extend asset lifespan.

This panel is from 10:30–11 a.m. on Thursday, March 13. More information here.

Zeta Energy | The Rise of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: A solution to critical metal constraints

Rodrigo Salvatierra, Zeta's chief science officer, will introduce Zeta Energy’s lithium-sulfurized carbon technology, which effectively addresses the key limitations of lithium-sulfur batteries.

This panel is from 3–3:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 13. More information here.

Future Cities on the Move: Innovative pathways for sustainable urban mobility

Lisa Lin, Harris County's director of sustainability, will speak on this panel on successful public-private partnerships driving innovation in sustainable transport by leveraging technology and data analytics. She'll be joined by Aberdeen's council co-lead and leaders from S&P Global and GreenCap, based in Cape Town, South Africa.

This panel is from 3:30–4 p.m. on Thursday, March 13. More information here.

Collaboration Spotlight: Building a resilient Gulf Coast energy and chemical sector

Greater Houston Partnership and HETI's Jane Stricker will join Ramanan Krishnamoorti from the University of Houston and leaders from Argonne National Laboratory and SABIC to explore opportunities and pathways to strengthen the US Gulf Coast’s global leadership position in base chemical manufacturing and the national security and economic opportunities that innovation and process integration create.

This panel is from 4:30–5 p.m. on Thursday, March 13. More information here.

Anwar Sadek of Corrolytics joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to discuss his company's growth and move to Houston. Photo courtesy

This Houston innovator's innovative corrosion detection tech is vital to the future of energy

now streaming

Houston-based Corrolytics approach is to help revolutionize and digitize microbial corrosion detection — both to improves efficiency and operational cost for industrial companies, but also to move the needle on a cleaner future for the energy industry.

"We are having an energy transition — that is a given. As we are bringing new energy, there will be growth of infrastructure to them. Every single path for the energy transition, corrosion will play a primary role as well," Anwar Sadek, co-founder and CEO of Corrolytics, says on the Houston Innovators Podcast.

The technology Sadek and his team have created is a tool to detect microbial corrosion — a major problem for industrial businesses, especially within the energy sector. Sadek describes the product as being similar to a testing hit a patient would use at home or in a clinic setting to decipher their current ailments.



Users of the Corrolytics test kit can input their pipeline sample in the field and receive results via Corrolytics software platform.

"This technology, most importantly, is noninvasive. It does not have to be installed into any pipelines or assets that the company currently has," Sadek explains. "To actually use it, you don't have to introduce new techniques or new processes in the current operations. It's a stand-alone, portable device."

Corrolytics hopes to work with new energies from the beginning to used the data they've collected to prevent corrosion in new facilities. However, the company's technology is already making an impact.

"Every year, there is about 1.2 gigaton of carbon footprint a year that is released into the environment that is associated with replacing corroded steel in general industries," Sadek says. "With Corrolytics, (industrial companies) have the ability to extend the life of their current infrastructure."

Despite having success in taking his technology from lab to commercialization, Sadek made the strategic decision to move his company, Corrolytics, from where it was founded in Ohio to Houston.

"Houston is the energy capital of the world. For the technology we are developing, it is the most strategic move for us to be in this ecosystem and in this city where all the energy companies are, where all the investors in the energy space are — and things are moving really fast in Houston in terms of energy transition and developing the current infrastructure," Sadek says.

And as big as a move as it was, it was worth it, Sadek says.

"It's been only a year that we've been here, but we've made the most developments, the most outreach to clients in this one last year."

Sadek says his move to Houston has already paid off, and he cites one of the company's big wins was at the 2024 Houston Innovation Awards, where Corrolytics won two awards.

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This article originally ran on InnovationMap.

Nearly 20 Houston startups and innovators were named finalists for the 2024 Houston Innovation Awards this week. Photo via Getty Images

Houston energy transition innovators named finalists for annual awards program

best of the rest

The Houston Innovation Awards have named its honorees for its 2024 awards event, and several clean energy innovators have made the cut.

The finalists, which were named on EnergyCapital's sister site InnovationMap this week, were decided by this year's judges after they reviewed over 130 applications. More 50 finalists will be recognized in particular for their achievements across 13 categories, which includes the 2024 Trailblazer Legacy Awards that were announced earlier this month.

All of the honorees will be recognized at the event on November 14 and the winners will be named. Registration is open online.

Representing the energy industry, the startup finalists include:

  • Amperon, an AI platform powering the smart grid of the future, was named a finalist in the Energy Transition Business category.
  • ARIXTechnologies, an integrated robotics and data analytics company that delivers inspection services through its robotics platforms, was named a finalist in the Energy Transition Business and the AI/Data Science Business categories.
  • CLS Wind, a self-erection wind turbine tower system provider for the wind energy industry, was named a finalist in the Minority-Founded Business category.
  • Corrolytics, a technology startup founded to solve microbiologically influenced corrosion problems for industrial assets, was named a finalist in the Minority-Founded Business and People's Choice: Startup of the Year categories.
  • Elementium Materials, a battery technology with liquid electrolyte solutions, was named a finalist in the Energy Transition Business category.
  • Enovate Ai, a provider of business and operational process optimization for decarbonization and energy independence, was named a finalist in the AI/Data Science Business category.
  • FluxWorks, developer and manufacturer of magnetic gears and magnetic gear-integrated motors, was named a finalist in the Deep Tech Business category.
  • Gold H2, a startup that's transforming depleted oil fields into hydrogen-producing assets utilizing existing infrastructure, was named a finalist in the Minority-Founded Business and the Deep Tech Business categories.
  • Hertha Metals, developer of a technology that cost-effectively produces steel with fewer carbon emissions, was named a finalist in the Deep Tech Business category.
  • InnoVentRenewables, a startup with proprietary continuous pyrolysis technology that converts waste tires, plastics, and biomass into valuable fuels and chemicals, was named a finalist in the Energy Transition Business and the People's Choice: Startup of the Year categories.
  • NanoTech Materials, a chemical manufacturer that integrates novel heat-control technology with thermal insulation, fireproofing, and cool roof coatings to drastically improve efficiency and safety, was named a finalist in the Scaleup of the Year category.
  • SageGeosystems, an energy company focused on developing and deploying advanced geothermal technologies to provide reliable power and sustainable energy storage solutions regardless of geography, was named a finalist in the Energy Transition Business category.
  • Square Robot, an advanced robotics company serving the energy industry and beyond by providing submersible robots for storage tank inspections, was named a finalist in the Scaleup of the Year category.
  • Syzygy Plasmonics, a company that's decarbonizing chemical production with a light-powered reactor platform that electrifies the production of hydrogen, syngas, and fuel with reliable, low-cost solutions, was named a finalist in the Scaleup of the Year category.
  • TierraClimate, a software provider that helps grid-scale batteries reduce carbon emissions, was named a finalist in the Energy Transition Business category.
  • Voyager Portal, a software platform that helps commodity traders and manufacturers in the O&G, chemicals, agriculture, mining, and project cargo sectors optimize the voyage management lifecycle, was named a finalist in the AI/Data Science Business category.

In addition to the startup finalists, two energy transition-focused organizations were recognized in the Community Champion Organization category, honoring a corporation, nonprofit, university, or other organization that plays a major role in the Houston innovation community. The two finalists in that category are:

  • Energy Tech Nexus, a new global energy and carbon tech hub focusing on hard tech solutions that provides mentor, accelerator and educational programs for entrepreneurs and underserved communities.
  • Greentown Houston, a climatetech incubator and convener for the energy transition community that provides community engagement and programming in partnership with corporations and other organizations.

Lastly, a few energy transition innovators were honored in the individual categories, including Carlos Estrada, growth partner at First Bight Ventures and head of venture acceleration at BioWell; Juliana Garaizar, founding partner of Energy Tech Nexus; and Neal Dikeman, partner at Energy Transition Ventures.

Over 500 people attended the 21st annual Energy Tech Venture Forum hosted by the Rice Alliance. Photo courtesy of Rice

Investors name most-promising energy tech startups at annual Houston event

big winners

Investors from around the world again identified the most-promising energy tech startups at the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship's annual event.

"The recognition that Houston is the epicenter of energy transition is growing. It's something we are championing as much as possible so that the world can know exactly what we're doing," Paul Cherukuri, chief innovation officer at Rice University says at the 21st annual Energy Tech Venture Forum.

The event took place during the inaugural Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week, and nearly 100 startups from 23 states and seven countries pitched investors Wednesday, September 11, and Thursday, September 12. At the conclusion of the event, the investors decided on 10 companies deemed "most promising" from the presentations.

This year's selected companies are:

  • Revterra, a Houston-based company innovating within kinetic battery technology to enable faster and cleaner electric vehicle charging.
  • From Austin, 360 Mining is a modular data center provider for the oil and gas producers.
  • New York company Andium is a centralized and optimized operations platform for large energy companies.
  • Elementium Materials, a local Katy-based company, created its battery technology that originated out of MIT.
  • Splight is a San Mateo, California-based technology platform that provides real-time operational data based on inverter-based resources assets.
  • Los Angeles-based Mitico, one of the Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator's class 4 participants, provides services and equipment for carbon capture through its granulated metal carbonate sorption technology.
  • From Cambridge, Massachusetts, Osmoses is changing the way molecular gas separations are performed within the chemical, petrochemical, and energy industries.
  • Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator class 4 participant CORROLYTICS, based in Houston, has a corrosion detection and monitoring technology. The company also won over the crowd and secured the People's Choice win too.
  • Ardent, based in New Castle, Delaware, has developed a membrane technology for point-source carbon capture.
  • New Haven, Connecticut-based Oxylus Energy produces an alternative fuel from converting CO2 into green methanol.

Last year, investors named its selection of most-promising companies at Rice.

"We have a responsibility as a city to lead energy transition," Cherukuri continues. "A lot of the investments we're making at Rice are going to change the world."

———

This article originally ran on InnovationMap.

The Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator, a hybrid program based out of the Ion, has named its latest cohort. Photo courtesy of the Ion

Exclusive: Houston clean energy accelerator names 4th cohort of early-stage tech companies

coming soon to Hou

The Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator has named 12 early-stage energy technology companies to its latest cohort.

The companies, which hail from six states and two countries, are providing solutions across carbon management, advanced materials, hydrogen, solar, and more. The program, which operates in a hybrid capacity based out of the Ion, will run for 10 weeks beginning July 9 and culminating in a demo day alongside the 21st Rice Alliance Energy Tech Venture Forum on September 12. Throughout the duration, the companies will come to Houston three times.

"As Houston’s preeminent energy startup accelerator, this is an open door to the region’s energy ecosystem for ventures from around the world and puts them through a rigorous curriculum to bolster their fundraising efforts, prepare them for accelerated adoption into the marketplace and expand their connections for potential pilots, partnerships and sales," per a Rice Alliance news release.

This cohort's executives-in-residence, or XiRs, include Tim Franklin-Hensler, John Jeffers, Ritu Sachdeva and Nick Tillmann. In addition to these innovators — who bring their expertise, mentorship, and strategic growth planning — the program is ed by the Rice Alliance’s Kerri Smith and Matt Peña.

Class 4 for the Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator includes:

  • 1s1 Energy, based in Portola Valley, California, develops electrolyzers with boron-based materials so that utilities and heavy industry can produce low-cost green hydrogen to decarbonize existing and future businesses.
  • Houston-based Capwell provides a cost-effective, modular, and easily transportable system that eliminates methane emissions from wells for state governments and oil and as companies.
  • CarboMat, from Calgary, Alberta, provides a clean technology that produces low-cost, sustainable, and mid-tier grade carbon fibers at a 60 percent reduced production cost and 50 percent reduced GHG emissions to composite manufacturers in industries that require large volumes of inexpensive carbon fibers for production of commodity grade products.
  • Cleveland, Ohio-headquartered Corrolytics offers cutting-edge technology that detects corrosion on-site and in near real-time, providing accurate insights into microbial corrosion and general corrosion.
  • Geolabe, from Los Almos, New Mexico, provides an automated methane monitoring system that helps organizations measure environmental performance and introduce and prioritize remedial actions.
  • Kaizen, which operates in Tomball just outside of Houston, provides hydrogen based microgrids that enable fleet electrification at sites that are grid constrained or off grid. The solutions emit no local emissions and reduce global emissions.
  • Los Angeles-based Mitico offers services and equipment to capture carbon dioxide with a patent-pending granulated metal carbonate sorption technology captures over 95 percent of the CO2 emitted from post-combustion point sources.
  • OceanBit, headquartered in Honolulu, provides ocean thermal energy technologies and power plants that delivers abundant, affordable, base load power to utilities and companies who need a firm, dispatchable, and 24/7 carbon-free source of electricity.
  • From Ontario, Canada, QEA Tech provides detailed building envelope energy audits using drones, thermography, and proprietary AI based software.
  • Houston-based Sensytec offers patented sensors, delivering real-time, accurate material performance data of concrete and advanced building materials.
  • Vroom Solar, based in Springfield, Missouri, provides Smart Solar Management technology that optimizes solar and optional AC power differently at a lower cost and smaller footprint for solar customers who need affordable, efficient, and user-friendly power anywhere.
  • VulcanX, from Vancouver, Canada, provides hydrogen and solid carbon to gas utilities, steel manufacturers and ammonia producers who require low-cost and low-emission hydrogen.

Since launching in 2021, the Clean Energy Accelerator has accelerated 43 ventures that have raised more than $166 million in funding. According to the program, these companies have piloted their technologies, connected with investors, created jobs, and many relocated to Houston.

The 2023 cohort included 15 clean energy companies.

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10+ exciting energy breakthroughs made by Houston teams in 2025

Year In Review

Editor's note: As 2025 comes to a close, we're revisiting the biggest headlines and major milestones of the energy sector this year. Here are the most exciting scientific breakthroughs made by Houstonians this year that are poised to shape the future of energy:

Rice University team develops eco-friendly method to destroy 'forever chemicals' in water

Rice University researchers have developed a new method for removing PFAS from water that works 100 times faster than traditional filters. Photo via Rice University.

Rice University researchers have teamed up with South Korean scientists to develop the first eco-friendly technology that captures and destroys toxic “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, in water. The Rice-led study centered on a layered double hydroxide (LDH) material made from copper and aluminum that could rapidly capture PFAS and be used to destroy the chemicals.

UH researchers make breakthrough in cutting carbon capture costs

UH carbon capture cost cutting

A team from UH has published two breakthrough studies that could help cut costs and boost efficiency in carbon capture. Photo courtesy UH.

A team of researchers at the University of Houston has made two breakthroughs in addressing climate change and potentially reducing the cost of capturing harmful emissions from power plants. Led by Professor Mim Rahimi at UH’s Cullen College of Engineering, the team first introduced a membraneless electrochemical process that cuts energy requirements and costs for amine-based carbon dioxide capture during the acid gas sweetening process.The second breakthrough displayed a reversible flow battery architecture that absorbs CO2 during charging and releases it upon discharge.

Houston team’s discovery brings solid-state batteries closer to EV use

Houston researchers have uncovered why solid-state batteries break down and what could be done to slow the process. Photo via Getty Images.

A team of researchers from the University of Houston, Rice University and Brown University has uncovered new findings that could extend battery life and potentially change the electric vehicle landscape. Their work deployed a powerful, high-resolution imaging technique known as operando scanning electron microscopy to better understand why solid-state batteries break down and what could be done to slow the process.

Houston researchers make breakthrough on electricity-generating bacteria

A team of Rice researchers, including Caroline Ajo-Franklin and Biki Bapi Kundu, has uncovered how certain bacteria breathe by generating electricity. Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University.

Research from Rice University that merges biology with electrochemistry has uncovered new findings on how some bacteria generate electricity. Research showed how some bacteria use compounds called naphthoquinones, rather than oxygen, to transfer electrons to external surfaces in a process known as extracellular respiration. In other words, the bacteria are exhale electricity as they breathe. This process has been observed by scientists for years, but the Rice team's deeper understanding of its mechanism is a major breakthrough, with implications for the clean energy and industrial biotechnology sectors, according to the university.

Rice researchers' quantum breakthrough could pave the way for next-gen superconductors

Researchers from Rice University say their recent findings could revolutionize power grids, making energy transmission more efficient. Image via Getty Images.

A study from researchers at Rice University could lead to future advances in superconductors with the potential to transform energy use. The study revealed that electrons in strange metals, which exhibit unusual resistance to electricity and behave strangely at low temperatures, become more entangled at a specific tipping point, shedding new light on these materials. The materials share a close connection with high-temperature superconductors, which have the potential to transmit electricity without energy loss, according to the researchers. By unblocking their properties, researchers believe this could revolutionize power grids and make energy transmission more efficient.

UH researchers develop breakthrough material to boost efficiency of sodium-ion batteries

A team at the University of Houston is changing the game for sodium-ion batteries. Photo via Getty Images

A research lab at the University of Houston developed a new type of material for sodium-ion batteries that could make them more efficient and boost their energy performance. The Canepa Research Laboratory is working on a new material called sodium vanadium phosphate, which improves sodium-ion battery performance by increasing the energy density. This material brings sodium technology closer to competing with lithium-ion batteries, according to the researchers.

Houston researchers make headway on developing low-cost sodium-ion batteries

Houston researchers make headway on developing low-cost sodium-ion batteries

Rice's Atin Pramanik and a team in Pulickel Ajayan's lab shared new findings that offer a sustainable alternative to lithium batteries by enhancing sodium and potassium ion storage. Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Courtesy Rice University

A new study by researchers from Rice University’s Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Baylor University and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram has introduced a solution that could help develop more affordable and sustainable sodium-ion batteries. The team worked with tiny cone- and disc-shaped carbon materials from oil and gas industry byproducts with a pure graphitic structure. The forms allow for more efficient energy storage with larger sodium and potassium ions, which is a challenge for anodes in battery research. Sodium and potassium are more widely available and cheaper than lithium.

Houston scientists develop 'recharge-to-recycle' reactor for lithium-ion batteries

Rice University scientists' “recharge-to-recycle” reactor has major implications for the electric vehicle sector. Photo courtesy Jorge Vidal/Rice University.

Engineers at Rice University have developed a cleaner, innovative process to turn end-of-life lithium-ion battery waste into new lithium feedstock. The findings demonstrate how the team’s new “recharge-to-recycle” reactor recharges the battery’s waste cathode materials to coax out lithium ions into water. The team was then able to form high-purity lithium hydroxide, which was clean enough to feed directly back into battery manufacturing. The study has major implications for the electric vehicle sector, which significantly contributes to the waste stream from end-of-life battery packs.

Houston researchers develop strong biomaterial that could replace plastic

A team led by M.A.S.R. Saadi and Muhammad Maksud Rahman has developed a biomaterial that they hope could be used for the “next disposable water bottle." Photo courtesy Rice University.

Collaborators from two Houston universities are leading the way in engineering a biomaterial into a scalable, multifunctional material that could potentially replace plastic. The study introduced a biosynthesis technique that aligns bacterial cellulose fibers in real-time, which resulted in robust biopolymer sheets with “exceptional mechanical properties.” Ultimately, the scientists hope this discovery could be used for the “next disposable water bottle,” which would be made by biodegradable biopolymers in bacterial cellulose, an abundant resource on Earth. Additionally, the team sees applications for the materials in the packaging, breathable textiles, electronics, food and energy sectors.

Houston researchers reach 'surprising' revelation in materials recycling efforts

A team led by Matteo Pasquali, director of Rice’s Carbon Hub, has unveiled how carbon nanotube fibers can be a sustainable alternative to materials like steel, copper and aluminum. Photo by Jeff Fitlow/ Courtesy Rice University

Researchers at Rice University have demonstrated how carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers can be fully recycled without any loss in their structure or properties. The discovery shows that CNT fibers could be used as a sustainable alternative to traditional materials like metals, polymers and the larger, harder-to-recycle carbon fibers, which the team hopes can pave the way for more sustainable and efficient recycling efforts.

UH lands $1M NSF grant to train future critical minerals workforce

workforce pipeline

The University of Houston has launched a $1 million initiative funded by the National Science Foundation to address the gap in the U.S. mineral industry and bring young experts to the field.

The program will bring UH and key industry partners together to expand workforce development and drive research that fuels innovation. It will be led by Xuqing "Jason" Wu, an associate professor of information science technology.

“The program aims to reshape public perception of the critical minerals industry, highlighting its role in energy, defense and advanced manufacturing,” Wu said in a news release. “Our program aims to showcase the industry’s true, high-tech nature.”

The project will sponsor 10 high school students and 10 community college students in Houston each year. It will include industry mentors and participation in a four-week training camp that features “immersive field-based learning experiences.”

“High school and community college students often lack exposure to career pathways in mining, geoscience, materials science and data science,” Wu added in the release. “This project is meant to ignite student interest and strengthen the U.S. workforce pipeline in the minerals industry by equipping students with technical skills, industry knowledge and career readiness.”

This interdisciplinary initiative will also work with co-principal investigators across fields at UH:

  • Jiajia Sun, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
  • Yan Yao and Jiefu Chen, Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Yueqin Huang, Information Science Technology

According to UH, minerals and rare earth elements have become “essential building blocks of modern life” and are integral components in technology and devices, roads, the energy industry and more.

Houston microgrid company names new CEO

new hire

Houston-based electric microgrid company Enchanted Rock has named a new CEO.

John Carrington has assumed the role after serving as Enchanted Rock's executive chairman since June, the company announced earlier this month.

Carrington most recently was CEO of Houston-based Stem, which offers AI-enabled software and services designed for setting up and operating clean energy facilities. He stepped down as Stem’s CEO in September 2024. Stem, which was founded in 2006 and went public under Carrington's leadership in 2021, was previously based in San Francisco.

Carrington has also held senior leadership roles at Miasolé, First Solar and GE.

Corey Amthor has served as acting CEO of Enchanted Rock since June. He succeeded Enchanted Rock founder Thomas McAndrew in the role, with McAndrew staying on with the company as a strategic advisor and board member. With the hiring of Carrington, Amthor has returned to his role as president. According to the company, Amthor and Carrington will "partner to drive the company’s next phase of growth."

“I’m proud to join a leadership team known for technical excellence and execution, and with our company-wide commitment to innovation, we are well positioned to navigate this moment of unprecedented demand and advance our mission alongside our customers nationwide,” Carrington said in the news release. “Enchanted Rock’s technology platform delivers resilient, clean and scalable ultra-low-emissions onsite power that solves some of the most urgent challenges facing our country today. I’m energized by the strong momentum and growing market demand for our solutions, and we remain committed to providing data centers and other critical sectors with the reliable power essential to their operations.”

This summer, Enchanted Rock also announced that Ian Blakely would reassume the role of CFO at the company. He previously served as chief strategy officer. Paul Froutan, Enchanted Rock's former CTO, was also named COO last year.

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