Engie and CBRE IM have partnered on a portfolio of 31 projects in ERCOT and California-based CAISO territories. Photo via Getty Images

Houston’s Engie North America has partnered with New York-based CBRE Investment Management on a 2.4-gigawatt portfolio of battery storage assets in Texas and California.

The portfolio consists of 31 projects operating in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and California Independent System Operator (CAISO) territories. According to a company statement, the transaction represents one of Engie’s largest operating portfolio partnerships in the U.S.

“We are delighted that ENGIE and CBRE IM are partnering in this industry-leading transaction, supporting 2.4 GW of storage that will support the growing demand for power in Texas and California,” Dave Carroll, Chief Renewables Officer and SVP, ENGIE North America, said in the news release.

The deal is also one of the sector’s largest sales completed to date. Engie will retain a controlling share in the portfolio and will continue to operate and manage the assets.

“The scale of this portfolio reflects ENGIE’s commitments to meeting the energy needs of the U.S. and increasing the resilience of the ERCOT and CAISO grids,” Carroll added in the news release. “CBRE IM’s investment reflects their confidence in ENGIE’s proven track record in developing, building, operating and financing renewable assets, both in North America and globally.”

In North America, ENGIE currently has more than 11 gigawatts of renewable production and battery storage in operation or construction. Last year, Engie added 4.2 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity worldwide, bringing the total capacity to 46 gigawatts as of December 31. It also recently made a preliminary deal to supply wind power to a Cipher Mining data center in Texas.

As of March 31, 2025, CBRE IM had $149.1 billion in assets under management and operated in 20 countries.

“We are excited to partner with ENGIE on this high-quality, scaled battery storage portfolio with a strong operating track record,” Robert Shaw, managing director, private infrastructure strategies at CBRE Investment Management, said in the release.

The two projects are in Wharton County and Bell County and will add renewable energy to the Texas energy grid. Photo via Pexels

Packaging producer procures power purchase plan with Texas solar projects

powering on

A leading provider of sustainable fiber-based paper and packaging solutions is supporting the first of two Texas-based solar projects.

WestRock set the stage by entering into virtual power purchase agreements with Houston-based ENGIE North America. The two projects are in Wharton County and Bell County and will add renewable energy to the Texas energy grid.

Bernard Creek Solar is the first of two solar projects that are part of the VPPAs between WestRock and ENGIE, and is currently operating southwest of Houston in Wharton County. WestRock contracted 207 megawatts from the project Under the VPPA. The 230 megawatts Bernard Creek solar project is projected to produce approximately 500,000 megawatts an hour annually, which will generate over $45 million in revenue for the county and create more than 250 jobs during construction.

The WestRock VPPA for the Bernard Creek project, and the similar project located in Bell County, will add a total of 282 megawatts of renewable energy to the Texas energy grid.

"We are delighted that Bernard Creek Solar is supporting WestRock’s ambitions to meet its 2030 science-based targets,” Dave Carroll, chief renewables officer at ENGIE, says in a news release. “North AmericaENGIE’s projects are focused on meeting the specific needs of our clients as we work together to accelerate the energy transition in North America, and this agreement reflects that."

The VPPAs with WestRock have contributed to ENGIE to surpass more than 1 gigawatt of signed power purchases. ENGIE is recognized as the top developer to sell corporate energy PPAs and has ranked in the top three since 2019 with a total corporate PPA portfolio in the USA of 7.3 according to BloombergNEF's latest Market Outlook report. Schneider Electric’s Sustainability Business provided the advisory services and strategy management for these pivotal VPPAs with WestRock.

"We are pleased to play a role in the production of clean energy from large-scale solar projects and to join forces with ENGIE and Schneider Electric to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by adding more renewable energy to the grid,” David B. Sewell, president and CEO at WestRock, adds.

The Texas projects are set to come online in 2024. Photo via Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric to invest in Texas clean energy projects with IRA tax credit transfer

shining on solar

Energy management and automation company Schneider Electric is investing in a Texas portfolio of solar and battery storage systems developed, built, and operated by Houston-based ENGIE North America.

The Texas projects are set to come online in 2024. France-based Schneider says the projects will put the company closer to reaching its goal of 100 percent renewable energy in the U.S. and Canada by 2030.

The Schneider investment comes in the form of tax credit transfers enabled by the federal Inflation Reduction Act. A Schneider news release didn’t put a price tag on the investment and didn’t name the Texas projects.

Schneider explains that the federal law enables the transfer of certain federal tax credits from renewable energy, clean energy manufacturing, battery storage and other clean energy projects. These transfers are an alternative to traditional tax equity deals.

“This collaboration with Schneider signals a real step forward in accelerating the net-zero transition,” Dave Carroll, chief renewables officer and senior vice president at ENGIE North America, says in the news release.

Carroll adds that the solar-and-storage portfolio and the tax credit transfers “support the continued growth of renewable energy and storage options in the U.S., which brings economic opportunities to an expanding set of communities alongside the transition to a lower-carbon grid.”

Last month, ENGIE said it had recently wrapped up more than $1 billion in tax equity financing from banking heavyweights BNP Paribas, Goldman Sachs, and J.P. Morgan Chase. The financing went toward 1.3 gigawatts’ worth of clean energy projects.

Located in Callahan County, Texas, outside of Abilene, ENGIE's Century Oak Wind Project is nearing completion. Photo courtesy of Engie

Low-carbon energy company with U.S. HQ in Houston to launch Texas wind energy plant later this year

wind in the west

A wind energy project being built just east of Abilene by Houston-based ENGIE North America will annually supply 65 megawatts of power to Ferguson, a distributor of hardware, tools, plumbing supplies, and other industrial items.

Under a newly signed agreement, ENGIE’s 153-megawatt Century Oak project is expected to generate enough wind energy to meet most of Ferguson’s electrical needs in the U.S. and Canada. This energy would power the equivalent of 34,000 typical homes in the U.S. The project features 45 wind turbines.

The Century Oak project is creating about 300 to 400 construction jobs. It’s scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023.

Paperwork submitted in 2021 to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts indicates ENGIE North America, a subsidiary of French utility company ENGIE, is investing more than $140 million in the project.

Across North America, ENGIE is building or operating nearly seven gigawatts’ worth of wind, solar, and storage capacity.

“We have activities in more than 100 counties across the U.S. and Canada — the energy transition is really one that will be powered by communities across the continent,” says Dave Carroll, chief renewables officer at ENGIE North America.

ENGIE’s other wind energy customers in Texas include Akamai, Allianz, GetBlok Farms, Ingersoll Rand, Microsoft, and Walmart.

Last year, ENGIE North America wrapped up $800 million in financing for three renewable energy projects in the U.S., including a wind farm in Texas, that are capable of generating 665 megawatts of renewable energy.

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New Houston energy startup launches to power AI data centers

power move

Buoyed by a purchase agreement from Microsoft, Houston-based Joulent recently launched to build power plants that meet the electricity demands of AI data centers and other computing-heavy industries.

Joulent builds dedicated power-generating facilities that feed directly into data centers and other power-dependent facilities, eliminating the need for companies to siphon power from grids. Joulent’s plants combine generation, storage and smart controls in a modular, scalable setup, according to a news release.

Investment firm Engine No. 1 established Joulent in collaboration with energy technology company GE Vernova.

Joulent’s first project, the Project Kilby natural gas facility in West Texas, will be co-located with a Microsoft data center. It’ll deliver about 2.67 gigawatts of power under a 20-year deal between Microsoft and Energy Forge One, a subsidiary of Houston-based Chevron. Engine No. 1 and Chevron teamed up to build the plant.

GE Vernova will supply most of the plant’s power capacity, with additional capacity coming from Solar Turbines, a subsidiary of Irving-based construction and mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar.

“Leadership in the AI era will be determined by who can deliver energy and compute the fastest, most reliably, and at the lowest cost,” Chris James, founder and CEO of Engine No. 1 and Joulent, said in a news release. “By building new power-generating facilities, Joulent enables customers across industries to power the next chapter of American innovation, while reducing pressure on existing grids and maintaining affordability for ratepayers.”

Baker Hughes signs deal to install 500 MW of geothermal power

geothermal growth

Baker Hughes has made a deal to further expand its geothermal operations.

The Houston-based energy giant has signed an agreement with Mantle Reach Power to develop geothermal energy projects across North America. The companies say they aim to install up to 500 megawatts of geothermal power in the next five years, according to a news release.

Through the new agreement, Baker Hughes will provide subsurface technology and solutions while Mantle Reach Power will lead project development, ownership and financing. Mantle Reach Power is a geothermal development company backed by the $47 billion EnCap Energy Transition Fund III.

According to the release, the deal aims to help solve one of geothermal energy's fundamental problems by aligning capital with expertise and technology, and enhancing "pre-construction bankability."

“Geothermal is a clean power solution that is proving to be a vital contributor to advancing sustainable energy development, with incredible potential to enhance U.S. energy security, support digital infrastructure, and ensure energy remains accessible and affordable ... Today’s announcement celebrates the commercial architecture the industry has been missing: a repeatable, financeable model that can be deployed at the speed and scale to meet global energy demands,” Baker Hughes Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Simonelli said in the news release.

“Integrating Baker Hughes’ subsurface-to-surface expertise with our capabilities in project development, finance, and execution positions Mantle Reach Power to commercialize geothermal assets at scale,” Nick Karambelas, CEO of Mantle Reach Power, added in the release. “This structure provides the construction and operating certainty necessary to access conventional project financing and accelerate our growth as an independent power producer.”

Baker Hughes has launched multiple geothermal partnerships in recent months. The company announced a deal with Oklahoma-based Helmerich & Payne Inc. (H&P) in May to develop a geothermal rig, where H&P will provide a geothermal-capable land drilling rig and Baker Hughes will contribute technology.

In March, the company announced support for XGS’s geothermal extraction projects in New Mexico, which are being used to meet the increasing demands of data centers in the state. Last year, Fervo Energy selected Baker Hughes to supply equipment for its flagship geothermal project in Utah.