CERAWeek returns March 10-14, 2025. Photo courtesy of CERAWeek

Editor's note: March is a busy month for energy industry professionals in Houston, with a full calendar of meetups, summits, and, of course, CERAWeek. Below, we've rounded up the energy transition events you won't want to miss this month. Mark your calendars and register accordingly.

March 3-4 — Industrial Immersive

The Industrial Immersive community connects industrial, energy, engineering tech professionals making investment, strategy and tactical decisions, or building, scaling, and executing pioneering XR/ 3D/ simulations, digital twin, reality capture, edge/ spatial computing, AI/ ML, connected workforce & IIoT projects within their enterprise. This forum will bring together industry professionals to share first-hand experience, insight and advice for implementing and scaling immersive tech programs in enterprise operations.

This event begins Monday, March 3, at Westin Memorial City. Click here to register.

March 3-5 — Global Energy Meet 2025

The aim of this conference is to bring together all the key stakeholders interested in Fossil and Renewable Energy Sources to share and discuss advances and developments in these fields. It is a three-day event which features energy experts, academicians, business executives and engineers to showcase recent trends, strategies and challenges of energy systems. It creates a platform to focus on advancing new energy paradigms for energy systems and global energy issues.

This event begins Monday, March 3, at the Doubletree by Hilton. Click here to register.

March 4 — Low Carbon Investment Summit

The Low Carbon Investment Summit 2025, hosted by Flathead Forge, Energy Tech Nexus, and MetroNational, connects investors with breakthrough decarbonization technologies.The event will showcase innovative companies in decarbonization including water treatment, critical minerals, and energy transition sectors while connecting innovative companies with corporate VCs, family offices, and HNW investors. Space is limited.

This event begins Tuesday, March 4, at 11 am at MetroNational's Innovation District. Click here to register.

March 4-6 — THRIVE Energy Conference

The Thrive Energy Conference by Daniel Energy Partners is for key energy professionals collaborating on research-driven insights and trends key to developing a pathway to a “thriving” energy future. This unique event combines leadership from public and private global energy companies as well as investors under a professional yet fun atmosphere.

This event begins Tuesday, March 4, at Minute Maid Park. Click here to register.

March 10-14 — CERAWeek 2025

The foremost annual gathering in the energy sector returns to Houston March 10-14, 2025. Themed "Moving Ahead: Energy strategies for a complex world," CERAWeek 2025 will focus on the challenges ahead for energy security, supply, and climate ambitions. More than 10,000 participants from over 2,050 companies across 80 countries will convene in Houston for this ambitious event. CERAWeek comprises three platforms: the Executive Conference, the Innovation Agora, and Partner Programs. We'll dive into comprehensive CERAWeek recommendations in future articles.

This event begins Monday, March 10. Click here to register.

March 13: Energy Tech Market

Energy Tech Market features founders and industry experts sharing cutting-edge innovations, trends, and insights in energy technology. Organized by Energy Tech Nexus in collaboration with the Scale Up Hub Houston program and TechNL, this event brings together thought leaders and innovators to explore the latest developments across various sectors of the energy industry.

This event begins Thursday, March 13, at 10 am at GreenStreet. Click here to register.

March 18-20 — The Connected Worker: Energy Summit

The Connected Worker: Energy Summit provides the opportunity for you to get hands-on with the essential solutions you need to empower your frontline workforce, hear real-word case studies from energy and utility leaders, and network with your industry peers. Learn how to: create a safer work environment, boost compliance and improve efficiencies through automation, make your data mobile and reduce rework, downtime and time to decision; improve workforce mobility and maximize the use of data to continuously enhance process and asset performance; and much more.

This event begins Tuesday, March 18, at 8:45 am at The Westin Galleria. Click here to register.

March 26 — Bots And Brews Spring 2025

Bots & Brews is the H-town robotics, drones, geospatial, data & AI meetup, hosted by the Energy Drone & Robotics Coalition and the co-hosts: Industrial Digital Twin Forum, Industrial Reality Capture Forum & Industrial AI Nexus: Automate. Everyone in the energy and industrial robotics/drone/data & AI community are invited to come together to catch up and talk about real-world solutions and deployments.

This event is Wednesday, March 26, from 5 to 7:45 pm at The Cannon West. Click here to register.

March 31-April 2 — World Hydrogen North America 2025

The U.S. Department of Energy announced the Hydrogen Energy Earthshot initiative to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen by 80% within a decade. Canada has also released its Hydrogen Strategy, which aims to make the country a global leader in hydrogen production, use, and exports. Seize the opportunity to connect with industry leaders from across the hydrogen value chain, fostering long-term business partnerships and exploring potential collaborations. Engage with prominent off-takers, both nationally and internationally, and gain first-hand insights into the latest projects shaping the future of hydrogen in the USA and Canada.

This event begins Monday, March 31, at the Marriott Marquis. Click here to register.

Coastal lawmakers have filed at least six bills that would require emergency generators on site for senior facilities. Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Texas lawmakers push for generators at senior living facilities after Hurricane Beryl

Being Prepared

When a storm hits the Texas coast during the summer hurricane season, state Sen. Borris Miles knows among the first calls he’ll get is from a constituent letting him know power is down at an independent living complex, shutting off air conditioning for older Texans.

“‘Senator! You got these people here,’“ he said, recalling a plea from a caller when Hurricane Beryl knocked out power to an assisted living facility last summer. “‘What are we going to do?’’’

Miles, D-Houston, is thankful for residents like these. But as the number of storms have increased, so has the frustration for southeast Texas lawmakers who want better solutions.

That’s why Miles and four other coastal lawmakers have filed at least six bills that would require nursing homes, assisted living facilities and even some apartments that market to the 55 and older set, to have emergency generators on site. In Texas, there are 1,193 nursing homes serving more than 86,000 patients and 2,004 assisted living facilities housing 49,574 residents.

Miles’ House Bill 732 would require certain low-income housing for seniors living independently to have backup power. In recent years, Miles has seen more of these facilities being built in Houston. Often living in multistory apartment buildings, residents of this type of housing do not receive care, so little information, including on their health conditions, are collected. But after a storm knocks out power, the vulnerable conditions of these residents surface, as some in wheelchairs and walkers become trapped in elevators that are inoperable, Miles said.

“We need to take care of people,” he said.

SB 481 from state Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, would require emergency plans at nursing homes and assisted living facilities to include generators. Nursing homes, which as the name suggests, offer more intense medical support to patients compared to assisted living facilities, which are senior apartments that provide meals and some assistance to its residents. HB 1199 by Rep. Christian Manuel, D-Beaumont, calls for emergency generators that have the capacity to run for a minimum of 72 hours in such facilities.

“Texans know firsthand the impact of being without power, particularly in elder care facilities where the stakes are incredibly high,” Manuel said in a statement.

Rep. Suleman Lalani, D-Sugar Land, has filed HB 1467 that would require nursing homes, assisted living and independent housing for seniors to have generators. Another one of his bills, HB 863, would create a shared database of where senior independent living communities are and include each complex’s emergency plan, which is required by the state for assisted living and nursing homes. The database would be accessible to emergency response officials.

“Things happen and then people make noise and then people go quiet,” he said, remarking on past failed attempts to get a generator bill passed. “I think I have a unique opportunity and responsibility being a physician…I cannot go back and say ‘Oh,’ I will let it go.”

History of generator bills and pushback

In this century alone, Texans have seen damage and death from hurricanes Rita in 2005, Ike in 2008, Harvey in 2017 and last July’s Beryl, not to mention more freak storms like Uri’s freeze in 2021 and last year’s wildfires in the Panhandle and a windstorm in the Houston area. All have taken the power down for hours, days and in the case of Beryl, weeks.

Former state Rep. Ed Thompson of Pearland became a champion for senior facility residents following a simple spring storm in 2018 that caused a power outage in his district.

After arriving to check on a nearby senior facility, he was stunned to find an ill-prepared staff. Residents had been in a hot and dark facility for hours. When he asked a worker about the facility’s emergency plan, he was incensed that it relied mostly on calling families to pick up their relatives or for those who had no family, just sending them to the local emergency rooms.

“That lit a fire in me,” he told the Tribune last week.

Calls for generators to be required equipment, particularly at assisted living facilities, are nothing new, but bills in the last two legislative sessions have died, including Thompson’s in 2023. His legislation stalled in committee after facing opposition from the nursing care and assisted living industries, which raised concerns, mostly about generator’ costs, which is estimated to be at least $200,000 or more for a facility.

That’s why this session, Rep. Ana Hernandez, D-Houston, has filed HB 2224 which would require backup power for elevators for 48 hours after a power loss. “A significant reduction in cost,” she said. Past bills that have failed, she said, have focused on keeping the entire facility powered.

“It is inhumane to leave an elderly person abandoned without electricity in temperatures over 100 degrees for days, or even weeks,” Hernandez said. “Not having at least one elevator poses a high safety risk of elderly people being trapped on upper-level floors, prohibiting residents from escaping a fire or seeking medical care.”

It’s not clear whether the smaller price tag on such a requirement will get the buy-in of the influential long-term care industry.

The Texas Health Care Association, now headed by former state Sen. Travis Clardy, represents most of the state’s nursing homes and he says his members already have generators but any blanket requirement for equipment that has to be purchased and maintained, perhaps once every few years, is a costly state mandate.

“I think our membership would prefer to be able to see that channeled into higher quality care,” Clardy said.

Requirements during a storm

When a storm heads for Texas, the state Health and Human Services Commission sends out emergency alerts to providers, putting them on notice that their emergency plans should be ready for use in case of a loss of power. The agency also contacts the facilities directly to check on the health and safety status of residents.

Last year, some 80 long-term care facilities were without power three days after Hurricane Beryl made landfall on July 8. According to the agency, both assisted living facilities and nursing homes are always responsible for the safety of residents including during a storm.

Emergency preparedness plans, which all assisted living and nursing home facilities must have, include a list of contacts workers will call in the event of a power outage and how they will evacuate residents if they need to do so.

Since 1996, state law has required all new nursing homes to have an emergency generator that powers safety features such as emergency lighting and exit signs, fire alarm systems, nurse call systems, telephones and medication and life-saving equipment. Assisted living facilities are not required to have a generator.

That said many assisted living facilities have some type of power back up to keep food or medications refrigerated. But cooling and heating all living areas is not something that has been explicitly required for assisted living facilities or nursing homes.

Since 2016, federal law requires generators in nursing homes in new and replacement nursing homes or for all nursing homes that have indicated in their emergency plans they would rely on emergency power to provide heating and cooling or other critical systems.

However, the agency does not regulate other types of housing such as independent, senior, or congregant living facilities. These entities do not hold a state license and are not required to report any information to the state health agency.

Carmen Tilton, vice president of public policy for the Texas Assisted Living Association said her industry has been a willing collaborative partner with lawmakers on the issue of requiring generators.

After Hurricane Harvey, her organization worked with the state to to hammer out a regulation that requires facilities to keep temperatures inside no colder than 68 degrees and no hotter than 82.

“The state doesn’t say you have to check a box,” she said.

The agency leaves it to industry to determine how they will meet that standard. It could be cooling one room inside a facility with fans and portable generators and bringing residents into that one room or if assisted living facilities wanted to purchase and maintain a larger generator, they can do so without the state determining the size, or how much fuel to keep on hand at all times.

That flexibility is what the assisted living industry wants to keep in place, Tilton said.

“We recognize that everyone’s set-up is a little bit different,” she said. “We’re not fighting these bills. We’re trying to find out how to make them work under our existing regulations.”

AARP Texas, which is advocating for generators in assisted living facilities, wants more clarity in law, not just in the administrative code. The code is too often and too easily changed, said Andrea Earl, an associate state director of advocacy and outreach at AARP Texas.

“There’s no assurances in law that healthy temperatures will be maintained at all times in the residential spaces of Texas’ long-term care facilities,” she said.

Some local governments are not waiting on the legislature to act. Earlier this month, Harris County announced it was incorporating into its fire code a requirement for generators for all nursing homes and assisted living facilities located in unincorporated areas.

There’s already been pushback.

“The new mandate is problematic in many ways and would needlessly require communities to reconfigure existing systems,” said Diana Martinez, the assisted living association’s president and CEO, in a statement. “Generators are not a one-time expenditure nor are they a panacea. Generators do fail.”

___

This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

Here are five events Houston's energy community should attend in February. Photos by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University

Top 6 Houston energy events to attend in February 2025

Energy Events

Editor's note: February is here, and the month is buzzing with forums, conferences, and the largest AI in Energy event. Here are six Houston energy events that you won't want to miss this month. Mark your calendars now, and plan ahead for the rest of Q1 via this guide.

February 4 — 2025 Brazil Summit: Energy at a Crossroads 

The Brazil Summit, held at Rice University's Baker Institute, will explore Brazil’s evolving energy sector, including recent progress in energy transition regulations, as well as the 2024 U.S. election's implications for Brazil's future. Participants from Brazil and the U.S., including policymakers, energy leaders, financial experts and more, will join the summit, which is free to attend and open to the public.

This event takes place Tuesday, February 4, at 7:30 am. Registration is required. Click here to register.

February 10-11— 6th American LNG Forum

Join LNG industry professionals, innovators and policymakers to discover groundbreaking technologies that are driving the future of liquified natural gas. From market dynamics to decarbonization strategies, this is your chance to connect, learn and become part of the LNG revolution at American LNG Forum.

This event begins Monday, February 10, at the Westin Galleria Houston. Click here to register.

February 11-12 — Oil & Gas Automation and Technology Week 

Oil and Gas Automation and Technology Week brings together oil and gas operators to share best-practice strategies for accelerating business transformation, decarbonization, and energy transition with disruptive technology. Expert speakers from the automation and technology space include Jack Hu, Dow; Partha Chatterjee, Shell; and Philippe Daroux, Chevron.

The two-day event takes place at the Sonesta Houston Hotel IAH Airport. Click here to register.

February 19-20— 7th Global Energy Forum 2025

The Global Energy Forum brings a bipartisan collective of U.S. Congressmen together with top energy executives to convene for off-the-record discussions in order to explore the energy strategies and solutions for a sustainable, clean, reliable and affordable energy future. Policymakers and executives from energy, finance, and technology will engage in dialogue on energy infrastructure, technological innovation, policy and regulation reform needed to respond to the global energy crisis.

This event begins Wednesday, February 19, at 7:30 am at the Petroleum Club of Houston. Click here to register.

February 24-25 — AI In Energy

Join 150+ senior operations, digital, data and AI leaders in Houston for the industry's largest AI in Energy event, and unlock the potential of AI within your operations. Key points of discussion include how to pair digital twins and gen AI, know when your critical assets need maintenance, move beyond pilot program to scale AI across the enterprise, and leverage generative AI and data intelligence to unlock asset reliability.

This event begins Monday, February 24 at 7:30 am at Norris Conference Centers' City Centre. Click here to register.

February 25-27 — 2025 Energy HPC Conference

The 18th annual Energy High Performance Computing Conference, hosted at Rice University by the Ken Kennedy Institute, is the premier meeting place for the energy industry to engage in conversations about challenges and opportunities in high-performance computing, computational science and engineering, machine learning and data science. Attended by more than 500 leaders and experts, this is a unique opportunity for key stakeholders to engage and network to help advance HPC in the energy industry.

This event begins Tuesday, February 25, at Rice University. Click here to register.

Here are the events in the first quarter of 2025 that Houston's energy community needs to know about. Photos by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University

10+ can't-miss Houston energy events to kick off the new year

WHERE TO BE

From networking meetups to global talks, 2025 is filled with opportunities for energy industry professionals in Houston. Here's a roundup of events you won't want to miss out on so mark your calendars and register accordingly.

Note: This post might be updated to add more events.


February 10-11— 6th American LNG Forum

Join LNG industry professionals, innovators and policymakers in Houston—one of the world’s leading energy hubs, to discover groundbreaking technologies that are driving the future of liquified natural gas. From market dynamics to decarbonization strategies, this is your chance to connect, learn and become part of the LNG revolution at American LNG Forum.

This event begins Monday, February 10, at the Westin Galleria Houston. Click here to register.

February 19-20— 7th Global Energy Forum 2025

The Global Energy Forum brings a bipartisan collective of U.S. Congressmen together with top energy executives to convene for off-the-record discussions in order to explore in-depth the energy strategies and solutions for a sustainable, clean, reliable and affordable energy future. Policymakers and executives from energy, finance, and technology will engage at the Global Energy Forum for a dialogue on energy infrastructure, technological innovation, policy and regulation reform needed to respond to the global energy crisis.

This event begins Wednesday, February 19, at 7:30 am at the Petroleum Club of Houston. Click here to register.

February 24-25 — AI In Energy

Join 150+ senior operations, digital, data and AI leaders in Houston for the industry's largest AI in Energy event, and unlock the potential of AI within your operations. Key points of discussion for 2025 include, how to: pair digital twins and gen AI, know when your critical assets need maintenance, move beyond pilot program to scale AI across the enterprise, leverage generative AI and data intelligence to unlock asset reliability.

This event begins Monday, February 24 at 7:30 am at Norris Conference Centers' City Centre. Click here to register.

February 25-27 — 2025 Energy HPC Conference

The 18th annual Energy High Performance Computing Conference, hosted annually at Rice University by the Ken Kennedy Institute, is the premier meeting place for the energy industry to engage in conversations about challenges and opportunities in high performance computing, computational science and engineering, machine learning, and data science. Attended by more than 500 leaders and experts from the energy industry, academia, national labs, and IT industry, this is a unique opportunity for key stakeholders to engage and network to help advance HPC in the energy industry.

This event begins Tuesday, February 25, at Rice University. Click here to register.

March 3-4 — Industrial Immersive

The Industrial Immersive community connects industrial, energy, engineering tech professionals making investment, strategy and tactical decisions, or building, scaling, and executing pioneering XR/ 3D/ simulations, digital twin, reality capture, edge/ spatial computing, AI/ ML, connected workforce & IIoT projects within their enterprise. This forum will bring together industry professionals to share first-hand experience, insight and advice for implementing and scaling immersive tech programs in enterprise operations.

This event begins Monday, March 3, at Westin Memorial City. Click here to register.

March 3-5 — Global Energy Meet 2025

The aim of this conference is to bring together all the key stakeholders interested in Fossil and Renewable Energy Sources to share and discuss advances and developments in these fields. It is a three-day event which features energy experts, academicians, business executives and engineers to showcase recent trends, strategies and challenges of energy systems. It creates a platform to focus on advancing new energy paradigms for energy systems and global energy issues.

This event begins Monday, March 3, at the Doubletree by Hilton. Click here to register.

March 4-6 — THRIVE Energy Conference

The Thrive Energy Conference by Daniel Energy Partners is for key energy professionals collaborating on research-driven insights and trends key to developing a pathway to a “thriving” energy future. This unique event combines leadership from public and private global energy companies as well as investors under a professional yet fun atmosphere.

This event begins Tuesday, March 4, at Minute Maid Park. Click here to register.

March 18-20 — The Connected Worker: Energy Summit

The Connected Worker: Energy Summit provides the opportunity for you to get hands-on with the essential solutions you need to empower your frontline workforce, hear real-word case studies from energy and utility leaders, and network with your industry peers. Learn how to: create a safer work environment, boost compliance and improve efficiencies through automation, make your data mobile and reduce rework, downtime and time to decision; improve workforce mobility and maximize the use of data to continuously enhance process and asset performance; and much more.

This event begins Tuesday, March 18, at 8:45 am at The Westin Galleria. Click here to register.

March 26 — Bots And Brews Spring 2025

Bots & Brews is the H-town robotics, drones, geospatial, data & AI meetup, hosted by the Energy Drone & Robotics Coalition and the co-hosts: Industrial Digital Twin Forum, Industrial Reality Capture Forum & Industrial AI Nexus: Automate, where leaders from energy/engineering asset owner/operators, service companies, tech solution providers, investors and everyone in the energy and industrial robotics/drone/data & AI community come together to catch up and talk about real-world solutions and deployments.

This event is Wednesday, March 26, from 5 to 7:45 pm at The Cannon West. Click here to register.

March 31-April 2 — World Hydrogen North America 2025

The U.S. Department of Energy announced the Hydrogen Energy Earthshot initiative to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen by 80% within a decade. Canada has also released its Hydrogen Strategy, which aims to make the country a global leader in hydrogen production, use, and exports. Seize the opportunity to connect with industry leaders from across the hydrogen value chain, fostering long-term business partnerships and exploring potential collaborations. Engage with prominent off-takers, both nationally and internationally, and gain first-hand insights into the latest projects shaping the future of hydrogen in the USA and Canada.

This event begins Monday, March 31, at the Marriott Marquis. Click here to register.

April 2-3 — Fugitive Emissions Summit Americas

Fugitive Emissions Summit Americas brings together a community of end users, EPCs, distributors, manufacturers, and suppliers dedicated to improving workplace practices, in efforts to reduce environmental damage caused by industrial emissions. The informative conference and exhibition that will help to address the ever-changing world of fugitive emissions regulations and control. There will be a strong emphasis on leak detection and repair, emission control, and testing technologies and safety as they pertain to current regulations.

This event begins Wednesday, April 2, at San Jacinto College. Click here to register.

Caton Fenz, CEO for Repsol’s Renewables North America, shares more about Repsol’s approach to expanding its renewable footprint, integrating green energy into its core business and leveraging Houston’s unique role as a leader in the energy transition. Photo via HETI

25 years of innovation: Repsol exec on Houston's role in the energy transition

the view from heti

Houston hosted the inaugural Energy + Climate Startup Week in September, which brought together leading energy and climate venture capital investors, industry leaders and startups from around the world to showcase the most innovative companies and technologies that are transforming the energy industry while driving a sustainable, low-carbon energy future.

Repsol was one of the inaugural sponsors for the weeks kick off event that hosted several leading startups. This year marked 25 years of energy innovation for Repsol in the United States. As the energy landscape evolves, Repsol has committed to significant growth in renewable capacity, with an impressive 720 MW of solar and storage capacity already operational and 1.5 GW under construction.

Caton Fenz, CEO for Repsol’s Renewables North America shares more about Repsol’s approach to expanding its renewable footprint, integrating green energy into its core business and leveraging Houston’s unique role as a leader in the energy transition. Here’s an inside look at Repsol’s milestones and future goals in the journey toward decarbonization and a sustainable energy future.

Can you tell us more about Repsol’s strategy for expanding its renewables business?

This year Repsol is celebrating 25 years of energy development in the United States. Across the US, we have a team of more than 800 employees, with more than 130 employees working in the renewables business specifically.

Repsol’s growth ambition in the US renewable energy market is significant. Since launching our renewables activity in the US three years ago, we have installed more than 720 MW of solar generation and energy storage capacity. Today we have more than 1.5 GW of additional solar and energy storage capacity under construction, and more than 20 GW of solar, wind and energy storage in development across 13 states.

How does Repsol plan to integrate renewable energy sources into its broader business model?

Repsol Renewables operates in accordance with Repsol’s values and strategies. Renewable energy generation is one of the pillars of Repsol’s decarbonization strategy. Repsol will invest between €3 and 4 billion to organically develop its global project portfolio and aims to reach between 9,000 MW and 10,000 MW of installed capacity by 2027. Of this, 30% will be in the United States.

With these objectives in mind, we have been able to accelerate the development of wind, solar, and energy storage across the US market and the globe. By expanding our renewable energy business, we can further meet record demand growth for renewable energy.

What are the key projects or milestones that have been achieved within Repsol’s renewables portfolio so far?

Earlier this year, we announced the commercial operation of Frye Solar, our largest solar project worldwide. This project, located in Swisher County, Texas, has a total capacity of 637 MW. And as noted above, we have an additional 1.4 GW of projects under construction currently. These major energy infrastructure projects are indicative of the scale of our operations in the US.

Why does Repsol believe being located in Houston is critical for its business, particularly in the energy transition?

Repsol is proudly committed to Houston’s role in developing and delivering energy and value for the world. Houston is known as the Energy Capital of the World and over the next 10 years, we’ll see it be known as the Energy Transition Capital of the World. With Repsol’s Renewables North America business located in downtown Houston, we have access to talent and partnerships in a booming city filled with energy experts.

Why does Repsol see value in participating in Houston Energy + Climate Startup Week?

At Houston Energy + Climate Startup Week, Repsol Renewables is honored to support and learn from leaders and investors in the energy and climate industry. We believe it is important to continuously invest in talent, ideas, and collaboration across the energy value chain as we pursue our net zero by 2050 goal.

———

This article originally ran on the Greater Houston Partnership's Houston Energy Transition Initiative blog. HETI exists to support Houston's future as an energy leader. For more information about the Houston Energy Transition Initiative, EnergyCapitalHTX's presenting sponsor, visit htxenergytransition.org.

At the Greater Houston Partnership’s fourth annual Future of Global Energy Conference, industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers gathered to explore how we can collectively create a low-carbon future that is resilient, reliable and sustainable while meeting growing energy demands. Photo via GHP

Event spotlights Houston's collaborative approach, innovation driving global energy transition

the view from heti

Houston is poised to lead the global energy transition, but collaboration is key to success.

At the Greater Houston Partnership’s fourth annual Future of Global Energy Conference, industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers gathered to explore one central theme: how we can collectively create a low-carbon future that is resilient, reliable and sustainable while meeting growing energy demands.

The discussions highlighted the critical role of partnerships, investment and innovation in driving Houston’s leadership on the global stage.

The Power of Collaboration

“What we have here in Houston that’s really unique…The importance of collaboration with industry is critical,' says Carmichael Roberts, co-founder and managing partner at Material Impact and co-lead of Breakthrough Energy Ventures' Investment Committee.

Roberts stressed the importance of industry partnerships, noting that while Houston’s energy ecosystem has matured significantly, collaboration is more important than ever to move at the necessary pace.

“Because of our industrial base and our infrastructure, we are uniquely positioned to help those early-stage projects get done. But that also requires risk-taking from capitol providers and incumbent companies," says Bobby Tudor, CEO of Artemis Energy Partners.

The President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Lorie Logan, said transformative issues taking place in our economy provide Houston the ability to lead the energy transition, capitalizing on its robust infrastructure, innovation ecosystem and strategic role in shaping the future of energy.

“Structural changes in the economy, like the energy transition and advances in artificial intelligence, are key drivers fueling strong investment demand and unlocking potential productivity gains,” Logan says.

At the same time, the need to reduce carbon emissions has never been more urgent. With Houston's industrial infrastructure and emerging talent, the region is ready to meet these dual challenges.

Ensuring the Talent of Tomorrow

This year’s conference also featured an Emerging Talent Program supported by Chevron, to bolster the energy sector’s reputation with students and early career professionals to bridge the generational divide on the challenges and opportunities created by the dual challenge.

In addition to that program, Texas Exchange for Energy and Climate Entrepreneurship (TEX-E) hosted a poster competition featuring TEX-E fellows and local university students.

Chase Sellers, a fourth-year PhD student in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department at Rice University, won the competition. Sellers’ presentation focused on improving the affordability and scalability of green hydrogen production via electrolysis.

By fostering connections between experienced professionals and emerging leaders, the conference is helping to cultivate a workforce that is equipped to address the pressing issues facing the industry today.

“As we look to the future, it’s clear that Houston’s role is not just to produce energy but to lead the way in developing and deploying the solutions needed to meet the dual challenge of energy security and climate action," says Jane Stricker, senior vice president of energy transition at GHP and executive director of the Houston Energy Transition Initiative.

———

This article originally ran on the Greater Houston Partnership's Houston Energy Transition Initiative blog. HETI exists to support Houston's future as an energy leader. For more information about the Houston Energy Transition Initiative, EnergyCapitalHTX's presenting sponsor, visit htxenergytransition.org.

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Houston-area logistics co. breaks ground on recycling center tied to circularity hub

coming soon

TALKE USA Inc., a Houston-area arm of German logistics company TALKE, broke ground on its new Recycling Support Center in Mont Belvieu Aug. 1.

The facility will process post-consumer plastic materials, which will then be further processed at Cyclyx's new Houston-based Circularity Center, a first-of-its-kind plastic waste sorting and processing facility that was developed through a joint venture between Cyclix, ExxonMobil and LyondellBasell.

The materials will ultimately be converted into recycling feedstock.

“We’re proud to break ground on a facility that reflects our long-term vision for sustainable growth,” Richard Heath, CEO and president of TALKE USA Inc., said in a news release. “This groundbreaking marks an important milestone for our team, our customers, and the Mont Belvieu community.”

The new facility was partially funded by Chambers County, according to the release. The Baytown Sun reports that the county put $1 million towards the construction of the project, which brings advanced recycling and mechanical recycling to the area.

TALKE USA said it plans to share more about the new facility and its impact in the future.

Meanwhile, the Houston-based Cyclyx Circularity Center (CCC1) is slated to open this year and is expected to produce 300 million pounds of custom-formulated feedstock annually. A second circularity center, CCC2, is expected to start up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the second half of 2026. Read more here.

8 Houston energy giants top global corporate startup index for 2025

Global Group

Eight major players in Houston’s energy industry rank among the world’s top 20 energy companies for corporate startup activity.

The inaugural Corporate Startup Activity Index 2025, published by StartupBlink, ranks global corporations by industry. The eight Houston-area employers fall into the index’s energy and environment category.

Researchers from StartupBlink, an innovation research platform, scored more than 370 companies based on three factors: corporate involvement in startup activity, startup success and ecosystem integration.

The eight Houston-area energy employers that landed in the energy and environment category’s top 20 are:

  • No. 3 BP. Score: 13.547. U.S. headquarters in Houston.
  • No. 5 Saudi Aramco. Score: 7.405. Americas headquarters in Houston.
  • No. 7 Eni. Score: 6.255. Headquarters of Eni U.S. Operating Co. in Houston.
  • No. 8 Shell. Score: 6.217. U.S. headquarters in Houston.
  • No. 11 Occidental Petroleum. Score: 5.347. Global headquarters in Houston.
  • No. 15 Engie. Score: 3.352. North American headquarters in Houston.
  • No. 17 Repsol. Score: 2.980. U.S. headquarters for oil and gas operations in The Woodlands.
  • No. 19 Chevron. Score: 2.017. Global headquarters in Houston.

“Building a startup is hard, and navigating corporate innovation can be just as complex. This ranking is a step toward making the connection between startups and corporations more transparent, enabling startups and corporations to collaborate more effectively for mutual success,” said Eli David Rokah, CEO of StartupBlink.

Salesforce topped the global index with a score of 380.090, followed by Intel, Google, Qualcomm, and Comcast.

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This article originally appeared on InnovationMap.com.

Houston nonprofit launches new energy education platform

energy ed

The Energy Education Foundation, a Houston-based nonprofit, will roll out a new app-based education platform just in time for back-to-school season.

Starting this fall, EEF will offer its new EnergyXP platform to students in middle schools and through community and education events across the country. The STEM-focused platform aims to boost exposure to oil and gas concepts and career paths, according to a release from the non-profit.

EnergyXP represents a fully redesigned, interactive version of the foundation's former Mobile Energy Learning Units, which now feature upgraded technology, enhanced curricula and app integration.

“EnergyXP marks the most recent development in our educational initiatives. We aim to inspire students nationwide to explore real-world energy concepts and careers,” Kristen Barley, executive director of the Energy Education Foundation, said in the release. “Our collaborative approach involves strong partnerships with educators, industry experts and local organizations to ensure that our programs are responsive to community needs. By prioritizing equitable access to quality STEM education, we can help build a more inclusive, future-ready energy workforce.”

The new platform offers 16 hands-on and digital STEM activities that introduce a variety of energy concepts through real-world applications while "showcasing the relevance of energy in everyday life," according to the release.

EEF will host two virtual sneak peeks of the platform on Aug. 7 and Aug. 8. Register here.