The sixth annual Future of Global Energy Conference takes place in Houston in October. Photo courtesy of Greater Houston Partnership/Facebook

Editor's note: October is here, and there are many energy events to plug into in Houston this month. From summits and forums to exhibitions and networking opportunities, these are the top events to put on your calendar. Learn more below, and register now.

Oct. 6-7: Hydrogen Americas Summit and Exhibition

Hydrogen Americas delivers an unparalleled opportunity to explore how hydrogen integrates with CCUS and other energy solutions under the new U.S. and Americas energy paradigm. This event moves to Houston in 2026, providing unmatched access to industry leaders and opportunities. The summit will include CCUS dedicated sessions integrated directly into the conference programming, providing deeper insights into carbon capture, utilization, and storage. Look forward to networking opportunities to connect with global suppliers, regional developers, and key policymakers.

This event begins Oct. 6 at George R. Brown Convention Center. Register here.

Oct. 6-7: Annual Energy Summit — Energy, Risk, and Geopolitics

The 10th annual energy summit is co-hosted by Baker Botts and the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University's Baker Institute. This year's summit, “Energy, Risk, and Geopolitics,” will explore how a changing geopolitical landscape and shifts in supply chain risks are impacting investment, innovation, and market dynamics. The two-day program will include discussions spanning petroleum and LNG markets, critical minerals, electricity reliability, AI, and power demand.

This event begins Oct. 6 at 7:30 am at James A Baker III Hall. The event will also be livestreamed. Register here.

Oct. 7: Industrial Data Forward Forum 2026

Houston continues to sit at the intersection of energy, chemical production, and advanced manufacturing. Industrial data experts, automation engineers, and enterprise architects will gather for this one-day forum to address one of the region's biggest operational challenges: modernizing massive, legacy industrial plants without incurring high costs.

This event takes place Oct. 7 at Norris Conference Center. Register here.

Oct. 14: Houston Engineering, Energy & Transportation Networking Event

Connect with leading engineers, energy experts, environmental innovators, and transportation professionals during an evening of collaboration, insight, and opportunity. This exclusive event is designed for engineers, project developers, renewable energy specialists, urban planners, environmental consultants, and infrastructure leaders eager to expand their networks, exchange ideas, and explore solutions driving the future of sustainable development.

This event takes place on Oct. 14 at 7 pm at SOHO Garden. Get tickets here.

Oct. 14: Future of Global Energy Conference

This October, the sixth annual Future of Global Energy Conference kicks off, convening influential leaders from across energy, technology, finance and public policy who will come together to explore the forces defining the next era of global energy and Houston’s role in shaping it. Ryan Lance, Executive Chairman of ConocoPhillips and 2027 Chair of the Greater Houston Partnership’s Board of Directors, is the keynote speaker, bringing a global perspective on rising demand, market volatility and Houston’s role in the next era of energy growth.

This event takes place Oct. 14 at Marriott Marquis. Register here.

Oct. 17: Energy Day 2026

Energy Day Houston is the nation’s largest free, family-friendly STEM festival. It features over 50 interactive exhibits and live demonstrations focused on traditional and emerging energy career paths to power up your curiosity.

This event begins at 11 am on Oct. 17 at Sam Houston Park. Get details here.

Oct. 22: Geophysical Society of Houston Fall Forum

This one-day event will explore how geophysics continues to drive value in hydrocarbon development while opening new opportunities in geothermal, critical minerals, mining, microseismic monitoring, and other emerging subsurface applications. The forum will highlight both the technologies and business strategies needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving energy landscape.

This event begins at 7 am on Oct. 22 at SLB. Get details here.

Oct. 28-29: Energy Council Houston 2026

Energy Council Houston is a private executive forum for leaders across the U.S. upstream oil and gas sector. Over two days, operators, investors, financiers, and strategic partners will come together to discuss the issues shaping capital allocation, energy security, M&A activity, and energy investment across North America.

This event begins Oct. 28 at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston. Register here.

Greentown Labs will host multiple must-attend events this month. Photo courtesy Greentown Labs

6 must-attend Houston energy sector events in November 2025

Must-Attend Meetings

Editor's note: It's time to mark your calendar for November's must-attend Houston energy transition events, as they are front-loaded at the beginning fo the month. From a climatetech summit to the annual Houston Innovation Awards, these are the energy events to attend. Learn more below, and register now.

Nov. 4: Greentown Labs Climatetech Summit

Greentown Labs hosts its Houston Climatetech Summit, bringing together philanthropists, executives, and innovators in the energy transition space. Attendees will be able to explore climatetech solutions from dozens of startups, as well as hear insightful keynotes and discussions with industry leaders throughout the day.

The event begins with check-in and breakfast at 8 am on Nov. 4 at Greentown Labs. Register here.

Nov. 4-6: Operational Excellence in Oil and Gas Summit 2025

More than 300 industry leaders and change-makers will explore smarter, faster, more sustainable paths to operational excellence in the oil and gas industry at this annual three-day summit.

The event begins Nov. 4 at Norris Conference Center - City Centre Location. Register here.

Nov. 11-12: 20th Annual API Cybersecurity Conference for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry

The API Cybersecurity Conference has been an annual event since 2005. For 20 years, it has been the only cybersecurity conference dedicated to the oil and gas industry. Don't miss two days of compelling programming, networking and idea-exchange opportunities, as well as exhibitors sharing the latest products and services.

The event begins Nov. 11 at Woodlands Waterway Marriott. Register here.

Nov. 12-13: Energy Supply Chain & Procurement Summit

Senior executives from across the U.S. come to Houston, the energy capital, to discuss the energy supply chain, procurement and logistics ecosystems. The summit is focused on fostering dialogue and facilitating commercial relationships to further the mission of decarbonization and digitalization of the energy sector.

The event begins Nov. 12 at Hyatt Regency Houston West. Register here.

Nov. 13: Houston Innovation Awards

Houston's innovation ecosystem comes together for the fifth annual Houston Innovation Awards, taking place for the first time at Greentown Labs. Get your tickets to this intimate networking event and awards program, where winners in 10 prestigious categories — including Energy Transition Business, Scaleup of the Year, and Startup of the Year — will be revealed.

The event begins at 7 pm on Nov. 13 at Greentown Labs. Tickets are available here.

Nov. 14: Powering the Future via Geothermal, Lithium Extraction, and Battery Storage

Innovators and energy experts will converge for an in-depth panel discussion on how geothermal energy, lithium extraction and battery storage are shaping the next era of the low-carbon economy. At this event, hosted by Society for Low Carbon technologies, attendees will engage with thought leaders across sectors and explore how these technologies will help power a cleaner and smarter energy future.

This event begins at 9:10 am on Nov. 14 at NOV Towers. Register here.

The Future of Global Energy event takes place Oct. 16. Courtesy photo

6 must-attend Houston energy transition events in October 2025

Must-Attend Meetings

Editor's note: October is here, and there are many energy events to plug into in Houston this month. From summits and forums to global conferences, there are the energy events to put on your calendar. Learn more below, and register now.

Oct. 7-8: Annual Energy Summit — Resilience in Energy Supply Chains

The ninth annual energy summit is co-hosted by Baker Botts and the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University's Baker Institute. This year's theme, “Resilience in Energy Supply Chains,” will focus on what is shaping the future of energy, and how markets, innovation, and economic growth will define the evolution of global energy supply chains.

This two-day event begins Oct. 7 at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. The event will also be livestreamed. Get tickets here.

Oct. 14: Current Trends in the Energy Industry

Join SABA and Vinson & Elkins LLP for an evening filled with insightful discussions and networking opportunities for seasoned professionals and those new to the energy industry. Learn from experts about the latest developments in the energy industry, sustainability efforts, and new policies shaping the future.

This event takes place at 6 pm at Vinson & Elkins LLP headquarters. Get tickets here.

Oct. 14-16: SAF North America

The leading event for the sustainable aviation fuel ecosystem is taking place in Houston, America’s fuel and energy hub. SAF North America brings together the SAF value chain under one roof for three days of high-level discussion. Attendees of the conference will hear from leading experts, who will provide insights on the aviation industry and discuss SAF scale-up, energy security, and pathways to decarbonize aviation in North America. There will also be dynamic exhibitions and networking opportunities.

This event begins Oct. 14 at the Marriott Marquis. Register here.

Oct. 16: Future of Global Energy Conference

The Future of Global Energy Conference, presented by Shell USA, Inc., brings together leaders from across industry, academia, and government to explore the forces shaping the future of energy. Houston is leading the way in the energy sector, leveraging its deep industry expertise, unmatched energy ecosystem, and spirit of innovation. The 2025 conference will spotlight Houston’s ongoing leadership in policy, technology development, and project execution that position the region for long-term success.

This event begins at 8:30 am at Hilton Americas. Register here.

Oct. 21-23: Energy Independence Summit

At Infocast’s inaugural Energy Independence Summit, top leaders across energy, finance, and policy will convene to evaluate where the energy market is headed next. Attendees will gain critical insights into how capital is being deployed, which technologies are emerging as the most viable under OBBBA, how domestic supply chains are affecting costs and timelines, and what regulatory levers may help stabilize the sector. The summit will feature 100 speakers, 24 sessions, networking opportunities, and more.

This event takes place Oct. 21 at the C. Baldwin, Curio Collection by Hilton. Register here.

Oct. 29: 2025 Global Energy Summit

Hosted by the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston, the Global Energy Summit examines the dynamic forces shaping today’s energy landscape. Attendees will engage with a diverse set of industry experts and global thought leaders on the future of energy security, access, and technological advancement. Opening remarks will be made by Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, COO Maritime of DNV, followed by panel discussions featuring speakers from DNV, Accenture, Amazon Web Services, Center for Houston’s Future, Siemens, SLB, and NRG.

This event begins at 5 pm on Oct. 29 at the Omni Houston. Get tickets here.

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TotalEnergies expands solar joint venture with $1.2B portfolio in Texas, Ohio

solar expansion

TotalEnergies, a French company whose U.S. headquarters is in Houston, announced this month that it is expanding its renewable energy joint venture with New York-based investment firm KKR by adding 700 megawatts of utility-scale solar projects.

The deal will add three utility-scale solar assets in Texas and Ohio, which are expected to reach commercial operation by Q1 2027, according to a news release from the company. The portfolio is valued at $1.2 billion.

The 50/50 joint venture between TotalEnergies and KKR currently holds 1.4 gigawatts of renewable energy and will grow to 2.1 gigawatts.

The new deal is expected to close this year. Once completed, TotalEnergies will operate the assets. The electricity generated from the solar projects will be sold to third parties, the company reports.

The companies originally formed the joint venture about a year ago when TotalEnergies sold KKR a 50 percent stake in a North American solar portfolio valued at $1.25 billion. The deal originally included six utility-scale solar assets, primarily located in the U.S.

“TotalEnergies is a renewable energy industry leader globally, and we are thrilled to establish this joint venture with the TotalEnergies team to support their renewables business," Cecilio Velasco, managing director KKR, said in a release last year. “We have long been investors in renewables through our infrastructure platform, having committed more than $23 billion to date in energy transition investments. TotalEnergies’ North American solar portfolio is a great fit for us, representing high-quality renewable energy assets with long term contracts.”

TotalEnergies reports that by June 2026 it held more than 37 gigawatts of gross renewable power generation capacity. It aims to achieve over 100 terawatt-hours of net electricity production by 2030.

The company signed a major power purchase agreement with Google earlier this year. Through the deal, TotalEnergies will supply the tech giant with 1 gigawatt of solar power for its data centers in Texas over a 15-year span.

However, the company also recently redirected nearly $1 billion in capital away from wind energy projects and "decided to renounce offshore wind development in the United States." Read more here.

Houston researchers develop compact carbon capture tech for data centers

AI emissions

Two scientists from the University of Houston have been experimenting with new carbon capture systems that fit inside a standard shipping container, which have the potential to make eliminating carbon output from industrial sites much easier.

The capture of industrial carbon is an important complement to the fight against climate change, as well as winning tax credits for businesses that use carbon capture technology.

The problem is that such systems are often measured in acres, making them expensive to build and extremely power-hungry to actually use. UH Engineering Professor Mim Rahimi and former UH Ph.D. student Ahmad Hassan (now a postdoctoral associate at Harvard) have managed to fit their new system, the Small Modular Electrochemical Container (SMECs), inside a standard 40-foot shipping crate, making them compact and modular enough to be installed almost anywhere for operations of all sizes. Their research was recently published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

“With a conventional system, you’re building a 130-foot-tall structure designed for a specific power plant. With our technology, we can adjust the capacity by simply turning containers on or off,” Rahimi said in a news release. “That flexibility is particularly important for data centers, where electricity can come from a combination of natural gas and renewable sources.”

Rahimi and Hassan used simulated gas models to show that under optimal conditions, the SMEC used electrochemically mediated amine regeneration (EMAR) cells developed in Rahimi’s lab to capture 90 percent of carbon under optimal conditions through 300 cycles over 50 hours.

Encouraged, the team then modeled a 360-megawatt natural gas power plant associated with OpenAI’s Stargate AI data center project in Abilene, Texas. In addition to the savings on infrastructure costs, 20 of the researchers’ shipping container systems were able to capture 98 percent of carbon from Stargate’s 875-acre campus based on the model.

The looming energy costs and subsequent carbon emissions from data centers are a real concern. Estimates from the U.S. Department of Energy hypothesize that 12 percent of America’s energy needs could be gobbled up by the centers as soon as 2028. That is a massive new source of carbon. The flexibility of the SMEC means they can be deployed wherever the centers spring up.

“We’re taking a technology that traditionally requires enormous infrastructure and finding a way to fit it inside a shipping container,” Rahimi added in the release. “That opens up entirely new possibilities for how and where carbon capture systems can be used.”

In the future, the researchers say they plan to look at ways to adapt the technology to capture carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere.