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Building the future of STEM leadership at Houston's energy-focused high school

the view from heti

The Energy Institute High School is uniquely positioned to build a lifelong foundation for those pursuing degrees and careers in the energy industry. Photo via htxenergytransition.org

Established in 2013, Houston’s Energy Institute High School is the first of its kind in the United States. Houston Independent School District (HISD), the nation’s seventh-largest school district, opened the innovative, STEM-focused magnet high school to support Houston’s increasing demand for STEM education and align with the city’s status as a major energy hub.

As the Energy Capital of the World, Houston is the leading domestic and international center for virtually every segment of the energy industry. It’s home to more than 4,700 energy-related firms, employs nearly a third of the nation’s jobs in oil and gas extraction, and boasts the world’s fourth-largest concentration of engineers. Houston’s economic vitality and growth is inextricably tied to the energy industry and depends on a strong STEM talent pool for the future.

The Energy Institute High School is uniquely positioned to build a lifelong foundation for those pursuing degrees and careers in the energy industry. The specialized high school prepares students for careers in the energy sector, as well as related fields such as environmental science and engineering, by providing a specialized learning experience centered around science, technology, engineering, and math. The Energy Institute High School integrates the energy theme into its entire STEM curriculum through a wide array of technology, hands-on projects, and experiential learning designed to inspire students and fuel continued interest in the energy field. And with up to 60% of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, the school plays a crucial role in fostering equal education opportunities and breaking down barriers to success that many students face.

“As principal of the first high school devoted to preparing students for careers in the energy field, my goal is to deliver extraordinary firsts in learning,” said Lori Lambropoulos, Principal of Energy Institute High School. “I am thrilled to be the leader of a school that is participating in a thematic approach to the school experience—mingling the exploration of energy careers with cutting-edge education.”

Over the years, the school has cultivated partnerships with local energy companies, organizations, and institutions—including HETI founding members bp, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and lyondellbasell—to provide students with real-world experiences and coveted industry connections. The Energy Institute High School works closely with an advisory board comprised of energy industry leaders and higher-education professionals to provide programs and enrichment opportunities for students, including:

  • A biweekly guest speaker series
  • University campus tours
  • Field trip sponsorships
  • Mentorship opportunities
  • College scholarships
  • Internships and externships

These partnerships have provided students from Energy Institute High School with invaluable networking opportunities and firsthand insights into the energy industry.

As the energy industry shifts toward a more efficient and sustainable, low-carbon future, graduates from the Energy Institute High School will play a vital role in accelerating the energy transition, not only in Houston, but across the world.

Learn more about Energy Institute High School and how you can support their mission through Friends of Energy Institute.

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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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DOE proposes cutting $1.2 billion in funding for hydrogen hub

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The U.S. Department of Energy has proposed cutting $1.2 billion in funding for the HyVelocity Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub, a clean energy project backed by AES, Air Liquide, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Mitsubishi Power Americas and Ørsted.

The HyVelocity project, which would produce clean hydrogen, appears on a new list of proposed DOE funding cancellations. The list was obtained by Latitude Media.

As of November, HyVelocity had already received $22 million of the potential $1.2 billion in DOE funding.

Other than the six main corporate backers, supporters of HyVelocity include the Center for Houston’s Future, Houston Advanced Research Center, Port Houston, University of Texas at Austin, Shell, the Texas governor’s office, Texas congressional delegation, and the City of Fort Worth.

Kristine Cone, a spokeswoman for GTI Energy, the hub’s administrator, told EnergyCapital that it hadn’t gotten an update from DOE about the hub’s status.

The list also shows the Magnolia Sequestration Hub in Louisiana, being developed by Occidental Petroleum subsidiary 1PointFive, could lose nearly $19.8 million in federal funding and the subsidiary’s South Texas Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hub on the King Ranch in Kleberg County could lose $50 million. In September, 1Point5 announced the $50 million award for its South Texas hub would be the first installment of up to $500 million in federal funding for the project.

Other possible DOE funding losses for Houston-area companies on the list include:

  • A little over $100 million earmarked for Houston-based BP Carbon Solutions to develop carbon storage projects
  • $100 million earmarked for Dow to produce battery-grade solvents for lithium-ion batteries. Dow operates chemical plants in Deer Park and LaPorte
  • $39 million earmarked for Daikin Comfort Technologies North America to produce energy-efficient heat pumps. The HVAC company operates the Daikin Texas Technology Park in Waller
  • Nearly $6 million earmarked for Houston-based Baker Hughes Energy Transition to reduce methane emissions from flares
  • $3 million earmarked for Spring-based Chevron to explore development of a DAC hub in Northern California
  • Nearly $2.9 million earmarked for Houston-based geothermal energy startup Fervo Energy’s geothermal plant in Utah

Houston ranks No. 99 out of 100 on new report of greenest U.S. cities

Sustainability Slide

Houstonians may be feeling blue about a new ranking of the greenest cities in the U.S.

Among the country’s 100 largest cities based on population, Houston ranks 99th across 28 key indicators of “green” living in a new study from personal finance website WalletHub. The only city with a lower ranking is Glendale, Arizona. Last year, Houston landed at No. 98 on the WalletHub list.

“‘Green’ living means a choice to engage in cleaner, more sustainable habits in order to preserve the planet as much as possible,” WalletHub says.

Among the study’s ranking factors are the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per capita, the number of “smart energy” policies, and the presence of “green job” programs.

In the study, Houston received an overall score of 35.64 out of 100. WalletHub put its findings into four buckets, with Houston ranked 100th in the environment and transportation categories, 56th in the lifestyle and policy category, and 52nd in the energy sources category.

In the environment category, Houston has two big strikes against it. The metro area ranks among the 10 worst places for ozone pollution (No. 7) and year-round particle pollution (No. 8), according to the American Lung Association’s 2025 list of the most polluted cities.

In the WalletHub study, San Jose, California, earns the honor of being the country’s greenest city. It’s followed by Washington, D.C.; Oakland, California; Irvine, California; and San Francisco.

“There are plenty of things that individuals can do to adopt a green lifestyle, from recycling to sharing rides to installing solar panels on their homes,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report. “However, living in one of the greenest cities can make it even easier to care for the environment, due to sustainable laws and policies, access to locally grown produce, and infrastructure that allows residents to use vehicles less often. The greenest cities also are better for your health due to superior air and water quality.”

Leader tapped for Texas 'nuclear renaissance' and more energy news to know

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Editor's note: The top energy transition stories for the start of October include Texas' big bet on nuclear energy, ERCOT's innovative efforts, CenterPoint's capital improvement plan, and more. Read on for the five most-read EnergyCapitalHTX stories published Oct.1-15, 2025:


1. Policy adviser tapped to lead ‘nuclear renaissance’ in Texas

Jarred Shaffer has been named director of the new Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office. Photo via LinkedIn.

As Texas places a $350 million bet on nuclear energy, a budget and policy adviser for Gov. Greg Abbott has been tapped to head the newly created Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office. Jarred Shaffer is now director of the nuclear energy office, which administers the $350 million Texas Advanced Nuclear Development Fund. The fund will distribute grants earmarked for the development of more nuclear reactors in Texas. Continue reading.

2. ERCOT steps up grid innovation efforts to support growing power demand

ERCOT has launched its new Grid Research, Innovation, and Transformation (GRIT) initiative to help resolve grid challenges and meet growing demand. Photo via Getty Images

As AI data centers gobble up more electricity, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) — whose grid supplies power to 90 percent of Texas — has launched an initiative to help meet challenges presented by an increasingly strained power grid. ERCOT, based in the Austin suburb of Taylor, said its new Grid Research, Innovation, and Transformation (GRIT) initiative will tackle research and prototyping of emerging technology and concepts to “deeply understand the implications of rapid grid and technology evolution, positioning ERCOT to lead in the future energy landscape.” Continue reading.

3. CenterPoint launches $65B capital improvement plan

CenterPoint Energy has launched a $65 million capital improvement plan that will focus on building and maintaining a “resilient” electric grid. Photo via centerpointenergy.com

To support rising demand for power, Houston-based utility company CenterPoint Energy has launched a $65 billion, 10-year capital improvement plan. CenterPoint said that in its four-state service territory — Texas, Indiana, Minnesota and Ohio — the money will go toward building and maintaining a “resilient” electric grid and a safe natural gas system. Continue reading.

4. UH projects propose innovative reuse of wind turbines and more on Gulf Coast

The Houston projects involve the innovative reuse of oil rig platforms and wind turbines. Courtesy rendering

Two University of Houston science projects have been selected as finalists for the Gulf Futures Challenge, which will award a total of $50 million to develop ideas that help benefit the Gulf Coast. Sponsored by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s Gulf Coast Research Program and Lever for Change, the competition is designed to spark innovation around problems in the Gulf Coast, such as rising sea levels, pollution, energy security, and community resiliency. The two UH projects beat out 162 entries from organizations based in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Continue reading.

5. Energy startup Base Power raises $1 billion series C round

Base Power, founded by Justin Lopas and Zach Dell, has closed one of the largest venture capital deals of the year. Photo courtesy Base Power.

Austin-based startup Base Power, which offers battery-supported energy in the Houston area and other regions, has raised $1 billion in series C funding—making it one of the largest venture capital deals this year in the U.S. Continue reading.

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