Houston is at the heart of an 'all of the above' energy transition strategy

the view from heti

Jane Stricker, executive director of HETI, on two years of the organization and the dual challenge the industry faces. Photo via GHP

As the Houston region continues to have important conversations about energy and climate in the energy capital of the world, it’s helpful to frame the discussion in terms of the dual challenge.

On one hand, our world needs energy companies across all sectors to continue to develop and deliver energy for all parts of the world – energy that is affordable and reliable and can enable the level of population and GDP growth anticipated over the next 30 years. At the same time, we need to find a way to significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production and distribution of that energy to reduce the risks and impacts associated with climate change on our world.

As the global energy landscape continues to evolve – across the entire value chain, just in the two years since HETI was launched, there is an even greater urgency to leverage all available solutions to address the dual challenge.

We must be able to recognize that there is no silver bullet, no single technology and no single source of energy today that can get the world to net zero by 2050. However, that doesn’t mean we should give up. As the energy transition capital of the world, Houston continues to demonstrate that can lead in developing and deploying “all of the above” energy solutions needed to reach our ambitious goals.

With over 200 new cleantech and climatetech startups alongside some of the largest energy leaders who know how to scale technology, Houston is uniquely positioned to lead the way in technology development and commercial deployment to meet the dual challenge. Whether it’s implementing a carbon capture and storage project along Houston’s ship channel, piloting small modular nuclear reactor technology to enable zero carbon energy for chemical production in Seadrift, or converting an abandoned landfill in the middle of Houston’s Sunnyside community into the largest urban solar farm in the U.S. to create both zero carbon power and economic opportunity for the community, Houston is charging forward on all fronts to meet the dual challenge.

We cannot afford to sacrifice progress in search of a perfect solution, and Houston embraces this perspective in the way our region is coming together across the entire energy ecosystem to build on our leadership and lead the world to an energy-abundant, low-carbon future.

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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.

Next month, 96 startups will pitch at an annual event focused on the future of energy. Here's who will be there. Photo via rice.edu

Exclusive: Rice Alliance announces participants ahead of 20th annual energy symposium

where to be

Dozens of companies will be a part of an upcoming energy-focused conference at Rice University — from climate tech startups to must-see keynote speakers.

The 20th Annual Rice Alliance Energy Tech Venture Forum will take place on September 21 at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business. Anyone who's interested in learning more about the major players in the low-carbon future in Houston and beyond should join the industry leaders, investors, and promising energy and cleantech startups in attendance.

This year's keynote speakers include Christina Karapataki, partner at Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the venture capital fund backed by Bill Gates; Scott Nyquist, vice chairman at Houston Energy Transition Initiative, founded by the Greater Houston Partnership; and Jeff Tillery, COO at Veriten.

Nearly 100 startups will also be pitching throughout the day, and at the end of the program, the most-promising companies — according to investors — will be revealed. See below for the 2023 selection of companies.

Presenting companies:

Element Resources
Eugenie AI
Flash H2 Synthesis from Waste Plastic at Zero Net Cost
Fluid Efficiency
Galatea Technologies
Heimdal
Impact Technology SystemsAS
INGU
Lithos
Luminescent
Mantel
Mars Materials
Microgrid Labs
Mirico
Mobilus Labs
Muon Vision
Nano Nuclear
NobleAI
Numat
Ourobio
Planckton Data Technologies
Polystyvert
Princeton NuEnergy
Protein Evolution
Qult Technologies
Sage Geosystems
Salient Predictions
Sawback Technologies
SHORELINE AI
Solidec
Spectral Sensor Solutions
Teren
Terradote
TexPower
Thiozen
Technology from the Lab of Dr. James Tour
Volexion
Xecta

CEA Demo Day:

Ayrton Energy
Carbix
CryoDesalination
Digital Carbon Bank
EarthEn
H Quest Vanguard
Highwood Emissions Management
Icarus RT
Khepra
Natrion
Oceanways
Relyion Energy
Triton Anchor
TROES

Office hours only:

1s1 Energy
AKOS Energy
Aperta Systems
Atargis Energy
Ayas
C-Power
C-Quester
Carbon Loop
Deep Anchor Solutions
DG Matrix
Drishya AI Labs
Earthbound.ai
EarthBridge Energy
Enoverra
equipcast
ezNG Solutions
Feelit Technologies
FluxWorks
Forge
Horne Technologies
Imperium Technologies
LiCAP Technologies
Make My Day
Moblyze
MyPass Global
NovaSpark Energy
Octet Scientific
Perceptive Sensor Technologies
PetroBricks
Piersica
Poseidon Minerals
Predyct
RIvotto
Roboze
Talisea
ThermoLift Solutions
Trout Software
Tuebor Energy
Undesert Corporation
Viridos
Vroom Solar
Well Information Technologies
WellWorth
Zsense Systems

Introducing the Houston Energy Transition Initiative

The View from HETI

For over 100 years, Houston has long been considered the energy capital of the world. With newer, cleaner energy initiatives on the rise, Houston is poised to continue with the title.

The economic vitality and growth of our region’s economy is inextricably tied to the energy industry, and the industry is changing rapidly to meet growing global energy demand while simultaneously lowering emissions. The Greater Houston Partnership’s Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI) builds on the best of traditional energy skills and systems to leverage Houston’s industry leadership to accelerate global solutions for an energy-abundant, low-carbon future.

“HETI’s objective is to create a vision and a blueprint for growing the region’s economy, exporting low-carbon products and expertise, equitably creating new jobs, and helping the city of Houston achieve the goals of its Climate Action Plan,” said Jane Stricker, Senior Vice President Energy Transition and Executive Director of HETI. “There is no geography in the world better positioned than Houston to lead the transition to and integration of abundant, low-carbon energy solutions.”

HETI harnesses Houston's industry leadership as well as capitalizes on traditional energy expertise and infrastructure to facilitate worldwide solutions for an energy abundant, low-carbon future. Over the last two years, HETI’s developed a strategic plan and fully launched this strategy to help companies meet the dual challenge.

"Houston has both the opportunity and a responsibility to lead the transition. It is our opportunity to embrace, and our challenge to solve. And when we are successful, we will be creating opportunity for the generations of Houstonians to come," said Bobby Tudor, Chair, Houston Energy Transition Initiative

HETI has formed working groups dedicated to driving progress in key sectors where Houston holds a strategic edge. These active sector-specific working groups are: CCUS, Capital Formation, Power Management, Clean Hydrogen, and Industry Decarbonization. All these groups are working closely with HETI members to accelerate solutions to help take on the dual challenge of meeting the world's increasing energy needs, while also reducing CO2 emissions.

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The Greater Houston Partnership's Houston Energy Transition Initiative, or 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's hydrogen revolution gets up to $1.2B federal boost to power Gulf Coast’s clean energy future

HyVelocity funding

The emerging low-carbon hydrogen ecosystem in Houston and along the Texas Gulf Coast is getting as much as a $1.2 billion lift from the federal government.

The U.S. Department of Energy funding, announced November 20, is earmarked for the new HyVelocity Hub. The hub — backed by energy companies, schools, nonprofits, and other organizations — will serve the country’s biggest hydrogen-producing area. The region earns that status thanks to more than 1,000 miles of dedicated hydrogen pipelines and almost 50 hydrogen production plants.

“The HyVelocity Hub demonstrates the power of collaboration in catalyzing economic growth and creating value for communities as we build a regional hydrogen economy that delivers benefits to Gulf Coast communities,” says Paula Gant, president and CEO of Des Plaines, Illinois-based GTI Energy, which is administering the hub.

HyVelocity, which aims to become the largest hydrogen hub in the country, has already received about $22 million of the $1.2 billion in federal funding to kickstart the project.

Organizers of the hydrogen project include:

Arlington, Virginia-based AES Corp.
Air Liquide, whose U.S. headquarters is in Houston
Chevron, which is moving its headquarters to Houston
Spring-based ExxonMobil
Lake Mary, Florida-based Mitsubishi Power Americas
Denmark-based Ørsted
Center for Houston’s Future
Houston Advanced Research Center
University of Texas at Austin

The hub’s primary contractor is HyVelocity LLC. The company says the hub could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to seven million metric tons per year and create as many as 45,000 over the life of the project.

HyVelocity is looking at several locations in the Houston area and along the Gulf Coast for large-scale production of hydrogen. The process will rely on water from electrolysis along with natural gas from carbon capture and storage. To improve distribution and lower storage costs, the hub envisions creating a hydrogen pipeline system.

Clean hydrogen generated by the hub will help power fuel-cell electric trucks, factories, ammonia plants, refineries, petrochemical facilities, and marine fuel operations.

Geothermal co. wins at Houston innovation event, UH secures DOE funding, and more trending energy news

top stories

Editor's note: From Sage Geosystems winning at the Houston Innovation Awards to Daikin renaming Houston's baseball stadium, these are the top headlines that resonated with EnergyCapital readers on social media and daily newsletter this week.

Local energy innovators recognized at annual Houston Innovation Awards

At an event celebrating Houston innovation, these four energy transition leaders were recognized. Photos courtesy

This week, the Houston innovation ecosystem celebrated big wins from the year, and members of the energy transition community were recognized alongside other innovators.

The Houston Innovation Awards honored over 40 finalists across categories, naming the 12 winners and honoring the two Trailblazer Legacy Awards at the event. The event, hosted at TMC Helix Park on November 14 named and celebrated the winners, which included four energy transition innovators. Continue reading.

University of Houston secures $3.6M from DOE program to fund sustainable fuel production

Researchers Rahul Pandey, senior scientist with SRI and principal investigator (left), and Praveen Bollini, a University of Houston chemical engineering faculty, are key contributors to the microreactor project. Photo via uh.edu

A University of Houston-associated project was selected to receive $3.6 million from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy that aims to transform sustainable fuel production.

Nonprofit research institute SRI is leading the project “Printed Microreactor for Renewable Energy Enabled Fuel Production” or PRIME-Fuel, which will try to develop a modular microreactor technology that converts carbon dioxide into methanol using renewable energy sources with UH contributing research. Continue reading.

Global industrial company Daikin makes deal with Houston Astros on stadium rename

The Astros' stadium will have a new name in 2025. Courtesy of the Houston Astros

The Houston Astros' home will get a new name on Jan. 1, becoming Daikin Park under an agreement through the 2039 season the team announced Monday.

The stadium opened as Enron Field in 2000 as part of a 30-year, $100 million agreement but the name was removed in March 2002 following Enron Corp.'s bankruptcy filing and the ballpark briefly became Astros Field. Continue reading.

Reliant, GM Energy team up on free renewable energy EV charging

Reliant and GM Energy will be offering free nighttime charging for Chevrolet electric vehicle drivers that enroll in the new Reliant FreeCharge Nights. Photo via reliant.com

Reliant Energy and GM Energy are advancing a new renewable energy electricity plan that will “accelerate the clean energy journey for the two companies and their customers,” according to a news release.

Houston-based Reliant and GM Energy will be offering free nighttime charging for Chevrolet electric vehicle drivers that enroll in the new Reliant FreeCharge Nights. Continue reading.

Pipeline robotics: How this Houston startup is revolutionizing corrosion monitoring

Dianna Liu of ARIX Technologies joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to share her entrepreneurial journey — and why Houston was the right place to start her company. Photo courtesy of ARIX

After working for years in the downstream energy industry where safety and efficiency were top priorities, Dianna Liu thought there was a way technology could make a huge difference.

Despite loving her company and her job, she took a leap of faith to start a robotics company to create technology to more safely and efficiently monitor corrosion in pipelines. ARIX Technologies has developed software and hardware solutions for its customers with pipelines in downstream and beyond.

"Overall, this industry is an industry that really harps on doing things safely, doing things well, and having all the data to make really informed decisions," Liu says on the Houston Innovators Podcast. "Because these are huge companies with huge problems, it takes a lot of time to set up the right systems, adopt new things, and make changes." Continue reading.

CenterPoint’s Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative makes advancements on progress

step by step

CenterPoint Energy has released the first of its public progress updates on the actions being taken throughout the Greater Houston 12-county area, which is part of Phase Two of its Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative.

The GHRI Phase Two will lead to more than 125 million fewer outage minutes annually, according to CenterPoint.

According to CenterPoint, they have installed around 4,600 storm-resilient poles, installed more than 100 miles of power lines underground, cleared more than 800 miles of hazardous vegetation to improve reliability, and installed more self-healing automation all during the first two months of the program in preparation for the 2025 hurricane season.

"This summer, we accomplished a significant level of increased system hardening in the first phase of the Greater Houston Resilience Initiative,” Darin Carroll, senior vice president of CenterPoint Energy's Electric Business, says in a news release.

”Since then, as we have been fully engaged in delivering the additional set of actions in our second phase of GHRI, we continue to make significant progress as we work toward our ultimate goal of becoming the most resilient coastal grid in the country,” he continues.

The GHRI is a series of actions to “ strengthen resilience, enable a self-healing grid and reduce the duration and impact of power outages” according to a news release. The following progress through early November include:

The second phase of GHRI will run through May 31, 2025. During this time, CenterPoint teams will be installing 4,500 automated reliability devices to minimize sustained interruptions during major storms, reduce restoration times, and establish a network of 100 new weather monitoring stations. CenterPoint plans to complete each of these actions before the start of the next hurricane season.

“Now, and in the months to come, we will remain laser-focused on completing these critical resiliency actions and building the more reliable and more resilient energy system our customers expect and deserve," Carroll adds.

CenterPoint also announced that it has completed all 42 of the critical actions the company committed to taking in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl. Some of the actions were trimming or removing higher-risk vegetation from more than 2,000 power line miles, installing more than 1,100 more storm-resilient poles, installing over 300 automated devices to reduce sustained outages, launching a new, cloud-based outage tracker, improving CenterPoint's Power Alert Service, hosting listening sessions across the service area and using feedback.

In October, CenterPoint Energy announced an agreement with Artificial Intelligence-powered infrastructure modeling platform Neara for engineering-grade simulations and analytics, and to deploy Neara’s AI capabilities across CenterPoint’s Greater Houston service area.

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