From virtual to reality: This Houston extended reality CEO weighs in on energy transition applications

Q&A

Founded in 2023, MadXR is a Houston-based Extended Reality startup. The innovative company specializes in safety training experiences for the energy sector and beyond. From pre-built virtual reality training modules to custom developed, end-to-end XR solutions, MadXR creates interactive, lifelike virtual reality and augmented reality experiences that allow trainees to practice safety procedures in a controlled environment.

Houston Energy Transition Initiative recently connected with Miranda Palmisano, CEO of MadXR, to discuss the applications and benefits of XR—and how it can help energy companies reduce HSE risk and carbon intensity like never before.

HETI: You were at Chevron for nearly 10 years before MadXR. How did your experiences at Chevron shape your approach to starting and running your own company?

Miranda Palmisano: Prior to founding MadXR, I held many different roles at Chevron across upstream and downstream. As the Connected Worker Product Manager, I drove digital acceleration for our global field and maintenance teams in refineries, terminals, and manufacturing sites, elevating efficiency and safety. During that time, I began exploring the value case of VR across Chevron.

I formed the Extended Reality Team and shortly became the Extended Reality Product Manager. Our team began using VR to conduct safety training within a virtual environment. It allowed us to train Chevron’s workforce safer and more efficiently by providing hands-on experience without the risk of real-world errors.

HETI: What inspired you to start your own company?

MP: Extended reality is an exciting new technology, and I quickly discovered the growing need for flexible, cost-effective XR content development in relation to life-saving-action training, such as confined-space entry, lockout/tagout procedures, and working from heights. I believe that affordable and high-quality XR experiences should be accessible to all companies, regardless of budget. That’s why MadXR has transparent pricing options that range from pre-built VR training modules to turnkey teams—and we empower our customers to take full ownership of their content and assets.

HETI: How has being based in Houston helped MadXR?

MP: The network in Houston is unmatched. In the energy capital of the world, it’s much easier to access the companies we’re targeting and hire the talent we need to grow. Innovation hubs like Houston’s Ion District have given us the resources and opportunities to connect with a vast number of forward-thinking businesses.

HETI: Do you believe XR will be instrumental in helping companies reach low carbon or net zero goals?

MP: XR is poised to revolutionize the energy industry, offering unprecedented opportunities for efficiency, engagement, and environmental sustainability. Imagine donning a headset and virtually navigating a facility halfway across the globe in real-time, or preparing your entire team with comprehensive virtual training before they physically enter a site. These scenarios highlight XR’s potential to enhance operational efficiency and employee engagement significantly. Beyond the immediate benefits, XR also plays a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions by eliminating the need for unnecessary travel. This technology isn’t just about improving current processes; it’s about reimagining the future of energy industry operations in a more sustainable, efficient, and engaging way.

HETI: MadXR will be celebrating its first anniversary in April. Can you tell us more about your vision for the future and what you’re focused on in 2024?

MP: In 2023, we were focused on ramping up and generating awareness. This year, we’re dedicated to expanding our reach and impact. We plan to incorporate AI into our learning modules and XR development to make them even more informational and interactive.

While our primary focus is on energy, we’re exploring how we can extend XR training to other industries, including automotive, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals.

———

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.

To learn more about MadXR’s mission and XR training modules, visit MadXR.

Ad Placement 300x100

Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Property Showcase

Energy Tech Nexus announces international startups to pitch at Pilotathon

Ready, Set, Pitch

Energy Tech Nexus will host its Pilotathon and Showcase as part of Houston Energy & Climate Startup Week next Tuesday, Sept. 16, featuring insightful talks from industry leaders and pitches from an international group of companies in the clean energy space.

This year's event will center around the theme "Energy Access and Resilience." Attendees will hear pitches from nine Pilotathon pitch companies, as well as the 14 companies that were named to Energy Tech Nexus' COPILOT accelerator earlier this year.

COPILOT partners with Browning the Green Space, a nonprofit that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the clean energy and climatetech sectors. The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN²) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory backs the COPILOT accelerator, where companies are tasked with developing pilot projects for their innovations.

The nine Pilotathon pitch companies include:

Ontario-based AlumaPower, which has developed a breakthrough technology that converts the aluminum-air battery into a "galvanic generator," a long-duration energy source that runs on aluminum as a fuel
Calgary-based BioOilSolv, a chemical manufacturing company that has developed cutting-edge biomass-derived solvents
Atlanta-based Cultiv8 Fuels, which creates high-quality renewable fuel products derived from hemp
Newfoundland-based eDNAtec Inc., a leader in environmental genomics that analyzes biodiversity and ecological health
Oregon-based Espiku Inc., which designs and develops water treatment and mineral extraction technologies that rely on low-pressure evaporative cycles
New York-based Fast Metals Inc., which has developed a chemical process to extract valuable metals from complex toxic mine tailings that is capable of producing iron, aluminum, scandium, titanium and other rare earth elements using industrial waste and waste CO2 as inputs
New Jersey-based Metal Light Inc., which is building a circular, solid metal fuel that will serve as a replacement for diesel fuel
Glasgow-based Novosound, which designs and manufactures innovative ultrasound sensors using a thin-film technique to address the limitations of traditional ultrasound with applications in industrial, medical and wearable markets
Calgary-based Serenity Power, which has developed a cutting-edge solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology

The COPILOT accelerator companies include:

Accelerate Wind
Aquora Biosystems Inc.
EarthEn
Electromaim
EnKoat
GeoFuels
Harber Coatings Inc.
Janta Power
NanoSieve
PolyQor Inc.
Popper Power
Siva Powers America
ThermoShade
V-Glass Inc.

Houston energy company to invest $1B in U.S. electric grid manufacturing

grid boost

Hitachi Energy, whose U.S. headquarters is in Houston, has earmarked more than $1 billion to manufacture infrastructure for the U.S. electric grid, which is coping with greater power demand from data centers and AI platforms.

Of that sum, $457 million is dedicated to building a power transformer factory in Virginia. Hitachi Energy said it’ll be the largest facility of its kind in the U.S.

“Power transformers are a linchpin technology for a robust and reliable electric grid and winning the AI race. Bringing production of large power transformers to the U.S. is critical to building a strong domestic supply chain for the U.S. economy and reducing production bottlenecks, which is essential as demand for these transformers across the economy is surging,” said Andreas Schierenbeck, CEO of Switzerland-based Hitachi Energy, which generates revenue of about $16 billion.

The Hitachi announcement aligns with various priorities of the Trump administration. The White House is promoting more U.S.-based manufacturing, more power to accommodate data centers and AI, and greater use of U.S. energy resources.

“If we are going to win the AI race, reindustrialize, and keep the lights on, America is going to need a lot more reliable energy,” U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said.

Texas still has its best solar days ahead of it, even as federal tax credit sunsets

Guest Column

If you follow energy policy, you already know that Congress repealed the 30% residential solar tax credit. This poses a significant challenge for continued growth in the market. It also provides an opportunity for the industry to grow in a smart, consumer-friendly way. That’s why in Texas, the story is what happens next: The state and the market are continuing to make going solar much simpler, better, and cheaper.

Policies are moving in the right direction. For example, starting this month, a bipartisan permitting reform takes effect that will cut red tape for home solar and batteries. It lets licensed third-party professionals review plans and perform inspections, requires agencies to post standardized rules and fees online, and allows homeowners to start work once those third-party approvals are submitted. It also shifts negligence liability to the third-party reviewer, thereby reducing municipal risk while accelerating safe, code-compliant installs. In plain English: fewer bottlenecks, faster installs, and lower “soft costs.”

As a result, Houston is already piloting the National Renewable Energy Lab’s free SolarAPP+ to auto-approve standard solar designs, which cuts roughly 12 days from typical timelines. Independent analyses estimate that these automated permitting rules could trim rooftop solar costs by thousands. In other words, even small, costless policy changes like this can save you almost as much money as the huge solar tax credit did, and these great reforms are happening all the time, and they make the process much more convenient and reliable.

While Texas is making solar simpler, it’s also helping consumers have a good experience when going solar. As of this month, Texas law now also requires solar salespeople to register with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The same bill standardizes contracts and provides for mandatory disclosures of upfront cost and financing terms. The whole solar industry benefits when customers have a good solar experience. Word of mouth is vital to keeping solar shining.

There's yet another pro-solar Texas law that's also going into effect this month: in addition to SB 1202 (streamlining solar permits) and SB 1036 (regulating solar sales tactics), the legislature is also supporting the dissemination of information about your options when going solar via SB 1697. You can read more about these three brand-new pro-solar state laws here.

The end of the solar tax credit is not the end of the solar industry. Far from it.

---

Dori Wolf is Senior Texas Program Associate for Solar United Neighbors, a vendor and neutral nonprofit with more than 15 years helping people go solar. Their free Solar Help Desk walks you through the details. Also check out their Go Solar Guide and Solar Owner’s Manual.

Solar United Neighbors also helps you find the best retail electricity plan through its partnership with Texas Power Guide.

View All Listings

ENERGYCAPITALHTX EMAILS ARE AWESOME