NanoTech is targeting new overseas markets for its energy efficiency products. Photo via Getty Images

NanoTech Materials has announced a big expansion for its business.

The Houston company, which created a roof coating using nanotechnology that optimizes energy efficiency, has partnered with Terminal Subsea Solutions Marine Service SP to bring its products to the Gulf Cooperation Council and Singapore. TSSM will become a partner of Houston’s NanoTech Materials products, which will include the Cool Roof Coat, Vehicular Coat, and Insulative Coat for the GCC countries and Singapore.

NanoTech Materials technology that ranges from roof coatings on mid- to low-rise buildings to shipping container insulation to coating trucks and transportation vehicles will be utilized by TSSM in the partnership. NanoTech’s efforts are focused on heat mitigation that can reduce energy costs, enhance worker safety, and minimize business risks in the process.

“Businesses and communities within the GCC and Singapore feel the impact of extreme temperatures and longer Summers more acutely than any other region in the world,” Mike Francis, CEO of NanoTech Materials, says in a news release. “We have an opportunity to make a real impact here through reduced energy load, cooler and safer working conditions, and a reduced carbon emissions output from the hottest, driest place on earth. We are incredibly excited to be partnering with our colleagues at TSSM to bring this powerful technology to the region.”

One of the areas that will benefit from this collaboration is the Middle East. The GCC region is characterized by a desert climate, which has average annual temperature reaching 107.6°F and summer peaks climbing as high as 130°F. The effects of these extreme conditions can be dangerous for workers especially with strict labor laws mandating midday work bans under black flag conditions, which can result in productivity losses as well.

NanoTech’s proprietary technology, the Insulative Ceramic Particle (ICP), will be used to address challenges in energy efficiency and heat control in the logistics and built environment sector. The platform can be integrated into many applications, and the impact can range from reducing greenhouse gas emissions to protecting communities that are wildfire-prone. The core of the technology has a lower conductivity than aerogels. It also has a “near-perfect emissivity score” according to the company. The NanoTech ICP is integrated with base matrix carriers; building materials, coatings, and substrates, which gives the materials heat conservation, rejection, or containment properties.

By combining the ICP into an acrylic roof coating, NanoTech has created the Cool Roof Coat, which reflects sunlight and increases the material's heat resistance. This can lower indoor temperatures by 25 to 45°F in single-story buildings and reduce the carbon emissions of mid to low-rise buildings. This can potentially equal energy savings from 20 percent up to 50 percent, which would surpass the average 15 percent savings of traditional reflective only coatings.

“This technology will have a huge impact on supporting the region's aggressive climate initiatives, such as Saudi Arabia’s Green Initiative, aiming to reduce carbon emissions by 278 million tons annually by 2030,” Jameel Ahmed, managing director at TSSM, says in the release. “The regional efforts to enhance climate action and economic opportunities through substantial investments in green technologies and projects are evident, and we are proud to be offering a product that can make a difference.”

NanoTech says its coating maintains its effectiveness over time and doesn’t suffer UV degradation issues which are helpful, especially in extreme weather conditions workers and businesses face in regions like the Middle East.

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New Houston energy startup launches to power AI data centers

power move

Buoyed by a purchase agreement from Microsoft, Houston-based Joulent recently launched to build power plants that meet the electricity demands of AI data centers and other computing-heavy industries.

Joulent builds dedicated power-generating facilities that feed directly into data centers and other power-dependent facilities, eliminating the need for companies to siphon power from grids. Joulent’s plants combine generation, storage and smart controls in a modular, scalable setup, according to a news release.

Investment firm Engine No. 1 established Joulent in collaboration with energy technology company GE Vernova.

Joulent’s first project, the Project Kilby natural gas facility in West Texas, will be co-located with a Microsoft data center. It’ll deliver about 2.67 gigawatts of power under a 20-year deal between Microsoft and Energy Forge One, a subsidiary of Houston-based Chevron. Engine No. 1 and Chevron teamed up to build the plant.

GE Vernova will supply most of the plant’s power capacity, with additional capacity coming from Solar Turbines, a subsidiary of Irving-based construction and mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar.

“Leadership in the AI era will be determined by who can deliver energy and compute the fastest, most reliably, and at the lowest cost,” Chris James, founder and CEO of Engine No. 1 and Joulent, said in a news release. “By building new power-generating facilities, Joulent enables customers across industries to power the next chapter of American innovation, while reducing pressure on existing grids and maintaining affordability for ratepayers.”

Baker Hughes signs deal to install 500 MW of geothermal power

geothermal growth

Baker Hughes has made a deal to further expand its geothermal operations.

The Houston-based energy giant has signed an agreement with Mantle Reach Power to develop geothermal energy projects across North America. The companies say they aim to install up to 500 megawatts of geothermal power in the next five years, according to a news release.

Through the new agreement, Baker Hughes will provide subsurface technology and solutions while Mantle Reach Power will lead project development, ownership and financing. Mantle Reach Power is a geothermal development company backed by the $47 billion EnCap Energy Transition Fund III.

According to the release, the deal aims to help solve one of geothermal energy's fundamental problems by aligning capital with expertise and technology, and enhancing "pre-construction bankability."

“Geothermal is a clean power solution that is proving to be a vital contributor to advancing sustainable energy development, with incredible potential to enhance U.S. energy security, support digital infrastructure, and ensure energy remains accessible and affordable ... Today’s announcement celebrates the commercial architecture the industry has been missing: a repeatable, financeable model that can be deployed at the speed and scale to meet global energy demands,” Baker Hughes Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Simonelli said in the news release.

“Integrating Baker Hughes’ subsurface-to-surface expertise with our capabilities in project development, finance, and execution positions Mantle Reach Power to commercialize geothermal assets at scale,” Nick Karambelas, CEO of Mantle Reach Power, added in the release. “This structure provides the construction and operating certainty necessary to access conventional project financing and accelerate our growth as an independent power producer.”

Baker Hughes has launched multiple geothermal partnerships in recent months. The company announced a deal with Oklahoma-based Helmerich & Payne Inc. (H&P) in May to develop a geothermal rig, where H&P will provide a geothermal-capable land drilling rig and Baker Hughes will contribute technology.

In March, the company announced support for XGS’s geothermal extraction projects in New Mexico, which are being used to meet the increasing demands of data centers in the state. Last year, Fervo Energy selected Baker Hughes to supply equipment for its flagship geothermal project in Utah.