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Houston renewable energy company taps 2 industry partners for project

teaming up

The facility will provide hundreds of jobs with an expected daily output of up to 3,000 barrels per stream that uses both renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel. Photo via Getty Images

A Houston company that's working on a major alternative energy facility in Texas has named two new partners on the project.

Santa Maria Renewable Resources has selected Topsoe as its technology provider, and executed license and engineering agreements, as well as partnered with an engineering firm for its East Texas facility.

The licenses encompass innovations like HydroflexTM and H2bridgeTM technologies. Topsoe’s HydroFlex process layout combined with the H2bridge lower carbon intensity of renewable fuels , and offers greenhouse gas emission savings. The process is part of a sustainable agriculture project currently in development by SMRR in East Texas.

The facility will provide 600 to 700 construction jobs and 300-plus permanent operating employment positions with an expected daily output of up to 3,000 barrels per stream that uses both renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel. The demand for RD and SAF grows,and the aviation industry aims to meet net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

SMRR has also partnered with Chemex Global to commence the front-end engineering design for the facility in East Texas.

“The collaboration with Topsoe and Chemex Global marks a significant company milestone, amplifying the potential of our project,” says Pat Sanchez, founder and CEO of SMRR, in a news release. “The incorporation of these licenses, complemented by tailored engineering insights from both organizations will seamlessly integrate into our ongoing front end engineering design. We’re pleased to collaborate with these industry experts ensuring the smooth progression on this project.”

SMRR is a vertically integrated renewable energy, and biobased production developer.

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Houston AI energy forecasting company lands investment from Samsung Ventures

funding for forecasts

Amperon, a Houston-based AI-powered forecasting solutions company, has received an investment for an undisclosed amount from Samsung Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Samsung Group.

According to Amperon, the funding will be put toward the company's global growth and next-generation product development. Samsung Ventures invests in emerging businesses developing technologies for the AI, advanced devices and energy-related sectors.

“Samsung Ventures’ investment is a strong validation of our mission to transform the way energy is forecasted and traded,” Sean Kelly, CEO and co-founder of Amperon, said in a news release. “Samsung’s global footprint and leadership in semiconductors, data infrastructure, and AI acceleration make them a natural fit as we expand Amperon’s reach into energy-intensive sectors like data centers. Their track record of scaling next-generation technologies aligns perfectly with our vision to build a more intelligent, resilient, and data-driven energy system.”

Amperon was founded in 2018. Its AI models combine real-time weather, consumption and market data for energy retailers, utilities and independent power producers.

Last year, the company launched its weather-informed grid demand Mid-Term Forecast (MTF), which provides users with data on electricity demand up to seven months in advance. It also secured strategic investments from Acario, the corporate venture capital and innovation division of Tokyo Gas, as well as National Grid Partners, the venture investment and innovation arm of National Grid (NYSE: NGG).

After expanding into Europe in 2024, the company has continued to see international growth, and currently operates in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, Europe and the Middle East.

“Amperon has demonstrated strong technical capabilities and global traction in a rapidly evolving energy landscape,” a spokesperson for Samsung Ventures added in the release. “Their ability to forecast and model real-time energy data at global scale positions them as a key enabler of smarter energy systems and climate resilience. We are pleased to invest in a company developing technologies that support a more sustainable and digitized world.”

Houston giant's growing virtual power plant tops energy news to know

Hot Topics

Editor's note: NRG has made headlines to start off the new year, with plans to grow its virtual power plant network and announcing a new CEO. Plus, Greentown Labs introduces its newest startups, and we preview the top energy events of the quarter. Read on for the top Houston energy transition news published Jan. 1-15, 2026:

1. NRG makes latest partnership to grow virtual power plant

NRG Energy has partnered with Sunrun to grow its virtual power plant and support the ERCOT grid. Photo via Pexels.

Houston-based NRG Energy has announced a new long-term partnership with San Francisco-based Sunrun that aims to meet Texas’ surging energy demands and accelerate the adoption of home battery storage in Texas. The partnership also aligns with NRG’s goal of developing a 1-gigawatt virtual power plant by connecting thousands of decentralized energy sources by 2035. Continue reading.

2. Houston-based NRG announces new CEO and succession plan

Robert J. Gaudette will take over as NRG's new CEO on April 30. Photo via NRG.com.

Houston-based NRG Energy Inc. announced that it has appointed Robert J. Gaudette as president and CEO. Gaudette took over as president effective Jan. 7 and will assume the role of CEO April 30, coinciding with the company's next stockholder meeting. Gaudette, who previously served as executive vice president and president of NRG Business and Wholesale Operations, will succeed Lawrence Coben in the leadership roles. Continue reading.

3. Japanese company launches solar module manufacturing at Houston-area plant

TOYO Solar LLC has begun operations at its solar module manufacturing facility in Humble, Texas. Photo via Pexels.

A local subsidiary of a Japanese solar equipment manufacturer recently began producing solar modules at a new plant in Humble. TOYO Co. Ltd.’s TOYO Solar LLC subsidiary can produce 1 gigawatt worth of solar modules per year at a 567,140-square-foot plant it leases in Lovett Industrial’s Nexus North Logistics Park on Greens Road. TOYO Solar’s next phase will accommodate 2.5 gigawatts’ worth of solar module manufacturing. The subsidiary eventually plans to expand manufacturing capacity to 6.5 gigawatts. Continue reading.

4. 40+ climatetech startups join Greentown, including a dozen from Houston

Twelve local startups have joined Greentown Houston, along with others from around the world. Photo courtesy Greentown Labs.

More than 40 climatetech startups joined the Greentown Labs Houston community in the second half of 2025. Twelve hail from the Bayou City. The companies are among a group of nearly 70 that joined the climatetech incubator, which is co-located in Houston and Boston, in Q3 and Q4. Continue reading.

5. 10+ must-attend Houston energy events happening in Q1 2026

CERAWeek returns to close out March 2026 programming in Houston. Photo via CERAWeek.com

With the new year comes a new slate of must-attend events for those in the Houston energy sector. We've rounded up a host of events to put on your calendar for Q1, including some that you can attend this month. Plus, other premier annual events will return in February and March 2026 and are currently offering early-bird, discounted registration. Continue reading.

Solar surpasses coal to become ERCOT’s third-largest power source in 2025

by the numbers

Solar barely eclipsed coal to become the third biggest source of energy generated for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) in 2025, according to new data.

In 2024, solar represented 10 percent of energy supplied to the ERCOT electric grid. Last year, that number climbed to 14 percent. During the same period, coal’s share remained at 13 percent.

From the largest to smallest share, here’s the breakdown of other ERCOT energy sources in 2025 compared with 2024:

  • Combined-cycle gas: 33 percent, down from 35 percent in 2024
  • Wind: 23 percent, down from 24 percent in 2024
  • Natural gas: 8 percent, down from 9 percent in 2024
  • Nuclear: 8 percent, unchanged from 2024
  • Other sources: 1 percent, unchanged from 2024

Combined, solar and wind accounted for 37 percent of ERCOT energy sources.

Looking ahead, solar promises to reign as the star of the ERCOT show:

  • An ERCOT report released in December 2024 said solar is on track to continue outpacing other energy sources in terms of growth of installed generating capacity, followed by battery energy storage.
  • In December, ERCOT reported that more than 11,100 megawatts of new generating capacity had been added to its grid since the previous winter. One megawatt of electricity serves about 250 homes in peak-demand periods. Battery energy storage made up 47 percent of the new capacity, with solar in second place at 40 percent.

The mix of ERCOT’s energy is critical to Texas’ growing need for electricity, as ERCOT manages about 90 percent of the electric load for the state, including the Houston metro area. Data centers, AI and population growth are driving heightened demand for electricity.

In the first nine months of 2025, Texas added a nation-leading 7.4 gigawatts of solar capacity, according to a report from data and analytics firm Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association.

“Remarkable growth in Texas, Indiana, Utah and other states ... shows just how decisively the market is moving toward solar,” says Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the solar association.

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