In final State of the City speech, Houston mayor addresses resiliency, energy transition efforts

turner's legacy

"I am proud of the city that I shall pass forward." Photo courtesy of the city of Houston

For his eighth and final time, Mayor Sylvester Turner delivered the State of the City address last week, and he highlighted some of the gains within his tenure.

"We are greener, more compassionate, more united, and more forward-moving than we can ever imagine," says Mayor Turner. “What I can say to Houstonians is that I have given you my best, and I am proud of the city that I shall pass forward.”

At the event, which boasted a sold-out crowd of 1,500 Houstonians, Mayor turned announced some of the initiatives he's most proud of accomplishing and revealed release of “A Winning Legacy,” a book detailing his legacy.

“Together, we have faced many storms – seven federally declared disasters in eight years. From floods or a freeze, from a Super Bowl or the pandemic, we rose and met the challenges of our times,” says the mayor in his speech. “From inequities in neighborhoods investments to billions of dollars in pension unfunded liabilities, from One Safe Houston to One Clean Houston, we confronted each issue head on and set the city on firmer footing.”

Mayor Turner goes on to name the other storms that hit Houston during his tenure, and how resiliency and the energy transition became major themes of this office.

"We are the energy capital of the world," he says to the crowd. "We purchase more renewable energy than any other city in the United States. ... We lead the country in renewables."

In the address, Mayor Turner mentions his work on a project, announced last year, to convert a former landfill into a solar farm.

"The Sunnyside Solar Farm, which will be the largest urban solar farm in the country, will be operational by 2024," he says.

Mayor Turner wraps up his speech, which is available in its entirety on the city's YouTube page, with noting that he is leaving the next mayor — who will be decided in next month's election — with a $420 million surplus. When Mayor Turner was elected in 2015, the city had a $160 million deficit.

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Houston clean-chemicals startup Solidec raises $2M to scale tech

fresh funding

Solidec, a Houston startup that specializes in manufacturing “clean” chemicals, has raised more than $2 million in pre-seed funding.

Houston-based New Climate Ventures led the oversubscribed pre-seed round, with participation from Plug and Play Ventures, Ecosphere Ventures, the Collaborative Fund, Safar Partners, Echo River Capital and Semilla Climate Capital, among other investors.

Solidec’s approach to chemical manufacturing replaces centralized infrastructure with modular on-site production using only air, water and electricity. Solidec’s platform is powered by modular reactors capable of producing widely used chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide, formic acid, acetic acid and ethylene.

“We’ve known the Solidec team for almost two years and have developed a high degree of conviction in the team, their technology, and their go-to-market strategy,” Eric Rubenstein, managing partner at New Climate Ventures, said in a news release. “We’re particularly excited about Solidec’s ability to produce many different widely used chemicals. It gives them critical flexibility to expand and serve a broad customer base.”

Solidec is initially focusing on hydrogen peroxide.

“Traditionally, hydrogen peroxide is produced in centralized, energy-intensive facilities using carbon-intensive inputs, then transported long distances, resulting in a significant carbon footprint,” Ryan DuChanois, co-founder and CEO of Solidec, said in the release. “Solidec’s modular reactor produces clean chemicals like hydrogen peroxide on-site, in fewer steps, and with less energy, slashing emissions, supply-chain risk, and cost.”

Solidec said its technology “is poised to disrupt the multibillion-dollar commodity and chemical industries.” The company has already signed up several customers.

The startup, a Rice University spinout, is a graduate of the Chevron Catalyst Program and a member of Greentown Labs Houston. It was cofounded by DuChanois, Haotian Wang and Yang Xia.

7 must-attend Houston energy transition events in August 2025

Must-Attend Meetings

Editor's note: It's time to mark your calendars for the top Houston energy events this month. From globally-focused forums to intimate conversations with Houston energy leaders, these events are not to be missed, so begin registering today. Please note: this article may be updated to include additional event listings.

August 6-7 — U.S.-Africa Energy Forum

The U.S.-Africa Energy Forum (USAEF) connects the U.S. market with Africa’s vast energy sector opportunities. The forum empowers participants to uncover emerging opportunities in Africa’s energy sector, positioning licensing rounds and projects as prime conduits for U.S. investment. By bringing together investors, governments, and project developers, the forum fosters meaningful partnerships, expands investor networks, and paves the way for impactful collaborations across the energy value chain.

This event begins August 6 at the Post Oak Hotel. Click here to register.

August 21 — Transition on Tap

Greentown Labs’ signature networking event returns in August to foster conversations and connections within Houston's climate and energy transition ecosystem. Entrepreneurs, investors, students, philanthropists, and more are invited to attend, meet colleagues, discuss solutions, and engage with the growing community.

This event takes place Thursday, August 21 at 5:30 pm at Greentown Labs. Click here to register.

August 22 – Determined to Lead Women Lunch: Investing Through Market Cycles with Ellen Wilkirson

EnergyTech Nexus hosts a monthly Determined to Lead Women’s Lunch as part of its ongoing efforts to create safe spaces for women leaders in the energy transition to connect, learn, and lead. The August session features Ellen Wilkirson, principal at Rev Innovations. With deep experience across traditional and transition energy sectors, Wilkirson will share how she’s approached investing through multiple market and commodity cycles and what it means to be a clean energy investor in today’s evolving landscape.

This event takes place Friday, August 22 at 1 pm. Click here to register.

August 25-28 — IMAGE 2025

Join the world's premier gathering for geoscientists, energy professionals, and industry leaders to connect, collaborate, and innovate. IMAGE 2025 will feature 1,100 presentations and 260 exhibitors. It will connect more than 7,800 energy leaders from more than 90 countries. In addition to four days of programming, guests can attend pre-convention field trips on August 23-25 and post-convention workshops on August 29.

This event begins August 25 at George R. Brown Convention Center. Click here to register.

August 27 — Future of Flight: Inside Venus Aerospace with Founder Sassie Duggleby

Join EO Houston for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes conversation with Sassie Duggleby, co-founder and CEO of Venus Aerospace, a Houston-based company pioneering breakthrough propulsion systems for hypersonic and space applications.

This event takes place Wednesday, August 27 at 10 am at Venus Aerospace. It is open to EO members and partners only. Click here to register.

August 27 — Work Wednesday Lunch AMA with Scott Craig

EnergyTech Nexus will host a Work Wednesday Lunch & Learn with special guest Scott Craig from Latham Watkins LLP. This recurring event is an opportunity for founders andc ommunity members to connect, network, and share ideas, with a focus on exploring the latest trend sin climate technology. Craig advises startups and investors across climate tech, energy transition, and frontier technology and has firsthand insight into structuring early-stage deals and navigating regulatory complexity.

This event takes place Wednesday, August 27 at 12 pm at One Memorial City Plaza. Click here to register.

August 27-28 — 6th Texas Energy Forum 2025

The 6th Texas Energy Forum will dive deep into the strategies, policies, and innovative solutions that reinforce energy security for the United States and its allies and fuel economic growth — centered on Texas’ pivotal role in the global energy landscape. Key discussions will address the future of regulatory reform, tariffs, and tax incentives; advancements in oil, gas, and LNG markets; the expansion of power generation; and breakthroughs in EVs and charging infrastructure. This year's topic is "Texas: The Energy Innovation Powerhouse."

This event begins Wednesday, August 27 at the Petroleum Club of Houston. Click here to register.

Japanese energy tech manufacturer officially relocates U.S. HQ to Houston

new to hou

TMEIC Corporation Americas has officially relocated its headquarters from Roanoke, Virginia, to Houston.

TMEIC Corporation Americas, a group company of Japan-based TMEIC Corporation Japan, recently inaugurated its new space in the Energy Corridor, according to a news release from TMEIC. The new HQ occupies the 10th floor at 1080 Eldridge Parkway, according to ConnectCRE. The company first announced the move last summer.

TMEIC Corporation Americas specializes in photovoltaic inverters and energy storage systems. It employs approximately 500 people in the Houston area, and has plans to grow its workforce in the city in the coming year as part of its overall U.S. expansion.

"We are thrilled to be part of the vibrant Greater Houston community and look forward to expanding our business in North America's energy hub," Manmeet S. Bhatia, president and CEO of TMEIC Corporation Americas, said in the release.

The TMEIC group will maintain its office in Roanoke, which will focus on advanced automation systems, large AC motors and variable frequency drive systems for the industrial sector, according to the release.

TMEIC Corporation Americas also began operations at its new 144,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in Brookshire, which is dedicated to manufacturing utility-scale PV inverters, earlier this year. The company also broke ground on its 267,000-square-foot manufacturing facility—its third in the U.S. and 13th globally—this spring, also in Waller County. It's scheduled for completion in May 2026.

"With the global momentum toward decarbonization, electrification, and domestic manufacturing resurgence, we are well-positioned for continued growth," Bhatia added in the release. "Together, we will continue to drive industry and uphold our legacy as a global leader in energy and industrial solutions."

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