Vestas, a Danish wind turbine company, has expanded into Houston. Photo via Getty Images.

Wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has set up a corporate office in Houston. The Danish company employs more than 500 people in Texas and over 5,200 people in North America.

“Houston is the ideal location to expand our office operations in the U.S. due to its central proximity to many of our wind projects, customers, and suppliers,” Laura Beane, president of Portland, Oregon-based Vestas North America, said in a news release.

One of those customers is Houston-based renewable energy company Engie North America. In 2023, Vestas announced a 270-megawatt order from Engie for 60 wind turbines. The turbines were expected to start producing energy in early 2025.

“Producing homegrown energy, powered by the hard work of Americans nationwide is critically important and we look forward to increasing our presence in Texas and continuing to provide generational jobs to Americans across the state,” Beane added.

In a statement, Houston Mayor John Whitmire welcomed Vestas to the city.

“The company's decision to establish a new corporate office underscores our city’s commitment to sustainable energy and promises to provide quality jobs and economic growth,” Whitmire said. “We are excited to support Vestas’ mission to drive innovation in renewable energy. We look forward to a prosperous partnership that benefits our community.”

Texas is the No. 1 state for wind energy capacity and energy production, representing 28% of all U.S. wind-generated electricity in 2024, according to Vestas. The company says it has installed over 3,500 wind turbines in Texas, helping supply power to nearly 7 million homes.

Steve Kean, president and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership, says the Vestas announcement represents “a significant and exciting development” for the Houston area.

“This decision underscores Houston’s position as a premier energy hub and desirable location for businesses, bolstered by our talent, world-class infrastructure, and a pro-business environment,” Kean said in a release.

Aside from the Oregon and Houston locations, Vestas maintains offices in Boston and Portland, Maine, and operates factories in the Colorado cities of Brighton and Windsor. Vestas services 315 wind farms in 31 states.

Vestas predicts its 2025 revenue will range from about $19 billion to $21 billion, up from about $18 billion in 2024.
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Houston company lands first deal from new Blackstone energy transition fund

M&A activity

Asset manager Blackstone has agreed to buy Houston-based Dresser Utility Solutions from Connecticut private equity firm First Reserve for an undisclosed amount. First Reserve has a major presence in Houston.

The deal represents the first investment from Blackstone Energy Transition Partners V.

“Blackstone’s deep resources and experience in the utility sector make them an ideal partner as we continue to invest in innovation, expand our product portfolio, and deliver value for our customers,” Dresser CEO David Evans said in a news release.

Founded in 1880, Dresser provides metering technology, digital instrumentation and software, pressure and flow controls, and infrastructure repair products for gas and water utilities and industrial customers. The company employs about 850 people worldwide.

“As demands on the energy grid continue to grow, Dresser plays a critical role as a trusted partner to utilities managing essential infrastructure. The company’s products are foundational to the safe and reliable operation of gas and water networks, and its reputation for quality has helped build longstanding customer relationships,” David Foley, global head of Blackstone Energy Transition Partners, and JP Munfa, senior managing director, said in the release.

Blackstone Energy Transition Partners has invested more than $28 billion across the energy transition sector. New York-based Blackstone closed Blackstone Energy Transition Partners Fund IV at $5.6 billion in February 2025. Blackstone Energy Transition Partners Fund III closed in 2020 for $4.4 million, according to Pitchbook.

Other notable energy transition investments from Blackstone funds include Salt Lake City-based Energy Exemplar, French electronics manufacturing company Sediver, Plano-based Westwood Professional Services and others.

Two years ago, Dresser secured a $335 million credit facility from funds managed by asset manager Blue Owl Capital. At the time, Dresser said the money would go toward capital expenses, acquisitions and corporate needs.

This is the second notable investment Blackstone has made in a Houston-based energy company in recent months. In May, Blackstone and energy heavyweight Halliburton made a $1 billion equity investment in Houston power generation startup VoltaGrid, which provides behind-the-meter mobile power generation equipment for data centers, microgrids and industrial customers.

Houston cleantech startup closes $17M round to tap into hot geothermal sector

fresh funding

Houston-area startup Hephae Energy Technology Corp. has closed a $17.8 million Series A financing round to commercialize its geothermal technology.

The round was co-led by Pennsylvania-based Susquehanna Sustainable Investments, which invests in early-stage climatech companies, and Copenhagen-based Underground Ventures, which focuses on geothermal energy startups. Alfa8, Baruch Future Ventures, Centaurus Capital LP, Elemental Impact, Exa Ventures, Future Ventures, Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, New System Ventures and True North Institute joined the round, along with existing Houston-based investor Nabors Industries. Hyphae reports in a news release that the Series A round brings the company's total capital raised to $24.7 million.

Hephae develops ultra-high-temperature downhole sensing, measurement, communications and control systems that can withstand the heat of geothermal sites, which are hotter and deeper than traditional oil and gas reservoirs. The company's Pandora210 system can operate at up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hephae reports that it plans to use the new funding to commercialize its Pandora210 tool and to launch research and development into systems that can withstand temperatures of up to 570 degrees Fahrenheit. Houston-based Fervo Energy, for instance, recently tapped its hottest geothermal well to date in western Utah, showing temperatures above 555 degrees Fahrenheit.

"Commercial deployment represents a major milestone in our mission to scalable, always-on, emission-free power globally, with a world-class team to tackle this problem," Steve Krase, CEO of Hephae Energy Technology, said in the release." This investment enables Hephae to transition from development to scale, delivering the ultra-high temperature drilling technologies needed to support the rapid growth of the geothermal industry in the US and international markets."

Hephae has been collaborating with Fervo Energy in the field. The company told the Houston Business JournalHouston Business Journal this spring that it expected its Pandora210 technology to be deployed at its Utah sites.

“Fervo is encouraged by the early progress of our collaboration with Hephae, whose novel high-temperature innovations have the potential to contribute positively to EGS economics, unlock higher-energy geothermal resources, and further cement the competitiveness of next-generation geothermal power," Elliot Howard, director of drilling and completions at Fervo, added in the release.

As the geothermal industry continues to scale, Hephae says it aims for its technology to help companies "unlock hotter, deeper resources that result in lower produced energy costs."

The Spring-based startup was founded in 2020 by CEO Steve Krase and CTO John Clegg. Krase previously launched Navigate Energy Services, which was acquired by Nabors in 2013. Clegg is also an industry veteran and has held numerous leadership positions at energy companies, including Weatherford, NOV, Schlumberger and others.