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5+ must-attend Houston energy events in March: CERAWeek and more

Mark Your Calendar

Bill Gates will return to CERAWeek 2026. Photo via breakthroughenergy.org

Editor's note: March is a major month for energy industry events in Houston, including CERAWeek and more must-attend summits and forums. Mark your calendars for the top events of the month, and register now.

March 2-4 — The Future Energy Summit

The Future Energy Summit is a premier global event bringing together visionaries, industry leaders, and energy experts to shape the future of energy. The second edition of the conference will provide a platform for groundbreaking discussions, cutting-edge technologies, and transformative strategies that will accelerate the energy transition.

This event begins March 2. Register here.

March 5 — 2026 Houston CISO Forum

The Energy Conference Network hosts an exclusive, executive-level cybersecurity leadership event for those in the energy industry. The 50-person, half-day forum will bring together chief information security officers, senior cybersecurity leaders, and industry experts for candid conversations, actionable insights, and peer collaboration.

This event takes place March 5 at Hyatt Regency Houston West. Limited registration available here.

March 10-12 — World Hydrogen & Carbon Americas

S&P Global Energy brings together two leading events — Carbon Management Americas and World Hydrogen North America — to form a new must-attend event for those in the hydrogen and carbon industries. More than 800 senior leaders from across the energy value chain will attend this event featuring immersive roundtable discussions, hands-on training, real-world case studies, and unparalleled networking opportunities.

This event begins March 10 at Marriott Marquis Houston. Register here.

March 23-27 — CERAWeek 2026

CERAWeek 2026 will focus on "Convergence and Competition: Energy, Technology and Geopolitics." The industry's foremost thought leaders will convene in Houston to cultivate relationships and exchange transformative ideas during the annual event. CERAWeek 2026 will explore breakthroughs, cross-industry connections, and powerful partnerships that are accelerating the transformation of the global energy system. 2026 highlights include an appearance by tech magnate Bill Gates.

This event begins March 23. Register here.

March 24-25 — 2026 Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition

The Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition, co-hosted by the Rice Alliance, Ion, HETI, and TEX-E, offers two days of exciting pitches from more than 40 global energy ventures that are transforming the industry. On Tuesday, March 24, you can attend a fast-paced pitch preview event at the Ion, followed by the official Pitch Competition at 1 pm on Wednesday, March 25, at George R. Brown Convention Center.

More details available here.

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

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

Mark Your Calendar

Editor's note: 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. Book now.

Jan. 7-8 — AAPG Subsurface Energy to Power Workshop

This two-day AAPG workshop explores the expanding role of natural gas, geothermal, hydrogen, lithium, and uranium in accelerating electricity capacity. Participants will examine innovative solutions designed to reduce reliance on long-distance transmission lines, pipelines, and other costly infrastructure. Throughout the workshop, attendees will gain insight into both the technical deployment of subsurface resources and the land, legal, and permitting factors that influence project development.

This event begins Jan. 7 at Norris Conference Center at CityCentre. Register here.

Jan. 19-22 — PPIM 2026

The 38th international Pipeline Pigging & Integrity Management Conference and Exhibition takes place over four days at the George R. Brown Convention Center and the Hilton Americas. This industry forum is devoted exclusively to pigging for pipeline maintenance and inspection, engineering assessment, repair, risk management, and NDE. Two days of courses will take place Jan. 19-20, followed by the conference on Jan. 21-22, and the exhibition running Jan. 20-22. Register here.

Jan. 22 — MicroSeismic - Romancing Energy Forum

This forum will feature raw, unfiltered stories from the pioneers who changed the trajectory of American Shale. Attendees will gain insights into the playbooks, decisions, data, and lessons learned behind the biggest discoveries and engineering triumphs in modern energy. Keynote speakers include Tom and Diane Gates of Gates Ranch.

This event begins at 8 am on Jan. 22 at Norris Conference Center at CityCentre. Register here.

Jan. 22 — Houston Downton Luncheon: Beyond the Barrel: Pricing, Transition, and Geopolitics in 2026

Women's Energy Network Houston Chapter hosts this January lunch and learn featuring guest speaker Ha Nguyen with S&P Global Energy. Nguyen will discuss the global energy outlook for 2026, with a focus on strategic drivers, such as decarbonization and EV adoption, and a look at Houston's crucial role in the future of the U.S. market.

This event begins at 11:30 am on Jan. 22 at The Houston Club. Register here.

Feb. 18-20 — NAPE Summit Week 2026

NAPE is the energy industry’s marketplace for the buying, selling, and trading of prospects and producing properties. NAPE brings together all industry disciplines and companies of all sizes, and in 2026 it will introduce three new hubs — offshore, data centers, and critical minerals — for more insights, access, and networking opportunities. The event includes a summit, exhibition, and more.

This event begins Feb. 18 at George R. Brown Convention Center. Register here.

Feb. 24-26 — 2026 Energy HPC & AI Conference

The 2026 Energy HPC & AI Conference marks the 19th year for the Ken Kennedy Institute to convene experts from the energy industry, academia, and national labs to share breakthroughs for HPC and AI technologies. The conference returns to Houston with engaging speaker sessions, a technical talk program, networking receptions, add-on workshops, and more.

This event begins Feb. 24 at Rice University's BRC. Register here.

Feb. 26 — February Transition on Tap

Mix and mingle at Greentown Labs' first Transition on Tap event of the year. Meet the accelerator's newest startup members, who are working on innovations ranging from methane capture to emissions-free manufacturing processes to carbon management.

This event begins at 5:30 pm on Feb. 26 at Greentown Labs Houston. Register here.

March 2-4 — The Future Energy Summit

The Future Energy Summit is a premier global event bringing together visionaries, industry leaders, and energy experts to shape the future of energy. The second edition of the conference will provide a platform for groundbreaking discussions, cutting-edge technologies, and transformative strategies that will accelerate the energy transition.

This event begins March 2. Register here.

March 10-12 — World Hydrogen & Carbon Americas

S&P Global Energy brings together two leading events — Carbon Management Americas and World Hydrogen North America — to form a new must-attend event for those in the hydrogen and carbon industries. More than 800 senior leaders from across the energy value chain will attend this event featuring immersive roundtable discussions, hands-on training, real-world case studies, and unparalleled networking opportunities.

This event begins March 10 at Marriott Marquis Houston. Register here.

March 23-27 — CERAWeek 2026

CERAWeek 2026 will focus on "Convergence and Competition: Energy, Technology and Geopolitics." The industry's foremost thought leaders will convene in Houston to cultivate relationships and exchange transformative ideas during the annual event. Through the lens of 16 dynamic themes, CERAWeek 2026 will explore breakthroughs, cross-industry connections, and powerful partnerships that are accelerating the transformation of the global energy system.

This event begins March 23. Register here.

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Alabama-based renewable fuels company to move HQ to Houston

welcome to houston

An Alabama-based clean tech company is moving its headquarters to Houston.

Alléo Energy announced that it will move its headquarters from Bay Minette, Alabama, to Houston's Ion District. The company develops carbon-negative fuels and renewable commodities through its conversion technology that turns wood waste and cellulosic feedstocks into high-energy, high-yield syngas.

The news comes after Alléo announced the appointment of Benjamin Cowart as its new CEO. Cowart will succeed Alléo founder Simeon Chow, who will serve as president.

“Ben doesn’t need to be sold on carbon-negative fuels; he’s already building in this exact space, and he’s thrived through some of the hardest conditions the industry has faced,” Chow said in a news release. “He knows how to scale and he knows the capital markets that finance them; he turns the hurdles that stall other companies into momentum. Bringing a leader of his caliber in as CEO is a defining, energizing moment.”

Cowart previously founded Houston-based renewables Vertex Energy Inc. The company went public on the Nasdaq exchange in 2009 through a reverse merger. He served as chairman and CEO of the company, which was later taken private by a consortium led by BlackRock.

Cowart also founded EVH Corp., a venture platform focused on building in hydrogen, methanol, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and low-carbon marine fuels.

“I’ve spent my career turning advanced process technology into high-performing enterprises that deliver both economic and environmental returns in an industry defined by headwinds,” Cowart added in the release. “The winners in energy transition aren’t the ones with the best headline; they’re the ones that keep their economics intact when subsidies move, feedstock prices swing, and capital gets expensive. Alléo is well-built for that. I’ve rarely seen a technology company this well positioned for what the market is demanding. The science is proven; now it’s about disciplined execution, financing, and building more plants. This is the work I love most.”

Alléo plans to scale its proprietary conversion technology. The company commissioned the first phase of its Alabama facility in 2023, which produced renewable diesel made entirely from wood waste, which could be converted to SAF.

The company says that it has $50 million invested in initial research and development, and that additional facilities are in the planning stages.

J.J. Watt takes a run at energy sector with Base Power investment

power play

Since retiring from the NFL three years ago, Houston Texans legend J.J. Watt has been exploring a new field—investing.

In 2023, the former defensive end and current CBS Sports football analyst bought a stake in English soccer team Burnley FC. A year later, he invested in the PopUp Bagels chain.

This summer, Watt made what may be his highest-profile investment yet. He contributed to a $1 billion Series D round for Austin-based energy startup Base Power, which has an office in Houston. It’s Watts’ first investment in the energy sector.

“I like companies that solve real problems, and Base is lowering power bills, protecting families, and building the whole thing themselves right here in Texas,” Watt said in a company news release.

“What impressed me wasn’t just how fast they’ve grown,” he adds. “It’s that they’ve already saved Texans millions on their power bills and kept thousands of homes running when the lights went out. That’s why I invested.”

Base Power is building a distributed network of residential batteries that’s designed to strengthen the grid and lower electrical bills. The startup now powers more than 30,000 homes in Texas, including the Houston area, and recently expanded to Illinois.

Base Power’s $1 billion round lifted its valuation to $13 billion. Since being founded in 2023, the startup has raised more than $2.5 billion.

“JJ is a legend in this state, and he earned that as much for how he shows up off the field as for what he did on it,” says Zach Dell, co-founder and CEO of Base Power. "He spent a full day with us asking every hard question he could think of, and then he switched to Base himself. We’re glad to have him partnering with us.”

Zach Dell is the only son of Austin billionaire Michael Dell, chairman and CEO of Round Rock-based Dell Technologies. Michael Dell grew up in Bellaire.

Leading energy companies power Houston's presence on Fortune Global 500

world class

Nine Houston companies landed on the 2026 Fortune Global 500 list, which ranks the world's largest corporations by revenue for the 2025 fiscal year.

Houston's showing on the list was led by energy companies, with Spring’s ExxonMobil claiming the top local spot. Here’s what Houston-area companies made the list, and where they ranked:

  • No. 15 ExxonMobil
  • No. 36 Chevron
  • No. 61 Phillip 66
  • No. 159 Sysco
  • No. 243 ConocoPhillips
  • No. 292 Enterprise Products Partners
  • No. 343 Plains GP Holdings
  • No. 460 SLB
  • No. 481 Hewlett Packard Enterprise

After 12 years as No.1, Arkansas-based Walmart was replaced this year by Seattle-based Amazon in the top spot for 2026. Amazon achieved this by bringing in $700 billion in revenue in 2025, representing a 12 percent increase from the previous year.

"Across global business, we see again and again that the leaders who are winning are those who embrace change,” Alyson Shontell, Fortune's editor in chief and chief content officer, said in a news release. "Amazon has topped the Fortune Global 500, knocking Walmart off its pedestal. The company has continually reinvented itself across new businesses and bold bets—including a $200 billion capital commitment, largely to building its capacity for AI and cloud computing, in this year alone."

The U.S. has 141 companies on the 2026 Fortune Global 500 list, which is the most of any country. Companies in America generated $15.5 trillion in aggregate revenues, a 6 percent increase from the previous year.

The number of women CEOs at Fortune Global 500 companies reached a record of 34 top leaders, who represented 6.8 percent of CEOs of companies on the list.

Technology was the standout growth industry on this year’s list, with 38 companies earning revenues that grew 20 percent to about $4 trillion in 2025, with profits climbing 36 percent to $835 billion. The financial sector accounted for the largest share of companies on the list again, with 123 companies in that sector. The energy sector claimed the No. 2 industry spot with 77 companies making the list.

In June, the Fortune 500 list was released, and Texas led the United States with 57 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the state, generating $2.8 trillion in combined revenue.

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