ribbon cutting

University of Houston opens new hydrocarbon center

UH cut the ribbon on a new hub for hydrocarbon exploration. Photo courtesy of UH

The University of Houston has officially opened the doors of a new hub for hydrocarbon exploration.

UH Energy recently unveiled its UH-DGH Center for Hydrocarbon Exploration, which is a partnership between the University of Houston and the technical arm of India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, or DGH. The collaboration was announced in February.

The center will serve as a data center focused on India’s offshore basins, and its geoscience data to investigate production data and exploration.

"We have been thinking about this for multiple years, about how to get all this fantastic data that is there in the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons of India, use the repository of information that we have got and be able to showcase it to people in the United States where they've got the approach to go in and find oil and gas and other natural resources in ways that are perhaps truly unique and Texan in origin,” says Dr. Ramanan Krishnamoorthy, vice president of energy and innovation at UH during the event.

The event featured UH dignitaries, alum, and subject-matter experts like Rob Stewart, professor of geophysics, and David Hume, business development specialist and geoscience specialist, which included in-depth analysis of India basins that focused on geological and geophysical locations, physiographical and tectonic settings, the role of hydrocarbon elements, and other areas of interest.

The center is part of a five-year agreement to help generate reliable information on the energy industry with seismic, well, reservoir and production data being at the forefront.

“UH and India have been able to come together and bring this to reality, for us this is very inspirational,” says Pankaj Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India. “We think that we are actually planting a seed for something very, very good because the multiplier effects of this are going to be incredible.”

Strategically located in Houston, which many consider an “energy capital,” Jain is excited for a set of “fresh eyes” to look at the data.

“If you’re here [in Houston], you’re at the nucleus from where everything will evolve,” Jain says to the University of Houston.

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A View From HETI

The move marks the company's third expansion in the Houston area in three years. Photo courtesy of PVH

Solar tracking and manufacturing company PV Hardware USA is increasing its production capacity and expanding its Houston facility in an effort to meet growing demands.

The move marks the company's third expansion in the Houston area in three years. PV Hardware reports a 400 percent surge in national market growth over the past three years, as solar-based projects have been pivotal in energy resilience efforts.

PV Hardware plans to increase the capacity at its Houston facility by 42 percent, according to a news release. With the additional capacity, PV Hardware expects a 35 percent increase in production of pre-assembled parts. The company has not announced whether any additional employees will be hired or the costs of expansion.

In September, the company completed its new dedicated pre-assembly facility, which will help migrate difficult assembly into an easier manufacturing setting. The new pre-assembly area will also assist with streamlined field installation, enhanced schedule predictability and reduction of manual labor.

Citybiz reports that the expansion totals approximately 34,200 square feet.

PV Hardware USA aims to make solar installation more efficient. For large-scale solar projects, PV Hardware USA’s pre-assembly process helps to relieve assembly work done by installation teams. According to PV Hardware USA, it reduces the number of on-site components by 70 percent.

“Traditionally, manufacturers pushed the assembly burden onto the jobsite,” Rodolfo Bitar, vice president of business development for PVH USA, told Renewable Energy Magazine. “We ask a different question: what work can be done more efficiently before the equipment ever leaves the factory? By managing the assembly of 188 loose parts per row in our controlled manufacturing environment, we remove field complexity and make installation highly predictable.”

PV Hardware USA produces single-axis solar trackers made in Texas and has supplied over 52 gigawatts of solar trackers worldwide.

“The expanded presence in Texas underscores a long-term commitment: bringing world-class solar expertise to local American manufacturing, supporting communities, and serving as a reliable partner through the clean energy transition,” the company said in the release.

In July of 2025, the company opened its 95,000-square-foot facility, which was the second Houston location following its initial $30 million U.S. manufacturing facility, which, at 50,000 square feet, is one of America's largest solar tracker manufacturing facilities.

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