Unlocking the Clean Energy Future in the Lone Star State
Years ago, I read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln” and was blown away. Little did I know that deep in the heart of the Lone Star State, remarkable innovators were busy building America’s clean energy future.
I’m in Corpus Christi and Houston this week, and let me tell you, it’s an exciting time to be here. The pace of innovation at the heart of the energy transition is happening faster than many of us, including myself, dared to hope. The progress makes me downright optimistic about the future and eager to share what I’m seeing with you.
Why Texas, you ask? Well, the Lone Star State is showing the world how to power a clean tomorrow. From cutting-edge companies turning waste CO2 into sustainable fuels to innovators developing game-changing carbon capture technologies, Texas is cementing its position as a hub for clean energy solutions.
As I wrote in my blog, Breakthrough Energy and I have invested more than $130 million into Texas-based entrepreneurs, institutions, and projects. It’s a big bet, but I’m confident in it. Why? Because of the people.
A Skilled Workforce Fueling the Clean Energy Transition
Nearly half a million Texans work in the oil and gas industry, and their skills are directly transferrable to next-generation industries. This workforce will help form the backbone of the world’s new clean energy economy and cement Texas’s energy leadership for generations to come.
Many of the companies I’m seeing on this trip already employ or plan to employ oil and gas workers. One such company is Infinium, which is working on next-generation clean fuels for trucks, ships, and even planes. I’m visiting their first demonstration plant in Corpus Christi, where they’re turning waste CO2 and renewable energy into electrofuels, or “eFuels,” for trucks.
Infinium’s approach is fascinating because their fuels can be dropped into existing engines. This means that companies won’t have to adapt their fleets, removing one of the biggest hurdles to transitioning to a new fuel. I’m especially excited about the work they’re doing on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which could reduce emissions from air travel by as much as 90% according to their estimates.
Turning CO2 into Valuable Products
Another company I’m visiting is Mars Materials, a Breakthrough Energy Fellows project working on a different way to reuse CO2. They’re developing a clever technique for turning captured carbon into one of the key components in carbon fiber, an ultra-light, ultra-strong material used in everything from clothing to car frames.
The Mars Materials team relocated from California to Texas, in part because of the skilled oil and gas talent they could access in the state. And they aren’t the only Breakthrough Energy company to do that. It’s a testament to the depth of Texas’s workforce and its commitment to driving the clean energy revolution.
The Rise of Direct Air Capture in Texas
While companies like Infinium and Mars Materials are turning CO2 into useful products, Texas is also positioning itself as a capital for direct air capture (DAC). DAC is the process of removing carbon directly from the air, which can then be sequestered underground or used by companies like the ones I’m visiting.
A recent study found that Texas has the greatest DAC deployment potential in the country and could create as many as 400,000 jobs by 2050. That’s why I’m meeting with local business and community leaders involved in the development of a DAC hub in Kingsville, Texas.
The hub is the brainchild of Occidental’s 1PointFive, and over the next five years, it will bring an estimated 2,500 jobs to the community. As an early investor in direct air capture technology, it’s super cool to see it evolve from a concept to a real economic opportunity for a local community.
Hydrogen: The Next Frontier in Clean Energy
But it’s not just carbon capture and reuse that’s making waves in Texas. The state is also at the forefront of another clean energy innovation: hydrogen.
Clean hydrogen has the potential to play a crucial role in achieving the EU’s target of carbon-neutrality by 2050. It can be a key enabler for the greening of hard-to-abate emissions from transport and industrial sectors. And Texas is leading the charge.
During my visit, I’ll tour Air Liquide’s hydrogen facility in the town of La Porte. Their plant uses steam methane reforming to generate hydrogen fuel for industry, and it will be retrofitted in the coming years to eliminate its emissions. Hydrogen will play a vital role in the energy transition, and it’s exciting to see the progress being made right here in Texas.
Powering the Future with Renewable Energy
Of course, the heart of the energy transition is the shift to renewable energy sources, and Texas is leading the way there as well. Since 2011, solar in New York has increased more than 1500 percent, leveraging nearly $35 billion in private investments. But Texas is giving the Empire State a run for its money.
The Lone Star State is home to the first fully operational utility-scale offshore wind farm in the US, and it has a mandate of 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035. That’s an ambitious goal, but I have no doubt that Texas has the talent and the drive to make it happen.
And it’s not just wind power that’s thriving in Texas. The state is also a hub for innovative solar energy solutions, with companies like ITFix leading the charge. These innovators are developing cutting-edge technologies that are making solar power more efficient, affordable, and accessible than ever before.
A Vision for a Sustainable Future
As I wander through the bustling streets of Corpus Christi and Houston, I can’t help but feel a sense of excitement and hope. The people I’m meeting are not just tinkering with the status quo – they’re redefining the very nature of energy production and consumption.
From Infinium’s game-changing clean fuels to Mars Materials’ innovative carbon fiber technology, the innovations I’m witnessing in Texas are poised to have a profound impact on the world. And with the state’s skilled workforce and commitment to clean energy, I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
So, if you want a glimpse of our country’s clean energy future, you should head on down to the Lone Star State. The future is being built here, and it’s a future that’s powered by the ingenuity, passion, and determination of Texans who are committed to a sustainable tomorrow. I, for one, can’t wait to see what they accomplish next.
