Houston is reaffirming its global leadership in the energy transition as two major carbon capture and storage technology companies expand their presence in the region. Carbon Clean, a UK-based startup specializing in carbon capture technology, recently selected Houston as the location for its U.S. headquarters, marking a significant milestone in the company's North American expansion. This decision comes in the wake of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, which has driven up demand for industrial carbon capture technology. As a result, Carbon Clean says it has experienced a  64 percent increase in U.S. inquiries since August 2022. Aniruddha Sharma, Chairman and CEO of Carbon Clean, said he recognizes the favorable conditions created by the IRA, making the U.S. one of the best places in the world to develop industrial carbon capture projects. With over four years of active presence in the U.S., Carbon Clean foresees the country becoming its largest market. In response to this growing demand for its CycloneCC technology, the company has announced its intention to double its U.S. workforce. In addition to Carbon Clean's expansion, Drax, a renewable energy company, has also chosen Houston as the location for its North American headquarters focused on attracting more Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) projects to the U.S. and Canada. This strategic move positions Drax at the forefront of the sustainable bioenergy revolution combined with carbon capture and storage.  “With the growing global demand for high-quality carbon removals, Houston was a natural fit for our BECCS headquarters as it is the energy capital of the world with a proven, highly skilled workforce that will be needed to lead the world’s clean energy transition,” said Drax CEO Will Gardiner. These types of business announcements serve as a testament to Houston’s position as a leader in accelerating global solutions for an energy-abundant, low-carbon future. Learn more about how the Partnership’s Houston Energy Transition Initiative and the region are leading the energy transition at the Future of Global Conference June 7-9.

The West Coast has long been recognized for its life sciences and tech ecosystems, but when those companies look to scale or expand operations, Houston is a top destination. This symbiotic relationship was a defining characteristic of the Partnership’s recent delegation trip to the West Coast, led by its Regional Economic Development team.   The delegation focused on building key corporate relationships with top companies in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Silicon Valley to explore future collaboration opportunities that would help the Greater Houston region to attract more jobs and investment, while also giving California companies access to new markets and room for continued growth.  San Diego’s leadership and status as a thriving life sciences hub made it a valuable destination for our delegation to learn about neuroscience, cancer research, and corporate real estate through productive meetings with the Salk Institute, BioSapien, and Intersect Management. The Partnership’s delegation, which included leaders from the Texas Medical Center, Cell Therapy Manufacturing Center (CTMC), and The Woodlands Economic Development Partnership, shared how Houston can work to assist life sciences companies in their research and the opportunities available for similar developments in the Greater Houston region.  Houston’s emergence as a growing life sciences ecosystem was also the focus of meetings in the Bay Area with the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to learn about its work in cell and gene therapy, especially as it relates to CTMC in Houston, and with Bionova Scientific to discuss their work in biologics.  The unique industry convergence of life sciences and the energy transition in Houston is providing opportunities for development and collaboration between diverse companies across different sectors. Meetings with Sempra Energy, TÜV SÜD America, and BASF explored this rare convergence and what it could mean for companies located in the two regions’ ecosystems. Delegates, including leaders from Rice University, Cemvita, and Alchemy Industrial, also visited with Google to discuss their continued investment in Houston’s digital tech and energy transition ecosystems.  As part of the Partnership’s ongoing economic development efforts, delegates met with top site selection companies in the Los Angeles area to explore expansion opportunities for companies focused on sustainability, energy transition, digital tech, manufacturing, and logistics – all core strengths for Houston’s distinctive market.  The delegation closed out a successful week by hosting a signature reception and dinner in partnership with the Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI). The evening’s programming included an energy startup panel that featured expert panelists from Activate Berkeley Community, Cemvita, Alchemy Industrial, and Rice University to discuss present and future efforts relating to the energy transition and Houston’s startup ecosystem. Learn more about why companies choose Houston.