Taking Action in 2024
Happy New Year, and welcome to the latest issue of the Alliance Connect, a newsletter keeping you up to date on the latest happenings from the Houston CCS Alliance. In this edition, we’ll look back on several major initiatives from the past few months and take stock of the journey ahead. 2024 promises to be a pivotal year for carbon capture and storage in Texas. With your help, we can take an enormous leap forward in advancing this critical economic and environmental opportunity for our state.
Taking Action in 2024
This year, Texans like you will have an opportunity to make your voice heard on important regulatory processes that can jumpstart carbon capture and storage in our state. One of the first key opportunities is expected to center on Class VI injection wells.
The State of Texas has submitted an application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assume responsibility for inspecting and permitting carbon dioxide storage wells in a process known as “primacy”. You can learn more about primacy in our recent blog post on the topic.
In 2024, Texans are expected to have an opportunity to weigh in on this process during a public comment period. Shifting permitting responsibility for Class VI wells to the Texas Railroad Commission is vitally important to ensuring we secure carbon storage capacity in a timely manner. While it can take years for the EPA’s bureaucracy to approve wells, the Railroad Commission has the resources and local knowledge to inspect and approve wells using the same rigorous environmental standards set by federal law in a much shorter timeframe.
Stay tuned for updates on this and other similar topics, including how you can get involved.
Houston CCS Alliance and Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia Partner on Tree Planting in Pasadena
In November, 50 volunteers from Houston CCS Alliance member companies celebrated Arbor Day in Texas by joining with Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia to plant 400 trees at Partnership Park in Pasadena. This collaboration was an opportunity to give back to the Pasadena community, which was impacted by a tornado last year.
Commissioner Garcia also presented the Alliance with a proclamation recognizing our efforts to expand an essential low-emissions technology, keep Harris County economically vibrant, and lead in the energy transition.
Check out our videos highlighting the tree planting and the Commissioner’s proclamation to see the impact we were able to make in Pasadena through this special event.
Calpine Awarded Grant from US Department of Energy to Expand CCS at Baytown Energy Center
In case you missed the big news, member company Calpine’s Baytown Energy Center was one of three projects nationally to be selected for up to $890 million in federal funding from the US Department of Energy for carbon capture and storage demonstration projects.
The Baytown Carbon Capture and Storage Project will utilize fellow Houston CCS Alliance member Shell’s CANSOLV solvent to capture up to 2 million metric tons of CO2 annually, which will be transported and sequestered in saline storage sites on the Gulf Coast. Calpine will also evaluate the use of greywater cooling to minimize freshwater consumption by reusing wastewater.
This grant announcement will provide several exciting opportunities for the Baytown community, including local job training opportunities and a community benefits agreement that will reinvest funds back into local organizations. The project will incorporate design elements to capture non-CO2 air pollutants, responding to feedback gathered from the community.
The Department of Energy will host a virtual community briefing on January 10 where residents can learn more about the project and ask questions. We encourage you to register and join the discussion.
Baytown Leaders Come Together for CCS Roundtable
In December, Baytown Mayor Brandon Capetillo and the Baytown Rotary Club welcomed the Alliance to town for our final roundtable of 2023. Throughout the year, our roundtable series brought community leaders in Chambers County, Jefferson County, Pasadena, Deer Park, and Baytown into the conversation about what carbon capture and storage technology is and why it is important to the future of the Gulf Coast.
Baytown Mayor Brandon Capetillo emphasizes the importance of the energy industry and carbon capture and storage to our region.
Chevron’s Bayou Bend Project Director Scott Whitmire provides an update on their CCS storage project in Chambers and Jefferson Counties.
These roundtables provided an opportunity to bring in experts from local universities and member companies to share their knowledge and perspectives about CCS technology and answer tough questions.
At the Baytown event, Dr. Ramanan Krishnamoorti, Professor and Chief Energy Officer at the University of Houston, along with representatives of Calpine, Chevron and ExxonMobil introduced attendees to carbon capture technology and updated them about upcoming CCS projects in our region.
To learn more about our meeting in Baytown, read the Baytown Sun’s recap of the meeting.
Don’t Miss Our New Animated Video Series
Did you see the new video series we recently debuted? In our previous newsletter, we shared the first video in our new six-part series, which dives into what carbon capture and storage is and how it can safely and securely lock away carbon emissions deep underground. It’s an introduction to CCS we hope you’ll want to share with your family, friends and coworkers.
You can now watch the second, third and fourth episodes focused on the economic and environmental benefits of carbon capture and storage, as well as the role investment in CCS can play in shaping Texas’ economic future. Be on the lookout for our fifth and sixth installments coming soon.
This video series is available in both English and Spanish so that a wider audience can learn and engage in this important discussion in both languages.
You can find the complete video series on YouTube. Subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss out on any of our upcoming videos.
Check out our Year-In-Review Blog
2023 was an exciting year for the Houston CCS Alliance. From our series of community roundtables to our partnership with the University of Houston for STEM Zone Saturday, to our Tree Planting and Park Improvement Day, the Houston CCS Alliance engaged directly with Gulf Coast communities. From Port Arthur to Pasadena, we were able to raise awareness about carbon capture and storage and educate Houstonians on the many benefits CCS projects bring to our region.
In addition to a full lineup of events, the Houston CCS Alliance boosted its content offerings, specifically for Spanish speakers. This year, the Alliance rolled out a fully bilingual newsroom, Spanish social media posts, and bilingual advertisements, helping us expand our reach and better inform the Houston community.
For more on our work in 2023, read the Year-in-Review blog post here.
In the News
Have you heard the news? Carbon capture and storage activity among our Houston CCS Alliance member companies is quickly gaining momentum. In case you missed it, find some of the latest news headlines below.
Gulf Coast Selected by U.S. Department of Energy for Hydrogen Hub – InnovationMap Houston
The HyVelocity Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub was one of seven projects nationally selected by the US Department of Energy to receive up to $1.2 billion to accelerate the production of hydrogen energy. HyVelocity has seven core industry partners, including Houston CCS Alliance member companies Chevron and ExxonMobil.
Southeast Texas Leaders Learn about Carbon Capture at Port Arthur Carbon Summit – 12NewsNow Beaumont
“It’s really a three-legged stool. You need the industry. You need the capability to capture the carbon. You need the infrastructure to be able to transport it, and then you need to be able to store it where you’re transplanting it. This region has all three of those, and the opportunity to grow and develop more,” Scott Castleman from the Houston CCS Alliance said.
Spanish Media: Commissioner Adrian Garcia Recognizes Volunteers of the Houston CCS Alliance – La Prensa
La Prensa, a Houston-area Spanish publication, featured the Houston CCS Alliance’s Tree Planting and Park Improvement Day, marking our first mention in the Spanish media. The outlet noted Commissioner Garcia’s comment that “collaboration between the Houston CCS Alliance and Precinct 2 is a mutually beneficial relationship that will improve our environment and build a more resilient and sustainable community.”
Interested in reading more news from the Houston CCS Alliance? Click here to visit our Newsroom.
The Houston CCS Alliance is a coordinated effort among some of the world’s most innovative energy, petrochemical, and power generation companies to advance the development of carbon capture and storage in the greater Houston industrial area. Members include: BASF, Calpine, Channelview Cogeneration, Chevron, DOW, ExxonMobil, INEOS, Linde, LyondellBasell, Phillips 66, and Shell. Interested in staying up-to-date with the Houston CCS Alliance? Share this email with your contacts and sign up here.
