by Amanda Kuhl | September 25, 2024
Houston Energy and Climate Week (HECW) is a week-long series of events gathering diverse organizations, leaders, industry, and the broader community to explore ways to address climate change and the energy transition. This event provided opportunities for attendees to interact and discuss capital, technology, workforce, and policy needs. Below are the key insights our team took away from the event:
1. Houston: From Energy Hub to Burgeoning Climate Tech Hub
Houston Energy & Climate Week 2024 showcased the city’s entrepreneurial spirit and its transition from an energy hub to a climate innovation center. The event overlapped with Houston Startup Week and World Chemical Forum, creating a vibrant atmosphere teeming with venture capitalists and startups. This convergence highlighted Houston’s unique position in applying its established energy ecosystem to climate solutions. The city’s engineering and science-driven economy proved to be a fertile ground for innovation, attracting both local and out-of-town investors. This synergy between energy expertise and climate action underscored Houston’s potential as a leader in energy transition technology development and implementation.
2. Improving Climate Resilience Will Create Jobs for Multiple Generations.
The Coastal Texas Project, the largest infrastructure project in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers history, aims to reduce storm surge damage and enhance coastal resilience through a complex system of gates, levees, and ecosystem restoration. This multigenerational endeavor will require a sustained workforce over decades. Today’s high school students may plan and design it, middle schoolers may construct it, and elementary students may operate it in the future. The project’s primary focus is protecting coastal communities where industrial employees live, rather than the already hardened industrial sites themselves. By safeguarding these residential areas, the project ensures that the workforce needed to operate critical industrial facilities remains secure. This approach recognizes the interdependence between industrial operations and the communities that support them, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive coastal protection for long-term economic stability and resilience.
3. Overheard
- 40% decarbonization would only result in a 2% percent price increase in the end product.
- 1 in 5 Houstonians currently live in energy poverty.
- It currently takes the Greater Houston region 40 days on average to recover from an extreme weather event.
- The amount of water needed to make 1 t-shirt is equivalent to 2.5 years’ worth of drinking water for one person.
About the Author
Amanda Kuhl has nearly two decades of experience assisting business leaders in enhancing long-term value by guiding the integration of sustainability into their operations with a particular focus on commercial opportunities. She focuses on forging strategic alliances that drive shared value for all partners. She is known for her commitment to fostering strong, lasting relationships. She excels at aligning organizational goals with partner objectives, creating win-win scenarios that promote long-term growth and innovation. Amanda also serves as the executive sponsor of ClimeCo’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) program.
