U.S. Department of Energy

At Google’s Midlothian data center on Nov. 14, Google executives joined Texas Governor Greg Abbott and other government leaders to announce the company’s $40 billion Texas investment. [Photo: Google]

Google Bets $40 Billion on Texas Buildout of U.S. AI Infrastructure

by | Nov 16, 2025
Google CEO Sundar Pichai was in North Texas on Friday to announce the tech giant’s largest investment in a single state. The multiyear plan will add three Texas data center campuses, increase energy supply to the state’s grid, and train 1,700 electricians as the AI economy scales.
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Hunt Energy Enterprises Battery Tech Spinout To Pilot Advanced Cathode Plant in North Texas
by | Sep 30, 2025
The Hunt Energy Enterprises spinout—which closed a $7.5 million Pre-Series A funding round in February—said the new plant will commercialize its technology for "a cleaner and more economical battery future" for EV's and energy storage.
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North Texas’ Skyven Inks $70M Agreement with France’s Kyotherm to Advance Industrial ‘Decarbonization’
by | Jan 29, 2025
The co-development and project finance agreement will accelerate deployment of Skyven's cutting-edge, "decarbonizing" heat-pump technology at industrial manufacturing facilities, reducing emissions and improving air quality in local communities.
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UTA Physicist Gets $1.3M Grant To Advance Innovation in U.S. Magnet Manufacturing
by | Jan 16, 2025
The project, led by UTA physicist J. Ping Liu, seeks to make the mining of critical rare earth elements more cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable by using cheaper, more abundant materials—helping to boost U.S. production of high-performance magnets.
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Southwest Airlines Acquires SAFFiRE Renewables for Its New Renewable Ventures Portfolio

by | Apr 1, 2024
SAFFiRE is part of a project supported by the Department of Energy to develop and produce scalable renewable ethanol that can be upgraded into sustainable aviation fuel. It all begins with "corn stover"—a widely available agricultural residue feedstock.
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UT Arlington Physicists To Help Unlock the Mysteries of the Universe With DUNE Neutrino Detectors
by | Mar 26, 2024
The Advanced Particle Detectors in the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment—better known as DUNE—will be about the size of a seven-story building. UTA physicists will build key components for the project in Arlington.
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Irving-Based Heidelberg Materials Could Get Up to $500M DOE Funding for Cement Plant Decarbonization
by | Mar 26, 2024
Heidelberg said the project is aimed at advancing decarbonization efforts at its new "state-of-the-art" cement plant in Mitchell, Indiana. The funding will help create "the first full-scale deployment of carbon capture and storage on a cement plant in the U.S.," says CEO Chris Ward.
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Arlington Gets $780K Grant To Research Drone & Robot Delivery From Food Banks
by | Dec 1, 2023
With the help of the U.S. Department of Energy grant, the city of Arlington said it will conduct an innovative pilot program to test the efficiency and scalability of using autonomous, electric drone and robot delivery vehicles. The goal: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions while serving residents in need.
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Southwest Airlines Invests in Startup That’s Turning Corn Waste into Jet Fuel

by | Jun 1, 2022
As part of a Department of Energy-backed effort, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is investing in SAFFiRE Renewables, a new startup that aims to turn corn waste into sustainable aviation fuel. Once the product is fully tested, SAFFiRE says about 7.5 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel could be produced by 2040. Southwest CEO Bob Jordan calls the technology "game-changing."
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Follow the Money: Plano Telehealth Startup Raises $14.1M, Southlake VC Raising Two New Funds, Unleashed Brands Looks for a Buyer, Bishop Cider Buys Two Local Brewers, and More
by | May 23, 2022
What companies are finding funding or having a big exit? From startup investments to grants and acquisitions, Dallas Innovates tracks what’s happening in North Texas money.
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Dallas-Based Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Startup Gets $20M From Tailwater Capital’s Freestone
by | Dec 15, 2021
Founded in 2016, Momentum—whose CEO is on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list—is a lithium-ion battery recycling company. It's developed a patented battery recycling technology in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Lab and Halliburton Labs.

The investment will help Momentum build its first two battery recycling plants.
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RESEARCH
Discovery: UTA Tracks Property Values Near Transit-Oriented Developments, Grant Backs UTD Floating Turbine Design
by | Dec 20, 2019
In this weekly roundup of research and development activity in North Texas, you'll also find out about a conference on innovation that's coming to Dallas in January.
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