Combination of clean energy and pipelines to address need for
expanded transmission and storage of carbon-free energy.
Austin and Houston, TX (September 1 , 2021) — A team of experienced energy industry leaders are announcing the launch of Synergetic, a new energy infrastructure development company co-headquartered in Austin and Houston, Texas. Synergetic will enable new wind and solar generation by focusing on bulk delivery, including transformation into forms of energy that can be stored and delivered on demand. The infrastructure that Synergetic is developing is vitally needed to scale-up renewables and make them consistently available.
“The world is rapidly adding more wind and solar generation capacity. Synergetic will focus on making sure there is infrastructure capable of delivering all that renewable energy. We will rise to the challenge by creating a flexible infrastructure network that can move and store vast quantities of carbon-free energy in multiple forms — electricity, gas and liquids — and thereby deliver to users, on demand,” says Sam Porter, CEO.
Renewable energy production fluctuates between too little (due to time of day, season and weather) and too much (due to grid congestion). The Synergetic team will address the variability by developing infrastructure to put renewable energy onto the grid as electricity and/or convert renewable energy into hydrogen and ammonia, which allows the energy to be delivered through pipelines.
Chief Strategy Officer Mike Sloan explains, “Wind and solar are now the low cost kings of the energy world, but the oil and gas industry remains far better at moving and storing energy. We aim to combine the best of both and tap their synergy to accelerate decarbonization of the global economy.”
Because there are not enough power lines, wind turbines frequently are forced to shut down.
“Just one windy night of wasted wind energy – if stored – is enough to power more than a million homes for a full day. Power plant owners and consumers want alternatives to fuel cost spikes and blackouts. And it just makes good business sense.” Ward Marshall, Chief Development Officer said, “This will better prepare communities for future freezes, fires and hurricanes by storing wasted wind and solar power for times when power is needed.”
The core members of the Synergetic team have over 110 years of cumulative experience pioneering energy projects that have shaped the energy landscape, and have been involved in the development of over 20 gigawatts of wind, solar, transmission, and associated infrastructure. Members of this team have previously worked closely together to deliver game-changing energy policy innovations including leading development of the framework for the first successful Renewable Portfolio Standard in the US and passage of Texas CREZ (Competitive Renewable Energy Zone) policy which created one of the largest transmission build-outs in US history.