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Energy Transition Institute

  1. Energy
  2. Energy Transition
  3. Research
  4. Circular Plastics
  5. tc3_consortium

Energy Transition

Texas Chemical Circularity Consortium Mission: Collaborative Innovations To Advance Texas Circular Chemicals Economy

About

The Texas Chemicals Circularity Consortium (TC3), led by the 91破解版's Energy Transition Institute, is designed to formalize and foster partnerships that promote circularity. Its core mission is to advance the circular chemicals economy in Texas through collaborative innovation. The consortium unites industry leaders and community partners to solve critical research challenges , develop scalable technologies, and promote a sustainable chemical industry for the Gulf Coast region.

Vision

The consortium aims to drive groundbreaking innovation through scalable chemistry and engineering, promote knowledge exchange, catalyze cross-sector and community partnerships, and propel Gulf Coast economic advancement.

Consortium Membership and Engagement

This consortium is designed to formalize both existing and emerging partnerships in addressing chemical circularity. It is guided by a membership-based, industry-led steering committee and will focus on addressing critical research challenges, non-advocacy based policy and preparing a comprehensive workforce to impact change. A tiered membership model offers a range of benefits, including access to a shared scale-up facility. Organizations and indiviuals not directly involved in technology scale-up or research prioritization may opt for the engagement level membership tiers.

WHY UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON?

  • Regional Leadership: The 91破解版 () serves as a vital regional resource for education, thought leadership, knowledge creation and dissemination, workforce development, and talent cultivation. Through research and development, symposiums, micro-credential programs, outreach activities, and student engagement initiatives, actively supports the development of science and technical expertise for a circular economy.
  • Institutional Commitment: 鈥檚 Energy Transition Institute (ETI) represents a cornerstone of the university鈥檚 strategic vision under the ASPIRE $100 Million Challenge. This initiative is designed to elevate 鈥檚 academic and research enterprise to national prominence, with ETI leading efforts in plastics and chemicals circularity.
  • Integrated Industry Ecosystem: As The Energy University庐, maintains robust partnerships with industry leaders. The Consortium will formalize these relationships into a structured working group focused on advancing a sustainable chemical industry while addressing the critical industrial issues of chemicals circularity.
  • Infrastructure, Growth, and Strategic Investment: brings robust capabilities in catalysis, polymer science, petroleum geochemistry, and materials characterization, supported by core facilities and a growth-focused mission. A new advanced recycling scale-up facility (opening Summer 2025) and new faculty appointments expand capacity. Strategic investments鈥攍ike the Welch Center and Catalyst for Discovery grants鈥攁dvance polymer circularity research. A stable, diversified funding base ensures long-term innovation and collaboration.
  • Distinguished Leadership: is home to nationally and internationally recognized faculty, including members of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), National Academy of Sciences (NAS), and National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Strategic oversight is provided by an Energy Advisory Board comprising over 25 senior industry executives.
  • Proven Consortium Leadership: has a demonstrated track record in launching and sustaining impactful research consortia, including the Center for Carbon Management in Energy (CCME), the CCUS Consortium, and the Subsea Systems Institute (SSI) ETI continues to prioritize initiatives addressing plastics and broader materials circularity.

Sample and Planned Projects

The consortium will develop and deliver the following projects within the first 3 years of formation:

  • Develop a white paper that analyzes the current state-of-the-art and proposed policies on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastics and chemicals, with the goal of guiding policy decisions and promoting the adoption of circular economy models.

  • Infrastructure development through a testbed facility for advanced recycling with the capability of testing multiple and mixed feedstock and product compositions. 

  • Insights and models for supply chain and logistics (including sortation, waste handling etc.) validated with local/community data-driven projects.

  • Continuing education micro-credential course launch of 5-badge (75+ hours) of NIST sponsored program on plastics circularity. First cohort enrollment underway with course launch dates announced.

WHAT IS THE IMPACT?

  • Deliver scalable, waste-reducing technologies that enhance the economic sustainability of the petrochemical sector.
  • Advance circular economy innovation to influence policy, accelerate adoption of circular models, and build a skilled workforce.
  • Establish a testbed facility for real-world demonstration, enabling supply chain collaboration and new resource efficiency pathways.

Contact Information:

To learn more or get involved, send an email to uheti@central.uh.edu