AI may unintentionally become the economic engine that finally modernizes America’s aging grid. California is experiencing a massive AI data center boom, ranking 3rd in the U.S. with 227 operating centers and 54 more in development as of April 2026, according to Stanford.

AI is triggering a new energy panic in America. Across the US states of California, Virginia, Texas, Arizona, and Georgia, residents are pushing back against the explosive growth of data centers powering artificial intelligence. People are worried about rising electricity bills, water use, backup diesel generators, massive transmission lines, and entire landscapes being transformed into server farms. They worry about the expansion and the business around it and believe that AI data centers will exploit the land, and give back little to the people in the communities.

The energy demand from AI is unlike anything the internet economy has seen before. Goldman Sachs estimates data center electricity demand could rise more than 160% by 2030. Utilities that spent years planning for flat electricity growth are suddenly scrambling to build power generation again. In places like Northern Virginia, now nicknamed “Data Center Alley,” local resistance has become fierce. Residents complain about noise, visual pollution, water consumption, and fears that ordinary households will subsidize the AI boom through higher utility costs.

But there’s another side to the story that should be getting attention instead of fear. Renewable energy projects like SunZia — the giant new wind and transmission project connecting New Mexico wind power to California — may show how the AI boom could also accelerate the renewable energy transition.

SunZia is enormous:

• 3.5 gigawatts of wind energy
• a 550-mile high-voltage transmission line
• enough electricity for roughly 3 million people
• one of the largest renewable infrastructure projects in North American history.

And it’s arriving at exactly the right moment. The question is how does it scale without becoming an out of date boondoggle like the Ivanpah solar energy project? We interviewed Moshe Luz, one of the executives and founders of the company who has ideas up for grabs.

California already produces huge amounts of daytime solar energy, but AI workloads continue around the clock. Solar fades in the evening just as electricity demand rises. So the innovation doesn’t need to come in adding more solar panels, it’s the need for better battery storage and nighttime renewables. Wind, wave, and geothermal might help.

SunZia’s New Mexico wind profile helps solve that problem because wind often strengthens later in the day and overnight. Instead of relying entirely on natural gas plants after sunset, California can increasingly balance its grid using distant wind resources combined with battery storage.

The project is already beginning to send electricity into California while final testing continues. SunZia is not alone.

Across the American West, a quiet clean-energy arms race is emerging around AI infrastructure.

In California’s Kern County, the Edwards & Sanborn project combines nearly 900 megawatts of solar with one of the world’s largest battery systems. In Nevada, the Gemini Solar project near Las Vegas pairs utility-scale solar with giant batteries designed to stabilize evening demand.

Texas has become perhaps the most radical experiment of all. Massive wind farms, sprawling solar installations, and grid-scale batteries are now increasingly handling short demand spikes that were once served by gas “peaker” plants. Texas leads America in wind energy, boasting over 30,000 MW of capacity from over 150 wind farms as of 2020, often supplying over 20% of the state’s electricity.

Meanwhile, Google and Microsoft are investing in enhanced geothermal energy projects in Nevada and Utah. Unlike solar and wind, geothermal can run 24 hours a day, making it attractive for AI-driven electricity demand that never sleeps.

The bigger shift underway is that AI may unintentionally become the economic engine that finally modernizes America’s aging grid.

For decades, utilities hesitated to build large transmission systems because electricity demand grew slowly. Now AI companies, cloud providers, and electrification trends are forcing states to rethink energy infrastructure entirely.

Ironically, the same technology many fear could overheat the planet may also become one of the biggest drivers of renewable energy investment in modern history.

There are tradeoffs.

Projects like SunZia still face lawsuits from Indigenous groups who argue transmission corridors damage sacred landscapes and fragile ecosystems. It’s difficult to get ecological assessments across state lines. Renewable energy itself is now colliding with difficult questions about land use, mining prime materials, water, and who benefits from “green growth.”

The post AI data centers are triggering panic, instead of cleantech opportunities appeared first on Green Prophet.

Back in late 2025, Green Prophet began asking uncomfortable questions about what’s really inside your yoga pants, from transparency failures (yes, those infamous see-through leggings) to the less visible and scarier issue: Your sweat is unlocking microplastics and chemical coatings sitting in the most absorbent parts of the human body.

Now, regulators in the United States are catching up. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched a formal investigation into Lululemon, issuing a Civil Investigative Demand to determine whether the athleisure giant misled consumers about the safety of its products, specifically the potential presence of PFAS, or “forever chemicals.”

Though microplastics, which we wrote about are persistent, PFAS are distinct and often co-occur. PFAS are synthetic chemicals used for waterproofing and non-stick coatings, while microplastics are tiny solid plastic particles.

PFAS chemicals are widely used for water and stain resistance. They also persist in the environment and the human body, and have been linked in scientific studies to cancer, hormone disruption, and reproductive issues. Paxton framed the probe as a consumer protection issue:

“Americans should not have to worry whether the products they purchase are safe for themselves and their families,” he said.

And more sharply, and what’s interesting here is that he is targeting the brand’s positioning: “Companies that market themselves as leaders in health and wellness should not sell harmful, toxic materials under the guise of sustainability or safety.”

Why Lululemon? Dollar store items may use the same microplastics. But this isn’t a random enforcement action.

Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a Civil Investigative Demand (“CID”) to Lululemon USA Inc. (“Lululemon”) as part of an investigation into whether the company has misled consumers about the safety, quality, and health impacts of its products.

Healer Jasper Neil tells Green Prophet, “Synthetic fibres inhibit energy flow. If you’re an energy sensitive practitioner you can feel the difference between natural and synthetic fibres. Nice looks don’t compensate for the fact that these clothes shut your energy down.”

Lululemon is a leading activewear brand that generated over $11 billion in fiscal year 2025 alone. The company markets itself as a wellness-focused lifestyle brand emphasizing sustainability and performance. Brand ambassadors spotted wearing the pants include Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Kate Middleton, Selena Gomez, and Taylor Swift. Lessor known influencers peddling the brand include Lewis Hamilton, Sidney Crosby, Connor Bedard, Jordan Clarkson, Frances Tiafoe, and Leylah Fernandez.

However, emerging research and consumer concerns have raised questions about the potential presence of certain synthetic materials and chemical compounds in their apparel that may be associated with endocrine disruption, infertility, cancer, and other health issues.

“The health and safety of our guests is paramount, and our products meet or exceed global regulatory, safety, and quality standards,” Lululemon said in a statement. “We require all our vendors to regularly conduct testing for restricted substances, including PFAS, by credible third-party agencies to confirm ongoing compliance.”

According to the Attorney General’s Office, Lululemon occupies a unique space of premium pricing, wellness branding, and direct-to-skin products worn during heat, sweat, and friction. The investigation is expected to examine the company’s restricted substances list, product testing protocols, and global supply chain disclosures.

The legal question isn’t simply whether PFAS were used. It’s whether consumers were led to believe they were buying something cleaner than reality allowed. Sort of like Zentera’s so-called “ethical” and “kind” wool that PETA has exposed to be exploitive to animals.

The company’s response? Lululemon says the issue is already addressed.

In statements it has released on the issue that Green Prophet brought force in 2025, the company has said it phased out PFAS in its products in 2023, and that such chemicals were previously used only in limited applications, such as water-repellent finishes. It maintains that its products meet all applicable safety standards and undergo third-party testing.

The bigger issue: exposure where it matters most. If talcum powder exposure or asbestos exposure happened in the past, consumers have a right going forward to claim damages if a link can be made. The problem is that the source of immune disease such as lupus or cancers are hard to tracer.

How do I know if my leggings have PFAS?

PFAS treatments cause the fabric to strongly repel water. If you drop a water droplet onto a PFAS-treated fabric, it will bead up, roll around, and typically leaves no residue. In contrast, a droplet dropped onto an untreated fabric will soak in.

What regulators are only beginning to explore now is what Green Prophet flagged months ago. They know that synthetic fabrics shed microplastics during wear and washing. And that tight athletic clothing creates heat and friction zones, while hemical finishes may interact with sweat and prolonged skin contact.

This includes areas of the body where absorption risks are highest, such as in the crotch area, which is not abstract, but practical and daily.

Paxton didn’t go after every spandex manufacturer. He chose a category-defining brand called Lululemon which is one that sells not just apparel, but a narrative of health, control, and well-being.

If that narrative proves misleading, the implications extend far beyond one company and can shake up the health and wellness space that makes claims about products and services that are unfounded, or worse, bad for one’s health. My mother can remember a time when smoking was considered good for your health, but we know how that played out. Let’s hope the plastics lobbies aren’t so strong.

Now we ask Green Prophet readers: Can synthetic performance wear ever truly be marketed as “clean”? Green Prophet raised the question first. Now, the regulators are asking it on the record.

Is microplastics and forever chemicals something we can avoid? Basically everything (from food and water to air, from blender for your healthy smoothie to cutting board for your veggies that themselves are chemical by default and salt you season them with) contains microplastics, and as per recent studies, we thought that consuming them is the major source, actually it is inhaling,” says Lilia Khalitova. “So polyester clothes are bad, and washing them only makes them shed more. Plus add heat (UV), friction, your mat  and here we go… plastic fantastic you. Realistically it is impossible to avoid or cleanse, but can be minimised through mindful exposure.”

“But will natural cotton or bamboo pants keep your ass tight and round like the plastic ones do? That’s a trade off not many are willing to do I suppose,” sums up Ra Sa.

The post Lululemon pants leech PFAS and plastics into bodies, Texas attorney general claims appeared first on Green Prophet.

You’ve built your Texas energy consultancy on expertise and trust. Clients rely on you to interpret grid data, advise on renewables strategy or guide them through regulatory change.  Texas’s energy sector is one of the largest in the country, contributing about $390 billion to the state economy and supporting over 819,000 jobs across oil, gas, and renewables. With the state leading in oil, natural gas, wind and utility-scale solar production, it is no surprise that demand for energy consultants continues to grow.

At some point, the side project becomes something more serious. Contracts grow, and so does risk. You may start to wonder whether trading in your own name still makes sense. 

If you feel unsure about the legal aspects of how to form a Texas LLC, you’re not alone. Many founders hesitate because the process sounds complex. The good news is that you can move forward with clarity and confidence when you understand what Texas actually requires.

• Choose the LLC structure

When you form a Limited Liability Company, you create a separate legal entity that stands apart from you as an individual—a structure that gives you limited liability protection. In practical terms, if a client disputes a consultancy report or a project faces financial difficulty, creditors usually pursue the company’s assets rather than your personal savings.

You must decide whether you want:

• A single-member LLC, where you remain the sole owner, or; 
• A multi-member LLC if you work with partners. 

Most independent consultants choose the single-member route because it keeps management simple while still protecting personal assets. 

However, if you co-found the business with another engineer or sustainability advisor, you should agree on ownership percentages early and record them in an operating agreement. This document sets out how you share profits and how you resolve disagreements, reducing confusion later.

• File your formation correctly

Texas requires you to file a Certificate of Formation with the Texas Secretary of State. You can submit this document through SOSDirect or SOSUpload. SOSDirect works well if you want to complete the online form step by step. SOSUpload suits you if you prefer to upload a prepared PDF.

You must include your LLC name, registered agent details and management structure. Texas currently charges a $300 filing fee. After submission, the Secretary of State reviews your documents and issues evidence of filing once they accept them.

Keep your filed copies and the certificate of formation confirmation. Banks often ask for this evidence when you open a business account. Likewise, corporate clients may request proof that your company exists before they sign consultancy agreements.

• Get your EIN the right way

After formation, you need an Employer Identification Number from the IRS. Even if you don’t plan to hire staff, you should obtain an EIN because banks require it to open a business account. You can apply for an EIN online for free through the IRS website.

During the application, you confirm your LLC details and the responsible party. This step links your tax identity to your company rather than your personal Social Security number. That separation strengthens your professional image and supports accurate bookkeeping. 

• Plan for Texas franchise tax

Texas doesn’t impose a state income tax on individuals, yet it does require most LLCs to file an annual franchise tax report. The Texas Comptroller publishes current franchise tax thresholds and rates, including a No Tax Due Threshold of $2,650,000 for 2026 and 2027 and an annual reporting due date of May 15.

If your consultancy earns less than that threshold, you might not owe tax, yet you still must file a report. Mark 15 May in your calendar and set reminders. Keep accurate revenue records throughout the year so you can complete the report quickly. This routine will help you avoid penalties and keep your LLC in good standing.

Protect your momentum with the right foundations

You started your energy consultancy to solve real problems, not to wrestle with paperwork. Yet the legal structure you choose shapes how confidently you can grow. By forming your Texas LLC carefully from the outset, you reduce risk and build credibility at the same time.

With a proactive approach, you can focus on advising clients on strategy while your legal foundations support you in the background. Take these steps methodically, and you will turn your consultancy into a stable, professional business that matches the ambition you already bring to your work.

The post Turning Your Energy Consultancy into an LLC: 4 Legal Steps for Founders in Texas appeared first on Green Prophet.

In the shimmering heat of the world’s great deserts, from Saudi Arabia’s Rub’ al Khali (the Empty Quarter) to the sands outside Abu Dhabi, lies a paradox. These landscapes bask in uninterrupted sunshine yet remain under-leveraged in the global renewable economy. The stumbling blocks to starting solar projects are rarely physical: the sun blazes. The hurdles are administrative, financial, and usually bureaucratic. As we’ve learned from Ipanema some 80-90% of renewable projects fail due to unforeseen, high grid connection costs, which Astro’s AI identifies upfront.

The company secures grid interconnection agreements, then sells these de-risked, shovel-ready projects to larger energy companies who can immediately start construction.

How? Astro, based in Silicon Valley uses artificial intelligence to map, acquire, and ready land for utility-scale clean energy build-out, then sell these “plug-and-play” sites to developers hungry for opportunity but infuriated by paperwork.

Astro’s pitch sounds almost too simple to be disruptive because if the biggest barrier to solar and wind isn’t physics but red tape, what if you solved the red tape first? The company’s machine-learning models ingest satellite imagery, grid maps, land-use data, and localized weather forecasts to pinpoint parcels that are ideal for renewables — not just sunny or windy, but grid-connectable, low-conflict, and low-cost.

Once a site is selected, Astro negotiates land access, coordinates environmental assessments, and aligns utility interconnection agreements, all the elements that typically take years.

For oil-rich, environmentally vigilant Gulf states, this isn’t just another startup story. It is a blueprint for accelerating an energy transition that is now existential, not optional. Regionally, governments have set ambitious targets such Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 (which is most likely going to fail from poor planning and the dropping cost of oil) and the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 strategy among them — but the execution often collides with an analog world of forms, approvals, and human inertia. Astro’s model turns that world digital, algorithmic, and fast.

Now imagine applying Astro-style intelligence to water resources, wind energy, and even remediation of damaged lands. They could help us map out where to put greenhouses and towns of the future. They can plan cities not based on a feeling but on opportunities.

In arid environments, the scarcity of freshwater supplies is as pressing as the need for clean power. By layering hydrological data onto the same AI platform that identifies prime solar sites, planners could locate aquifer recharge zones, optimize placement for desalination projects powered by renewables, and reduce the energy footprint of water distribution.

Wind isn’t far behind. Coastal zones of the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea present compelling offshore and onshore wind potential. The same technology that pinpoints grid access for solar can model turbine wakes and logistics corridors, dramatically shortening the time from concept to construction.

And then there’s the elephant in the room: the environmental damage left in the wake of fossil extraction. You don’t have to look far for a cautionary tale — the soil and water crises around Basra’s oil fields which we wrote about last month, have made headlines and sickened communities. While Astro doesn’t sell cleanup services, the implication of its approach is clear: when you can map the viability of a clean project with precision, you can also map the liabilities. That opens the door for investors and sovereign wealth funds to bundle renewable investment with environmental remediation in blended finance vehicles.

Astro is founded by Alex Fuster. He is a Stanford-trained physicist and computer scientist and former energy trader at Citadel, he built Astro after seeing how predictable grid congestion data is overlooked by traditional developers. Astro is part of Y Combinator and is starting business development in Texas. Astro Energy closed a pre-seed funding round of about $500 K in April 2025, with participation from Y Combinator.

The post Astro uses AI to help procure land for renewable energy appeared first on Green Prophet.

When a 65-year-old oak tree in Steve Parker’s yard died from fungal disease, he did not cut it into firewood or haul it away. He did not erase it. He cut the tree into disks and then turned them into records that play birdsong –– a touching tribute to the years that the tree was house and home to birds and all manners of creatures.

Parker, a Texas-based sound artist known online as @parkerstevesounds played the disks of wood on a Victrola-style turntable, and from the it the wooden records emit layered avian soundscapes, transforming dead wood into a living archive. He called the project Funeral for a Tree.

I once worked on a similar project in clay. I created a series of vessels designed to hold seeds. While shaping each one, I spoke to it — prayers, fragments of thought, small conversations with the material itself. I recorded my voice and the surrounding landscape of sound into the walls of the ceramic. Today’s machines cannot retrieve those recordings. But future instruments — capable of hearing at finer scales — may. The vessels are simply waiting for the right ears.

Trees are not neutral objects. Their rings hold records of rainfall, drought, heat, and cold. Their fibers contain chemical traces of stress, recovery, and time. In scientific terms, trees are environmental witnesses. In Parker’s hands, they become storytellers.

The project was later exhibited at Ivester Contemporary in East Austin, Texas where visitors encountered both the wooden records and the physical remains of the tree itself. The installation did not explain the tree. It allowed people to sit with it.

In a time when climate loss is reported in numbers — hectares, parts per million, extinction rates — Funeral for a Tree insists on intimacy. It is easy to talk about forests. It is harder to mourn a single trunk. It’s like people fighting for Gaza or Iran or places thousands of miles beyond their city limits, but they don’t have time to call their grandmother or check on the sick boy down the street.

Parker’s work invites us to create rituals and intimacy with objects and meaning close to our homes and hearts.

The post Funeral for a Tree plays birdsong from tree rings of beloved oak appeared first on Green Prophet.

At a moment when the United States is wrestling with energy policy uncertainty and climate commitments (it left the Paris Accords under the Trump Administration), the conversation around renewable energy has never been more urgent. From grid modernization efforts to biofuel mandates in the pipeline, to renewable energy powering AI, US energy decision-makers are increasingly recognizing that sustainability and resilience must go hand in hand.

Renewable energy is often associated with solar panels and wind turbines. Yet not all renewables are intermittent or dependent on weather conditions. Biogas — methane produced by the anaerobic digestion of organic waste — offers a continuous, reliable source of clean energy that complements intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar. Through engineered systems that capture methane from agricultural residues, wastewater, and landfill gas, biogas technologies can generate electricity, produce renewable natural gas (RNG), and even power transportation fleets and airplanes using SAF.

Embedded in this transformation is a lesser-known but powerful player: biogas engineering — a technology poised to influence long-term environmental planning for decades to come. The engineering behind biogas systems is critical for its uptake. Companies specializing in biogas engineering design, build, and operate facilities that optimize the conversion of waste into usable energy. These systems don’t just generate fuel — they reduce methane emissions, produce valuable by-products such as renewable fertilizer, and help municipalities and farmers meet sustainability goals.

In the context of American energy policy (setting the stage for the world as oil prices are in USD), the relevance of renewable energy planning is increasingly evident. Federal agencies are preparing final biofuel blending mandates under the Renewable Fuel Standard, with decisions expected early in 2026 after delays that have left investors and producers in limbo.

At the same time, cities like San Antonio are demonstrating biogas’s real-world potential: landfill methane is being transformed into renewable natural gas that fuels public transit buses, reducing carbon emissions by up to 85% compared to diesel.Such projects exemplify how renewable energy can weave into everyday infrastructure, supporting decarbonization while enhancing local economies. See how Texas policy supports investment in biogas.

What are the advantages of biogas?

1. Continuous, Dispatchable Clean Energy: Unlike solar or wind, biogas can be scheduled and provided on demand. Its capacity to produce power around the clock strengthens grid reliability as renewable penetration grows.
US EPA

2. Methane Mitigation: Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with more than 80 times the warming impact of CO₂ over 20 years. Capturing methane from waste streams and converting it into energy both lowers emissions and generates a valuable resource.

3. Circular Economy Benefits: Biogas systems turn organic waste into energy and soil amendments, advancing waste reduction and creating added value for rural communities.

4. Strategic Energy Independence: By producing domestic renewable fuels like RNG and compressed natural gas for vehicles, biogas supports U.S. energy security while reducing reliance on imported fuels.

As policymakers and planners consider long-term climate strategies — from updating infrastructure to scaling renewable mandates — integrating biogas engineering into broader frameworks will be crucial. Not only does biogas bridge gaps in the renewable energy landscape, it also aligns environmental, economic, and social objectives in a way that few other solutions can. In a time of accelerating climate challenges and policy debates, renewable energy isn’t just about reducing emissions — it’s about building resilient systems that serve communities sustainably for generations. And it will be interesting to see how AI best practices interface in this market.

The post What Renewable Energy Means for Long-Term Environmental Planning appeared first on Green Prophet.

The recently inaugurated Ismaili Center in Houston has been celebrated as a triumph of architecture, culture, and interfaith dialogue. Yet some in the architectural community are urging a deeper look at what such projects represent in geopolitical and environmental terms. Sustainable Architect Ronak Roshan from Iran (who calls out the Shia Muslim Aga Khan Award for greenwashing its award) offers the following perspective on the origins, symbolism, and environmental implications of the project:

“This issue can be examined from several perspectives to clarify the reasons behind the emergence of such a project in the heart of this site. The construction of multiple mosques in the West should be understood within the policy seen in Paris, where, due to the fear of the rise of fundamentalism following the migration of Muslims caused by war, poverty, and other reasons to the West, the directive to build numerous mosques was issued to organize these communities.

“Saudi Arabia and several Arab countries also contributed financially (to building mosques). It is undeniable that every person has the right to have a place of worship according to their faith, but the question is whether this is the right approach. This should be seen from the political roots and the role of governments in power relations.

“I do not view the formation of this mosque outside of this perspective.

“Keep in mind that this project began before the current Aga Khan.

“The new Aga Khan studied environmental sciences in the United States and is expected to be both aware of and sensitive to such issues. These policies were not in place during his tenure. The Aga Khan Award manager is Iranian, a person with significant influence whose development-oriented approach is old school and largely symbolic, very close to Farshid Moussavi, the Iranian architect based in London. These connections are not coincidental.

“I mention these points to clarify the small but important reasons behind the formation of such projects. It must be emphasized that a project of this scale cannot truly support the environment unless they themselves transparently disclose or reveal that they have offset the carbon footprint or have fully transparent reports. Otherwise, such projects should have been undertaken at smaller scales and within smaller neighborhoods.

“Ms. Moussavi generally works on large-scale projects and even has some failed projects in her record; for example, some speculative developments in Turkey. A beautiful object with high spatial quality is no longer considered successful architecture in today’s world.”

Roshan’s critique reframes the Houston Ismaili Center not as a beacon of progress, but as a mirror reflecting the entanglement of faith, politics, and greenwashing in contemporary architecture — a beautiful object whose sustainability remains, for now, a matter of belief rather than proof.

The post Sustainable Architect Ronak Roshan on the Politics Behind the Houston Ismaili Center appeared first on Green Prophet.

On November 6, 2025, Houston welcomed its newest civic landmark: the Ismaili Center, Houston, a luminous Shia Muslim complex overlooking Buffalo Bayou Park that merges Islamic art, architecture, and landscape design.

It was inaugurated by Mayor John Whitmire alongside Rahim Aga Khan V.

Related: 5 eco mosques in the world

Aga Khan is the new Imam of the world’s Shia Ismaili Muslims — the Center marks the first Ismaili civic and cultural complex in the United States, and perhaps the most ambitious example of faith-based sustainable design built in the South. It is the first Ismaili Center in the United States, joining those in London, Vancouver, Lisbon, Dubai, Dushanbe, and Toronto. The project fulfills a vision set in motion by Shia leader Karim Aga Khan IV (1936–2025) and realized by his son and successor.

But in Texas, a state where political tensions are now rising over pluralism, and at a time when the Aga Khan’s own architecture awards have faced accusations of greenwashing, Houston’s newest monument is more than a work of beauty — it’s a test of credibility.

In September 2025, Governor Abbott signed a law banning what the state describes as “Sharia compounds” — developments “open only to Muslims” or controlled by religious law structures. This was in response to a Muslim-built EPIC city that discriminates on who can buy homes in the community based on religion.

A Civic Oasis in a Divided State?

The estimated $170 million project sits at the intersection of Allen Parkway and Montrose Boulevard, within walking distance of the Rothko Chapel and the Menil Collection — Houston’s spiritual-artistic corridor.

That spirit will be tested. In recent months, Governor Greg Abbott has come under fire for launching a campaign to halt construction of a proposed Islamic-planned community near Dallas, drawing accusations of Islamophobia from faith leaders and civil-rights groups (Houston Chronicle). Elsewhere, redistricting maps have cut Black and Latino representation in Houston by half, prompting protests by local clergy and activists (Houston Chronicle).

Amid this climate, a Muslim-led institution dedicated to “shared human values” carries political resonance. The Ismaili Center, Houston, designed by London-based architect Farshid Moussavi and landscape architect Thomas Woltz, aims to model pluralism through design witnessed by open courtyards, shaded eivans (verandas), and gardens meant for dialogue, art, and quiet reflection.

The building’s green credentials are strong — at least on paper. Rising above the 500-year floodplain, its underground garage doubles as a flood reservoir. The 11-acre landscape slopes gently toward the Bayou, channeling runoff through terraces, reflecting basins, and flood-adaptive gardens. It’s parking lot underground can hold runoff in the case of a flood.

Woltz calls it “a transect of Texas,” planted with desert agave, prairie grasses, and Gulf Coast reeds — a living metaphor for ecological and cultural adaptation.

Materials were chosen for longevity — stone, steel, and ultra-high-performance concrete with a 100-year life cycle. Natural light filters through perforated screens that recall Persian craft traditions. The design philosophy echoes the global movement for regenerative Islamic architecture explored in Green Prophet’s stories on Hassan Fathy’s legacy and green architecture across MENA.

The Shadow of Aga Khan Greenwashing

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), which oversees the Ismaili Centers and funds the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture, has faced increasing scrutiny over how it markets “sustainability.”

Green Prophet’s recent investigation, “When Greenwashing Overwrites Ecology at the Superadobe Majara Residence”, questioned the ecological validity of one of the Aga Khan Award’s 2025 winners in Iran. That project — celebrated for its earthy “superadobe” domes — was found to rely heavily on unsustainable materials, tourist economics, and a romanticized desert aesthetic. They did not reply to our questions and ignored an Iranian architect Ronak Roshan who embodies ecological integrity above all in her practice.

Another Green Prophet piece on the 2025 Aga Khan Architecture Winners argued that the Award risks functioning as a form of cultural branding — celebrating Islamic modernity while skimming over deeper environmental costs and issues. These critiques raise a question for Houston: will this Center be an authentic green civic landmark, or a monumental case study in eco-optics and religious politics?

As we’ve explored in “Saudi Greenwashing at NEOM” and “UAE Green Finance and COP29”, even projects wrapped in the language of sustainability can mask carbon-heavy construction and elitist urbanism.

A Real Test of “Faith in Practice”

Unlike many mosques or churches, the Ismaili Center Houston explicitly presents itself as civic infrastructure: a place for performances, classes, and lectures, with a café and art exhibitions open to all. The Aga Khan center does the same in Toronto. Yet when we see the way a dominant group politically includes projects with little merit for the sake of politics, we believe this is more politics and optics than true pluralism.

The Aga Khan’s global network has a record of genuine impact — funding hospitals, universities, and rural-resilience projects from East Africa to Pakistan. Yet critics note a lack of public reporting on carbon metrics or third-party audits.

If the Ismaili Center Houston truly evolves into a community green hub — hosting lectures on climate justice, native gardening workshops, or open dialogues on the energy transition — it could redefine how faith institutions serve cities in crisis. But given the rise of antisemitism across the United States and Canada, much of it fueled by extremist rhetoric, it’s fair to ask whether this is also a political project dressed in the language of pluralism. If its lush gardens and polished stone remain mostly symbolic, the Center risks becoming yet another addition to the Aga Khan’s portfolio of beautifully designed but tightly managed “sustainable” showcases.

Whether the Ismaili Center becomes a true model for green faith architecture or just another chapter in the Aga Khan’s controversial brand of eco-diplomacy will depend on what happens after the press photos fade.

The post Houston eco mosque opens amid Texas faith and climate tensions appeared first on Green Prophet.

Smart investment firms know the writing is on the wall: Companies that make the environment count as part of their business model will outperform traditional businesses. It might take a couple of more years but putting sustainability practices first pays off. Recently, investors and bankers have learned that those same traditional businesses that have been profitable for decades may now be a liability as global awareness attunes to human, animal and planet rights. 

Whistleblowers are waiting around any corner to derail steady stocks and bonds. How can your family office, bank, venture capital firm or bank steer clear of obstacles and invest in companies that put sustainability first and make planet and people count? Started in Dallas and now global, Trammell S. Crow founded EarthX and through it hosts an annual E-Capital Summit, tying investors and businesses together –- aligning them with the right frame of mind for future-forward business and environmental accountability. 

Startups are invited too. Those that have attended the events over the last five years have gone on to raise about $500M in investment capital. It’s like Techcrunch for companies that care about the planet. 

This year EarthX hosted its 5th summit. The event brought together policy makers from the White House, The Department of Energy, banks, family offices and traditional companies –– offering case studies and frameworks on how to build businesses that create a sustainability impact from the bottom up –– or from the top down.

“Our vision is to demonstrate to industry leaders from the investment, business, and deal making systems that sustainability and  profitability are not mutually exclusive but actually go hand-in-hand.” says Vikram Agrawal, Director of EarthXCapital, the impact investment arm of EarthX. 

Some of the topics cover finance innovation in sustainability infrastructure. Few traditional businesses may not realize that the entire solar energy business, for instance, is built on feed-in tariffs and building solar infrastructure for your company can be a new stream of income. Are you managing a family fund and want to create climate-forward investments for your portfolio that are risk averse? Are you running an NGO, green energy business or leading government and city policies on investment in infrastructure? We’ve tapped into one of America’s leading minds on impact investing. Take 5 minutes and dive into what Vikram Agrawal says on how green financing can spur rapid environmental turnaround.

Vikram’s EarthX Capital is run by EarthX, America’s largest environmental expo, conference, film festival, and virtual TV channel, and is a member of IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature. EarthX was founded in 2011 as Earth Day Dallas by environmentalist and businessman Trammell S. Crow.

Green Prophet to Vikram Agrawal: Tell us a little about your background?

Vikram: I am a mission-driven, operationally-focused investment and management professional with an ethos that everyone deserves an opportunity to be successful, however they define success. I have nearly 15 years of experience across several industry sectors in the United States and the emerging markets (Latin America & the Caribbean and emerging Europe, Middle East, & Africa).

I started my career in investment banking and international finance focused on the emerging markets but, over the past seven years, I have been focused on US private equity, having worked with both companies in need of a strategic or operational turnaround as well as  those in full-on growth mode.

While developing several investment theses related to sustainability and resiliency, I met Trammell S. Crow, a well-respected Texan environmentalist, businessman, and philanthropist. Trammell founded EarthX, an international environmental nonprofit organization based in Dallas, Texas that is dedicated to educating and inspiring people and organizations to take action towards a more sustainable future.

Trammell and I decided to partner together where I would have a dual mandate. I am launching a private investment firm focused on sustainability & resilience-related companies. In addition, I am helping lead the EarthxCapital team which has a mission to develop an investment, business, innovation, and deal-making ecosystem focused on leading and catalyzing impact and action. 

My passion for sustainability, conservation, and resiliency started when I was young. It fully blossomed nearly twenty years ago when I had the opportunity to work on sustainability initiatives in rural India. I witnessed how solar energy installations, water conservation, and better agricultural practices could drastically improve people’s lives and provide them with critical resources that I took for granted growing up here in the United States. 

Since then, I have realized that sustainability is not only important for the earth, for environmental justice, and for tackling broader social challenges –– including creating millions of much-needed jobs. I realize that sustainability is critical for business and investments by driving profitability, enhancing value, and driving risk-adjusted returns.

Why do we need such an event, and why now?

In April 2021, we hosted the 5th annual invitation-only E-Capital Summit. EarthxCapital’s signature event of the year seeks to convene, inspire, and catalyze action from hundreds of global investment firms, early to late-stage innovators, established global companies, industry leaders, policymakers, incubators & accelerators, dealmakers, and researchers. Our objective is to have substantial, positive impacts on investments, businesses, people and our planet.

In a highly polarized society that is dominated by misinformation, we take great pride in convening a diverse group of individuals and organizations representing a diverse group of perspectives in the middle of America: Dallas, Texas. We actively seek all perspectives and civil (and well-informed) discourse from all parties, regardless of the industry or profession you represent or whether you are a Democrat or Republican, climate change believer or denier, pure capitalist or philanthropist. We urgently need to have more inclusive debates with opposing views where we learn to collaborate and value each other’s diverse perspectives to better develop solutions.

What we all need to realize is that a majority of us share similar values and goals and that it will take a holistic solution from the investment, business, policy, research, civic, and non-profit communities partnering together to solve short-term and long-term challenges. At the end of the day, we all want clean water & air, a resilient economy and supply chains, jobs for millions of Americans, power & energy, and a better future for generations to come. 

However, being sustainable is trending and sexy today. Don’t get me wrong: this is great but it could also lead to “greenwashing” and have negative implications if investors lose capital, like they did a decade ago in the last cleantech bubble, especially if the public markets’ “ESG play” falters. 

Many traditional investors and businesses are wary of this but will continue to do what they can to “check the box” if large investors and consumers demand this. Therefore, to truly have sustainable sustainability, it’s critical to show how sustainability and profitability are not mutually exclusive, but in fact go hand-in-hand. It’s our  mission to show how sustainability can improve a company’s profitability, improve resiliency, and create a greater Strategic Value Proposition thereby enhancing value and increasing risk-adjusted returns.

How is the investment climate different under Biden?

Even prior to President Biden being sworn in as President, there was significant interest in sustainability investing. The International Finance Corporation, a World Bank Group, estimates that in 2020, ~$2.1 trillion AUM of a total of $10 trillion AUM was focused on impact investing in private markets.

However, President Biden is providing guardrails for sustainability investing through his fiscal policy and regulatory agenda. For example, billions of dollars in the infrastructure bill will support many cleantech and sustainability-related initiatives including EV infrastructure, energy/power grid resilience, and water infrastructure. Unfortunately, investors will be wary of such changes (especially if they are done via Executive Order or without bipartisan support), as they could be easily undone by a new Administration.

It remains unclear what the Biden Administration’s impact will be on sustainability investing but I’d bet most people would say that it will have a very positive short-term and long-term effect.

How has Covid changed anything in Impact investing?

First off, please allow me to offer my condolences and thoughts with the millions of people around the world who were impacted by COVID-19 and the global pandemic, which continues to ravage on. Unfortunately, millions of people around the world lost their lives and an even greater number of people will be impacted for years to come due to various economic, social, and health – physical and mental –  challenges. We will need to develop innovative solutions to overcome those challenges.

To answer your question, impact investing can mean different things depending on who you ask. For the purpose of our discussion today, I’ll be focusing on environmental sustainability related issues given the focus of EarthX; however, that doesn’t diminish the importance of many other critical topics and challenges that are being addressed by a variety of impact investors including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; inequality and justice; health and wellness; access to education, and many more.

The pandemic highlighted the importance of resilience but also magnified the global inequalities and challenges faced by many daily, many of which are addressed by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From a COVID-19 prevention and treatment perspective, millions of people do not have access to clean drinking water – or even water to wash your hands – nor do they have access to proper nutrition (giving your body and its immune system to fight a virus). 

These are only a few examples of the many investment opportunities that comprise the $2.5 trillion annual financing gap needed to achieve the SDGs. Many investors have responded by focusing their investment and philanthropic endeavors in underserved communities and look to be creative in finding opportunities to address these challenges. Given Covid-19, there may be greater emphasis, which is very much needed, on topics and investment theses related to environmental justice and health and wellness.

Can you give us three trends to look out for in the coming year?

Tension between greenwashing and defining what sustainability means

It seems like every week we hear an announcement from a major financial institution or corporate leader on their massive investment or pledge towards a new ESG or sustainability-focused strategy. 

As an environmentalist, I’m excited to see the news every week but am wary if such announcements will convince traditional investors and businesses to execute long-lasting strategies. For example, I see this challenge with carbon offsets. First, I’d argue that carbon or GHG footprint reductions by operational or business plan improvements are in fact better than carbon offsets from unrelated sources. 

Footprint reductions are permanent solutions and can hopefully be good for business profitability, which also leaves more offsets for other essential businesses unable to change operationally or a stronger foundation to rebuild the environment. Second, as Bloomberg has reported before, there aren’t enough trees (or land) in the world to support these continued statements. Therefore, to preserve credibility we must address true measures to address sustainability, but what does “sustainability” actually mean?

I always joke that if you ask five different people what sustainability means, you get ten different answers. However, as major institutional investors and public/private asset managers continue to employ and pledge trillions dollars of assets towards “sustainability” investment strategies, it will be important to define what constitutes sustainability. 

As a pragmatist, and as a newly adopted Texan, I am excited to highlight how traditional energy companies are making oil and gas operations more sustainable. Oil and gas is critical to our economy, employs millions of Americans, and is a valuable resource for multiple end-products. While still holding the industry accountable for its actions, we should bring them to the table and celebrate their efforts, not shun them. 

However, I’m sure many of your readers and many of my friends are raising their eyebrows as I put sustainability and oil and gas in the same sentence. So I ask, is making oil and gas a more environmentally-friendly sustainability strategy? I think so but others may disagree.

Developing measurable metrics

In addition, it will be important to identify standardized specific and quantifiable metrics, both of which have inhibited acceptance among traditional investors. The Biden Administration has already started to broach this issue and I’d expect some critical discussion in the coming months. 

For example, the Wall Street Journal has done great coverage on this subject especially looking at companies deemed to be ESG top-performers and how various rating agencies ranked these companies differently on their sustainability scorecard due to differing metrics. Investors and businesses prefer standardization and certainty. It’s hard to plan if the goal line keeps moving.

Resilience

Resilience is the new buzz word and will be one of the most important topics for discussion across industry verticals globally. As with sustainability, resilience will become a dominant discussion topic especially as individuals and businesses grapple with increasing disruptions related to everyday activities. 

A recent conversation with a major US city’s Chief Resilience Officer reminded me how resilience encompasses a broad range of issues. However, my current focus is on environmental and severe adverse weather resilience. COVID-19 and the recent February winter storms highlighted how ill-prepared our mission-critical industries are to shocks to the system. 

As we begin to recover from COVID-19, I expect this to be a topic at more dining room tables, in more boardrooms, and in the halls of Washington, DC.

What kinds of businesses are most at risk if they don’t start to think “impact”?

Not to sound cliché, but every single business will be at risk. However, it will not be a one-size fits all strategy. For example, climate change and severe adverse weather events will have an impact on critical infrastructure assets, global supply chains, and the built environment. Not only will key industries like power, water, and food/ag be impacted (thereby challenging millions of Americans and billions of humans around the world), severe adverse weathers will affect all industries. 

Mother Nature doesn’t know the difference between Blue and Red states. According to the NOAA, over the past 40 years, the United States has had more than 250 severe adverse weather events that have caused more than a billion dollars of damage (inflation adjusted) totaling more than $1.7 trillion… important to note that this doesn’t even include the hundreds of other “smaller” severe adverse weather events that happen each year across the country. This has a direct financial impact on insurance companies and businesses seeking access to insurance and capital.

From a finance perspective, it feels like every week you hear of another international financial institution that proclaims their intention to limit their exposure to fossil fuels, thereby increasing the cost of capital for companies with high exposure to such resources. With increased costs of capital, the energy industry will face reduced returns and capital expenditures thereby increasing the cost of traditional energy. 

This, interestingly enough, could make alternative fuels and sustainable forms of energy more attractive from a cost competitiveness basis thereby giving them sufficient time to mature and increasing long-term competitiveness as compared (think of the drop in cost per unit of energy from solar and wind technology given increased adoption over the past two decades). 

Can you give us an example of innovation in sustainability investing? I brought up the idea of solar and feed-in tariffs, can you give another?

I’ve learned that one of the greatest challenges for sustainability investing is the lack of patient capital for truly innovative enterprises. Unlike other innovations or industries, many clean technology and sustainability-related solutions take time to develop, commercialize, and eventually drive a return. 

In addition, unfortunately, political gridlock has also inhibited private and public capital inflows for solving less sexy sustainability-related issues like infrastructure. Therefore, as I have learned of different forms of “innovation” in sustainability investing I’ve been impressed by many organizations that are looking to solve those problems. However, two firms – both past E-Capital panelists – with innovative financing models have come to mind:

Prime Coalition is a 501(c)(3) public charity that partners with mission-aligned investors to support extraordinary companies that combat climate change, have a high likelihood of achieving commercial success, and would otherwise have a difficult time raising adequate financial support to scale. Prime has leveraged catalytic capital, including grants and program-related investments, to drive much needed investment in innovative companies from patient and risk-tolerant capital providers. Most importantly, they don’t look to sacrifice returns while supporting industry game-changers.

Quantified Ventures is leading outcomes-based financing solutions across the country, solutions very much needed to solve our country’s environmental and aging infrastructure crisis. The firm is credited with structuring the first ever Environmental Impact Bond in the United States for DC Water, which helped them solve several challenges. DC Water was able to implement green infrastructure through an approach that shared performance risk with investors by linking their returns to the project’s success. I expect an increase of these forms of investment/financial structures throughout the country.

If you had unlimited capital, where would you put it first? 3 ideas — you have access to a magic genie 

I think this is a better question for folks who are much smarter and more experienced than me (and with a lot more capital)! However, based on my experience, the following examples could be some of the greatest opportunities (in addition to the themes I’ve mentioned previously like resilience which I’ve been thinking about for several years now):

Sustainable Solutions for traditional industry

Although we like to focus on easily marketable and identifiable sustainability initiatives (like replacing plastic straws), true fundamental changes to consumer or business behavior will be needed to move the needle. 

For example, investing in corporate sustainability and resilience is great for business and investments by improving profitability, strengthening business resilience, creating a greater Strategic Value Proposition, and enhancing value for all stakeholders thereby increasing risk-adjusted returns. 

Inflation adjusted, the US economy has grown ~2% over the past 20 years and ~3% since World War II, however no investor or business would deem that as a high ROI for an individual investment. Therefore, if top-line growth is focused to be so low, then significant measures need to be taken to improve gross margins and operating margins, thereby improving net profit margins. 

These initiatives (like the Circular Economy) can be good for business but also great for people and the environment, especially when they concern efficient use of materials and critical resources like energy and water. McKinsey & Company has done several studies that support how sustainability and profitability can go hand-in-hand. If I had unlimited capital I’d be targeting these areas as the opportunities are endless and can help sway traditional businesses and investors to implement simple measures.

Supply chains for leading innovators

Everyone likes to highlight the business and financial success of industry-leading sustainability innovators like Tesla, Chargepoint, AppHarvest, NextEra Energy, and point to them as the best sustainability-focused investment opportunities. That could be true, but I think you also need to focus on the incredibly diverse set of companies that are needed to support these large enterprises and their supply chains. 

If we expect growth in any of the sustainability-focused end markets, capital (and patience) will be needed for those businesses that are supporting sustainability innovation and completely new industries. 

EV Infrastructure and energy storage

Regarding an industry-specific opportunity, I believe that Mobility, in particular EVs, is one of the hottest sectors for the public and private investment markets. Now, before I start greenwashing you, let’s be reminded that EV cars only represent ~2% of the US car market today. However, this is a significant increase from the past decade where some reports put market share at less than 0.2%! 

Earlier this year, California announced that all new car sales will need to be electric by 2035. As published in the journal Nature Climate Change, University of Toronto researchers found that 90% of US cars would need to be electric by 2050 to meet stated climate goals. 

However, according to a Deloitte consumer auto study, the greatest concern for 54% of Americans was the perceived shorter driving range and lack of EV charging infrastructure. If investment professionals, policy makers and the auto industry hope to capitalize on the tremendous environmental, business, and investment opportunity, this issue must be addressed. We need greater EV infrastructure to support the increase in EV unless you think Green Hydrogen is a more realistic proposition.

::EarthX

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The Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company known as Masdar in the UAE has bought a 50 percent stake in Terra-Gen, one of the largest independent renewable energy producers in the United States, from Energy Capital Partners. Masdar is the same company that created the ambitious but failed zero-energy city outside of Abu Dhabi.

ECP is one of the largest private investors in power and renewable assets in the United States says it has fully exited its position in Terra-Gen in connection with the closing of the transaction. Igneo Infrastructure Partners, a global infrastructure investment manager, retains its existing 50 percent stake in Terra-Gen.

Representing one of Masdar’s largest transactions to date (find some of its recent deals featured here on Green Prophet), the deal further cements Masdar’s move into the US market, which it first entered in 2019. It also partnered with the EU to release green bonds in 2020.

Before the Terra-Gen acquisition, Masdar’s US portfolio of utility scale wind, solar and storage assets had a generating capacity of more than 1.4GW.  The US market and Terra-Gen’s scalable platform will play important roles as Masdar executes its plan to build 100GW of capacity in its global renewable energy portfolio by 2030. Also it is important for the UAE to develop strong business ties with the west as it looks to distance itself from unstable regimes such as the Iranian Islamic Republic, and countries like Turkey which are aligning with Russia in energy production such as nuclear.

While Qatar funds terror and unrest, the UAE has become a partner that the west can trust.

Terra-Gen’s gross operating portfolio currently comprises 3.8GW of wind, solar and battery storage projects, including 5.1GWh of energy storage facilities across 30 renewable power sites throughout the US, predominantly in California and Texas.

Terra-Gen is currently developing more than 12GW of wind, solar and battery storage projects in the US, with its projects in California, Texas and New York, including a 386MW of Texas wind and California solar project, and 512MWh of California energy storage facilities, with commercial operations anticipated in 2025.

Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology,  Chairman of Masdar, says: “The UAE and U.S. have long been partners in efforts to advance clean energy, a collaboration culminating in the Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (PACE) agreement.

“Masdar has a strong track record of supporting US renewable energy projects, and the acquisition of Terra-Gen reaffirms this long-standing commitment. We are now on target to surpass our goal of having 10GW of integrated renewable generation capacity in the US by 2030.

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, the CEO of Masdar says: “Terra-Gen’s experienced management team and scalable platform make it the ideal partner, as we work to increase our presence and investment in the US as part of Masdar’s commitment to a long-term strategy in this important market.”

Masdar’s commitment to the US market reflects the UAE’s strong ties to the country. In January 2023, UAE and US officials announced that US$20 billion will be allocated to fund 15GW of clean energy projects in the US before 2035, led by Masdar and a consortium of US private investors, under the Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (PACE) between the two countries. Earlier this year Microsoft invested $1.5 Billion USD to co-develop AI with G42, a UAE based company now working with Nvidia to build weather forecasting models to combat climate change with AI.

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