HOUSTON, TEXAS – October 5,2026 – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $748,000 to The Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) to lead the Waste to CLEAN Fuels for Decarbonizing Transportation in the Rio Grande Valley (CLEAN-RGV) project. This innovative initiative will evaluate the potential to convert Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) waste into fuels for public transportation systems in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (Texas).
Developed in collaboration with local partners such as Future Edge Research (FER) and the Lower Rio Grande Development Council (LRGVDC), CLEAN-RGV aims to revalorize waste, reduce emissions and enhance the region’s resilience. The project will assess the feasibility of installing commercially available waste-to-fuel technologies, such as anaerobic digesters, modular methane pyrolysis systems, and other technologies, at regional WWTPs.
“CLEAN-RGV is a wonderful example of exploring how we can address various challenges with innovative solutions,” said Dr. Carlos Gamarra, Vice President of Energy at HARC. “This award allows us to build on the team’s past work and leverage local partnerships to determine where this waste-to-fuel approach will be most efficient and effective, generating positive impacts in the economy and enhancing local resilience.
Key project objectives include identifying the most suitable treatment facilities to generate fuels from waste, understanding synergies with nearby waste producers, and determining the best transportation systems for deploying these clean fuels. In partnership with local transit authorities, the team will assess how these fuels could replace fossil fuels in buses and heavy-duty vehicles and identify market-ready solutions for their transportation, distribution, and use.
“The Rio Grande Valley has tremendous potential to become a leader in sustainable infrastructure and clean energy innovation” says Sergio Perez, MSEE, President of Future Edge Research, “Future Edge Research is excited to collaborate with HARC and regional partners to bring HARC’s expertise in energy, resilience, and sustainability to South Texas while exploring how local wastewater resources can be transformed into valuable transportation fuels. This project has the potential to create environmental, economic, and workforce development benefits that will help build a more sustainable and resilient future for our community.”
About HARC (Houston Advanced Research Center)
HARC is an independent, non-partisan, and non-profit research, policy, and program implementation organization that forges sustainability solutions and improves the quality of life of people for generations to come. Learn more at www.harcresearch.org
Contact:
Matt Dulin 281-364-6060 [email protected]
