Baker Hughes and Woodside Energy Join Forces to Power a Low-Carbon Future

A New Era in Energy: Baker Hughes and Woodside Energy Team Up

Two energy giants, Baker Hughes and Woodside Energy, are making bold moves in the global race to decarbonize power generation. Their latest collaboration is centered around NET Power’s revolutionary carbon capture technology, aiming to slash emissions from natural gas power plants while keeping energy production efficient and cost-effective.

This partnership is more than just an experiment—it’s a strategic step toward reimagining industrial power for a world demanding cleaner energy solutions.

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What’s Driving the Partnership?

The energy industry is at a crossroads. Governments, investors, and environmental groups are pressing for rapid emissions cuts. Meanwhile, industries still rely heavily on natural gas for power. Enter NET Power, a company with a game-changing technology that could bridge this gap.

At its core, NET Power’s system burns natural gas in a pure oxygen environment rather than air. The result? Virtually zero emissions—the process captures 97% of CO₂ before it ever reaches the atmosphere. This makes it one of the most effective carbon capture solutions available today.

Baker Hughes and Woodside Energy first expressed interest in the technology in 2022, signing a Memorandum of Understanding. Now, they’ve taken the next step with a Technology Development Agreement (TDA) to bring this innovation to industrial markets.

Scaling Up: How Feasible is This Technology?

Baker Hughes is the exclusive provider of NET Power’s small-scale platform, meaning it holds the keys to adapting this technology for a variety of industrial applications. But scaling it up isn’t just about engineering—it requires collaboration across multiple sectors.

“We are excited to continue our collaboration with Baker Hughes and leverage their leading-edge technology and our combined engineering and CCUS capabilities to explore and develop lower-carbon emissions alternative power solutions using NET Power’s platform,” said Julie Fallon, Executive Vice President of Technical and Energy Development at Woodside Energy.

This agreement paves the way for rigorous testing and refinement at NET Power’s demonstration site in La Porte, Texas, and soon, a utility-scale power plant near Midland, Texas. These trials will determine whether the system can be efficiently deployed at smaller scales, making it an attractive solution for industries struggling with high carbon footprints.

Julie Fallon, Executive Vice President of Technical and Energy Development at Woodside Energy

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Why This Matters for Industrial Decarbonization

For sectors like oil & gas, LNG processing, steel, and chemical manufacturing, fully abandoning fossil fuels is not an immediate option. These industries rely on natural gas not just for energy but for core industrial processes. That’s why Baker Hughes and Woodside’s initiative is so significant—it provides a practical, near-term solution that slashes emissions without forcing industries into an expensive, disruptive transition.

The captured CO₂ from NET Power’s process can either be permanently stored underground or repurposed for industrial use, further minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency. This could reshape how industries approach sustainability, especially in regions where renewable energy infrastructure is still developing.

The Bigger Picture: A Turning Point for Clean Energy Innovation

“Baker Hughes is committed to providing innovative solutions that support the decarbonization of the energy and industrial sectors, and we are honored to share this journey with our long-standing customer Woodside Energy,” said Alessandro Bresciani, Senior Vice President of Climate Technology Solutions at Baker Hughes.

Alessandro Bresciani, Senior Vice President of Climate Technology Solutions at Baker Hughes

The partnership reflects a broader trend—energy companies aren’t just talking about sustainability anymore; they’re putting real money and resources behind solutions that can make a difference now.

Danny Rice, CEO of NET Power, also welcomed the strengthened alliance, noting, “This work has the potential to bring our technology platform to a broader array of end markets and applications, complementing our utility-scale program and strategy.”

What’s Next? The Path to Commercial Deployment

If these tests prove successful, Baker Hughes and Woodside Energy could unlock a commercially viable path for large-scale industrial decarbonization. The ability to deploy small, modular, low-emission power solutions would be a game-changer, offering industries a realistic and affordable route to reducing their carbon footprint.

At a time when global emissions reduction targets are tightening, this partnership signals that the future of energy isn’t just renewables—it’s smarter, cleaner fossil fuel use too.

The world will be watching as these industry leaders take on one of the toughest challenges of our time: powering the world while protecting the planet.