Call for Speakers is Open
Lead the CCUS Deployment Conversation
CCUS Xchange USA 2026 invites senior executives, project developers, industrial operators, infrastructure leaders, technology providers, investors, engineers, and policymakers to contribute to a focused, deployment-driven commercial program for scaling carbon capture, transport, storage, and utilization, with priority given to speakers who can share validated data, project experience, implementation lessons, and strategic insight.
Houston, TX · November 18, 2026
Meet Our Featured Speakers
Senior executives, technical leaders, and policymakers actively shaping the trajectory of North America’s battery value chain.
Grant Budge
CEO
PeroCycle
The Circular Carbon Advantage: On-Site Decarbonization for Foundation Industries
Grant Budge is the CEO of PeroCycle, a pioneering deep-tech venture utilizing closed-loop carbon recycling to deeply decarbonize the global steel industry. With three decades of executive experience, Grant has successfully led large-scale carbon capture, infrastructure, and industrial energy projects. A specialist in navigating complex public and private funding environments, he excels at driving breakthrough climate technologies from early-stage ambition to commercial execution. Today, he steers PeroCycle through its critical commercial scaling and pilot deployment.
Nick Borisow
VP Business Development
8 Rivers Capital
Scaling Up Next-Generation, Non-Toxic, Low-Cost Potassium Carbonate Carbon Capture Technology
Nick brings over 26 years of engineering and commercial leadership in specialty chemicals and capital equipment to his role as VP of Business Development at 8 Rivers. Having held pivotal positions at SUEZ, GE, and Veolia, he now drives the global commercialization of decarbonized power, hydrogen, and carbon capture technologies.
His extensive expertise spans the mining, steel, power generation, and oil and gas sectors. Nick holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Drexel University and an MBA from NC State University.
His extensive expertise spans the mining, steel, power generation, and oil and gas sectors. Nick holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Drexel University and an MBA from NC State University.
Photo coming soon
Amanda Duhon
Energy Industries Council
US CCUS Market Update: Growth, Gaps and Realities, and the Road to Scale
Bio coming soon.
Ajay Kashi
Senior Manager, Product Engineering
Twelve
Lessons from Commissioning the First Commercial CO₂-to-SAF Plant
Ajay Kashi is the Senior Manager of Product Engineering at Twelve, leading efforts to scale and deploy CO₂ electrolysis for commercial sustainable aviation fuel production. In this role, he directs the manufacturing strategy that translates subscale innovations into full-scale CO₂ electrolyzer stacks. An electrochemist by training and an early key team member at Twelve, Ajay brings over a decade of electrochemical R&D and product development experience, specializing in novel materials design and advanced device optimization.
Amanda De Jager
Senior Licensing Manager
Topsoe
Topsoe SynCOR Technology as an Enabler for Low-Carbon Decarbonization Processes
Amanda de Jager is a Senior Licensing Manager at Topsoe, leveraging extensive operational and process design expertise to drive the commercialization of syngas-based technologies. With nearly 20 years of experience in the petrochemical industry, including pivotal engineering roles at Sasol and Topsoe, she brings a practical perspective to process design, project execution, and team leadership.
A passionate advocate for industry innovation, Amanda is equally dedicated to inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in STEM.
A passionate advocate for industry innovation, Amanda is equally dedicated to inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in STEM.
Michael Hartmann
Manager, Carbon Capture & Utilization Process Development
Southwest Research Institute
From Lab to Pilot: Accelerating First-of-a-Kind Carbon Dioxide Utilization Technologies
Michael Hartmann is the Manager of the Carbon Capture and Utilization Process Development Section at Southwest Research Institute’s Chemical Engineering Department. He leads teams developing lab- to pilot-scale technologies for industrial decarbonization, specializing in carbon capture, CO₂ utilization, and novel process design.
With extensive experience in scaleup and pilot plant operations, his project history spans biomass conversion, heavy oil upgrading, and carbon sequestration. Mr. Hartmann holds engineering degrees from UT Austin and NC State, plus an MBA from UT San Antonio.
With extensive experience in scaleup and pilot plant operations, his project history spans biomass conversion, heavy oil upgrading, and carbon sequestration. Mr. Hartmann holds engineering degrees from UT Austin and NC State, plus an MBA from UT San Antonio.
Photo coming soon
Natasha Tyrina
Wood Mackenzie
Carbon Capture Project Economics: Recent Trends, Regional Differences, and Cost Pathways
Bio coming soon.
Photo coming soon
Keith Martin
Norton Rose Fulbright
Navigating Section 45Q Tax Credits: Market Dynamics and Policy Outlook
Bio coming soon.
Why Speak at CCUS Xchange USA 2026?
- Position yourself as a recognized authority in CCUS commercialization and infrastructure deployment
- Engage directly with industrial emitters, energy companies, project developers, investors, engineers, policymakers, and carbon market stakeholders
- Share practical lessons on capture performance, industrial integration, project finance, transport and storage, MMV, and utilization market development
- Gain editorial visibility across the Thought Xchange Network platform
- Build strategic partnerships with technology buyers, infrastructure leaders, capital providers, industrial operators, and commercial collaborators
What We Are Looking For
We prioritize speakers who bring real-world deployment experience, technical depth, investment perspective, policy understanding, operational data, market insight, or cross-sector CCUS expertise. Topics of interest include:
Submission Guidelines
Please include your name, title, organization, a brief bio, and your proposed topic or area of expertise.
Submit a Speaking Proposal