The Startup Making Landfills Obsolete: LOCOAL Founder Miles Murray Returns
LOCOAL is entering its breakout moment.
In this episode of The Building Texas Show, three-time guest Miles Murray, Founder & CEO of LOCOAL, returns to share the company’s major milestone: their first commercial waste-to-energy unit is now deployed just outside Houston. This marks LOCOAL’s transition from prototype to full commercial operation.
Their modular 50-foot system transforms wood waste, storm debris, and industrial byproducts into clean energy, high-purity carbon, and bio-oil—creating a new circular economy for Texas and beyond.
Whether you’re an investor, entrepreneur, municipal leader, or part of the carbon/energy sector, this episode delivers a powerful look at the future of decentralized clean-tech infrastructure.
What You’ll Learn
• How LOCOAL converts waste into energy and high-purity carbon
• Why counties, cities, and recyclers are turning to mobile waste-to-energy systems
• The explosive growth of biochar in agriculture, concrete, steel, and battery science
• U.S. Air Force–funded innovation pushing LOCOAL toward national deployment in 2026
• How LOCOAL secured $250M in LOIs and strategic investment for scaling
• Why wildfire mitigation and landfill reduction need decentralized solutions now
LOCOAL has developed a patented waste-to-energy system designed to bring clean energy generation directly to the source of waste. Their mobile modular units convert organic and rubber feedstocks into energy, bio-oil, and market-grade carbon while reducing wildfire risks and diverting waste from landfills.
Learn more: https://www.locoal.com
About The Building Texas Show
Hosted by Justin McKenzie, The Building Texas Show highlights the entrepreneurs, innovators, industries, and rural communities shaping the future of Texas.
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• Texas innovation
• Clean energy & carbon markets
• Entrepreneurship & investment
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Chapters
00:00 – Intro & Welcome to Miles Murray (Third Appearance)
00:29 – The Startup Journey: Idea → Prototype → Commercial Pilot
01:16 – What LOCOAL Does: Making Landfills Obsolete
03:05 – Origin Story: Iraq, Hard Environments & Mobile Waste Solutions
04:09 – Timber Economics & Domestic Energy Demand
05:40 – Turning Waste Into Valuable Feedstock
05:51 – Customer #1: Pallet Recycling & Wood Waste
07:11 – Why Mulch Piles Catch Fire
08:46 – Wildfire Risk & Post-Flood Debris in Texas
11:11 – Biochar 101: From Soil to Steel
14:00 – LOCOAL Today: Pilot Deployment & 2026 Outlook
16:06 – Patents, Global Expansion & $250M in LOIs
16:52 – What the System Looks Like: A 50-Foot Power Plant
18:50 – From Waste Pile to Energy, Carbon & Bio-Oil
19:42 – Why Municipalities Should Pay Attention
21:36 – Carbon Credits & Molecular-Level Tracking
22:57 – Agriculture, Biochar & Rural Economic Impact
23:06 – 2026: Breakout Year & How to Connect
24:24 – Closing Remarks
