ExxonMobil expands low emissions technology research

ExxonMobil has signed agreements with the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras and Bombay, further expanding its extensive portfolio of research collaboration with India’s universities.

The five-year agreements focus on progressing research in biofuels and bio-products, gas transport and conversion, climate and environment, and low emissions technologies for the power and industrial sectors.

These collaborations are recent additions to a series of partnerships ExxonMobil has established to progress innovative, lower emissions research programmes with more than 80 universities, five energy centres and multiple private sector partners. The company reports that it has spent $10bn since 2000 developing and deploying lower emissions energy solutions.

‘These agreements will give us a better understanding of how to progress and apply technologies in India, and develop breakthrough lower emissions solutions that can make a difference globally,’ says Vijay Swarup, Vice President of Research and Development at ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company.

Recently, ExxonMobil conducted a joint study with IIT Bombay and the Council for Energy, Environment and Water, a leading India-based think-tank, focusing on the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with India’s power sector. The study looked at India’s projected electricity demand growth over the next 20 to 30 years and compared emissions associated with power generated by domestic coal and LNG imported from the US. It found that, on average, life cycle GHG emissions from LNG imported into India are approximately 54% lower than those associated with Indian coal.