Shell and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have signed an agreeme ...

Shell and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have signed an agreement to invest $25mn in the research and development (R&D) of high value, sustainable technologies designed to drive innovation in energy delivery. The research collaboration will fund a suite of projects at $5mn/y for the coming five years. Those projects will focus on advanced modelling, earth science, biofuels, nanotechnology and carbon management. ‘The lack of access to affordable energy poses a significant barrier to economic advancement around the globe. Together with the rapidly accelerating demand for energy, the need to develop environmentally sensitive and sustainable energy resources becomes increasingly acute. Our collaboration with Shell will drive energy innovations with the potential for significant, real-world impact,’ said Susan Hockfield, President, MIT. As part of its longer-term focus, the collaboration will address future and emerging technologies that demonstrate game-changing potential for the energy industry. The collaboration will focus on a broad array of existing and new oil and gas technologies, including next-generation applications in nanotechnology, biochemistry, electronics and computer modeling. Other focus areas will include research into water treatment improvements, greater fuel efficiency, new solar energy applications and enhanced catalytic technology for advanced fuel cells and smart grids. The partners aim to develop novel sensors to detect physical and chemical properties under extreme and remote conditions.