Cambridge team’s “artificial leaf” successfully produces clean syngas
4M Carbon Fiber and Montefibre Carbon to partner for production of the lowest-cost carbon fiber in the world

ExxonMobil expands participation in MIT Energy Initiative’s low-carbon research; Mobility of Future study

ExxonMobil said extended its support of the MIT Energy Initiative’s (MITEI) low-carbon energy research and education mission by renewing its status as a founding member for another five years. ExxonMobil first signed on as a member of the initiative in 2014.

With its renewed membership, ExxonMobil will expand its participation in MITEI’s Low-Carbon Energy Centers. The company will:

  • Extend its membership in MITEI’s Center for Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage.

  • Join MITEI’s Center for Energy Storage, which seeks to develop new energy storage technologies for use in renewables-heavy electric power systems, electricity-powered transportation, and other applications.

  • Join MITEI’s Mobility Systems Center, its newest Low-Carbon Energy Center.

The company’s membership in the Mobility Systems Center builds on its participation as a sponsor of MITEI’s Mobility of the Future study, which will be released in November.

The study—part of MIT’s five-year Plan for Action on Climate Change—examines how the complex interactions between advanced drivetrain options, alternative fuels, refueling infrastructure, consumer choice, vehicle automation and government policy will shape the future for personal mobility.

The study is organized into five main areas of inquiry, each of which focuses on a particular aspect or set of influences on the future landscape for personal mobility:

  • The potential impact of climate change policies on global fleet composition, fuel consumption, fuel prices, and economic output;

  • The outlook for vehicle ownership and travel, with a focus on the world’s two largest light-duty vehicle markets: the US and China;

  • Characteristics of alternative vehicle powertrains and fuels that could affect their future market share;

  • Infrastructure considerations for charging and fueling, particularly as they affect future demand for electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles; and

  • The future of personal mobility in urban areas, with a focus on the potentially disruptive role of autonomous vehicles and ride-hailing services.

Other members of the study consortium are Alfa, Aramco, BP, Chevron, Equinor, Ferrovial, General Motors, Shell, and the Toyota Mobility Foundation.

Among MITEI projects supported by ExxonMobil is a new multi-level energy assessment tool, the Sustainable Energy System Analysis Modelling Environment, which assesses lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from various energy sectors.

Other ExxonMobil-supported MITEI research over the company’s tenure as a founding member includes an assessment of the future role for carbon capture and storage technology in a portfolio of climate mitigation options and a project that models the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of solar power and demonstrates its low carbon intensity.

ExxonMobil will also continue to support energy education through MITEI’s undergraduate and graduate programs, including the Energy Fellows Program, which enables graduate students to engage in research in low-carbon energy areas of their choice prepares them for careers addressing energy and climate challenges.

Comments

The comments to this entry are closed.