Developing future technology As society transitions to lower greenhouse gas emission energy solutions, technological advancements that change the way we produce and use energy will be instrumental in providing the global economy with the energy it needs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Recognizing the limitations associated with most existing low greenhouse gas emissions energy technologies, particularly in delivering the necessary economy and scale, we are conducting fundamental research to develop low greenhouse gas emission energy solutions that have the potential to be economically feasible without subsidies, standards or mandates. ExxonMobil is pioneering scientific research to discover innovative approaches to enhance existing and develop next-generation energy sources. ExxonMobil’s Emerging Technologies program brings together executives, scientists and engineers from across ExxonMobil’s businesses to identify and evaluate technology research opportunities with a long-term strategic focus. The Emerging Technologies team seeks to understand a wide range of technology options and how they may impact the global energy system in the near term and as far as 50 years into the future. Our evaluation extends well beyond our base business and near-term focus. If a technology could have a material effect on the future of energy, we insist on knowing about it and understanding the related science. Understanding the fundamental science serves as a basis for our broader research efforts and may lead to further technology development aimed at practical application, such as our work on biofuels. Additionally, this awareness informs our internal analysis of the global energy landscape as reflected and encapsulated in our annual Outlook for Energy. At the center of our research is ExxonMobil’s Corporate Strategic Research laboratory, a fundamental research institution with approximately 150 Ph.D. scientists and engineers focused on addressing the company’s long-range science needs. The laboratory’s scientists are internationally recognized experts in their field. Our research portfolio, as illustrated in the graphic above, includes a broad array The Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040
ExxonMobil’s approach to developing future technology
Promote science for sound policy
Expand access to energy
Mitigate emissions
Improve efficiency
Increase supply
• Methane emissions reduction • Advanced carbon capture and sequestration
• Climate science, economics and policy
• Internal combustion engine efficiency
• Natural gas to products
• Hydrocarbon and renewable energy systems • Emerging power generation technologies
• Light-weighting and packaging reduction
• Advanced biofuels, including algae
• Resilience and preparedness
of programs, including biofuels, carbon capture and sequestration, alternative energy and climate science.
Climate and Energy Project at Stanford University, which seeks to develop fundamental, game-changing scientific breakthroughs that could lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions and a less carbon-intensive global energy system. Other university collaborations cover a wide range of scientific topics, from understanding the impacts of black carbon and aerosols at the University of California, Riverside to the fundamentals of biomass pyrolysis used to make biofuels at Iowa State University. Advanced biofuels ExxonMobil funds a broad portfolio of biofuels research programs including ongoing efforts to develop algae-based biofuels, as well as programs for converting non-food based feedstocks, such as whole cellulosic biomass, algae-based feedstocks and cellulose-derived sugars, into advanced biofuels. We believe that additional fundamental technology improvements and scientific breakthroughs are still necessary in both biomass optimization and the processing of biomass into fuels. Specifically, scientific breakthroughs are needed to ensure that advanced biofuels can be scaled up economically and produced with the desired environmental benefit of lower life cycle greenhouse gas emissions.
“ExxonMobil is a leader in its commitment to fundamental science and has a constancy of purpose when looking at emerging energy technologies. As part of our commitment, we continue to widen our research aperture through collaborations with academics and other third parties to better enable us to identify potential breakthroughs in lower-emission technologies.” Vijay Swarup Vice president, research and development
In addition to in-house research, the Corporate Strategic Research laboratory conducts strategic research with leading universities around the world. For example, in 2014, ExxonMobil signed an agreement to join the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Initiative, a collaboration aimed at working to advance and explore the future of energy. ExxonMobil was also a founding member of the Global
Managing climate change risks exxonmobil.com/citizenship
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