Eni reaffirms commitment to low-carbon energy research as part of agreement with MIT

Italy’s oil and gas giant Eni has extended its tenure as a founding member of the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) through 2027 with the aim of reinforcing its decarbonization efforts.

The collaboration will focus on technological innovation needed to achieve net zero, which is one of the key points of the MIT initiative, and address challenges in the energy value chain.

Described as MIT’s hub for energy research, education, and outreach, MITEI was founded in 2006 in order to advance low- and zero-carbon solutions to combat climate change and expand energy access. Eni joined it as a founding member two years later, in 2008, and the cooperation has since generated more than 40 patents, 70 projects, and over 200 scientific articles.

According to the company, the four-year agreement reaffirms its commitment to low-carbon energy research and is in line with the strategy of placing innovation and research at the forefront of its decarbonization efforts.

The Italian player intends to share its knowledge and offer fellowship opportunities for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Visits by Eni researchers and mentors to MIT are also planned in order to identify market opportunities and share specific business needs.

As reported, the renewed energy partnership will include projects related to decarbonization technologies, such as carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), biofuels, and energy storage solutions, as well as the design of offshore wind farms. Furthermore, Eni and MIT will step up their joint research activities related to fusion energy.

Meanwhile, Eni launched the first carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in Italy together with Snam in November 2023. The CCS plant in Ravenna is meant to cut emissions from hard-to-abate industrial sectors and, once operational, it should reduce up to 90% of the industrial CO2 emissions in the district.

The company’s CEO Claudio Descalzi recently announced that the UK was on its list of top investment destinations for renewable energy and CCS, in addition to natural gas. Meeting with the UK’s Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to discuss the company’s activities and plans in the country, Descalzi reiterated Eni’s intention to continue contributing to the UK’s energy security, including by investing in two projects in the CCS sector: HyNet North West and Bacton Net Zero.