Energy sector partnerships

Carefully chosen partnerships with energy sector companies allow academics to achieve impact at scale and help the University to fulfil its mission to contribute to society through the pursuit of research at the highest international standards of excellence.

In 2024 the University’s Council approved a policy relating to funding from fossil fuel companies. Decision-making on such funding sits with the University’s Committee on Benefactions and Legal and External Affairs.

Under the policy, the University will not accept research or philanthropic funding from fossil fuel companies whose business models do not align with net zero 2050 targets, unless there are exceptional circumstances. You can read the full policy on the Reporter. No funding has been approved since the new process came into force.

We want to be transparent about these partnerships and so on this page we describe:

1. The due diligence process we apply to funding from the traditional energy sector.
2. Research funding and philanthropic donations from firms in the traditional energy sector. While the University works with a variety of energy companies, we are disclosing recent engagement with companies that have major fossil fuel activities, and that have contributed more than £1M in funding over the last three academic years.

Funding approved between October 2020 and July 2024

In October 2020, the University adopted guidelines for decision-making on accepting research funding and donations in relation to its commitment to address climate change through a transition to a zero-carbon world. This enhanced what was already a rigorous due diligence process. Since October 2020, all new funding has been subject to climate-specific due diligence and scrutiny, including funding from the energy sector.

In June 2021, the University created an enhanced set of criteria for energy companies. These include a RED AMBER GREEN (RAG) scale, which is applied to energy firms to determine their alignment with the University’s climate change guidelines, and a written assessment from non-conflicted experts on whether the purpose of the proposed collaboration contributes meaningfully to the energy transition. The RAG categories are summarised as follows:

• Red: Unsuitable firms because their interests are wholly incompatible with the University’s climate change guidelines.
• Yellow/Amber: The University will accept funding for research contracts or philanthropic funding from these firms only in some cases (yellow) or by exception (amber) taking into account whether the individual project consists of research which significantly furthers the global energy transition to a sustainable future.
• Green: Suitable firms because their interests are wholly compatible with the University’s climate change guidelines.

Since the introduction of these new guidelines, the University has only accepted funding from energy companies where it was sure that the resulting collaboration would help the industry and UK and global society move to renewable or decarbonised energy.

Example: sustainably-produced synthetic aviation fuel

University of Cambridge academics are working with Shell on the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to advance gas-to-liquids (GTL) technologies. The research will help better understand the fundamental chemistry and physics of the conversion processes. GTL technology has been used recently by Shell to create sustainably produced synthetic fuel (kerosene) from CO2, water and renewable energy. This has been used to partly fuel an international flight by a passenger jet – a world first. This pilot project produced a small amount of fuel. However, steps to increase synthetic aviation fuel (SAF) production represent incremental innovation in the sector and are one of a range of technologies being explored to deliver zero-carbon aviation.

Earlier collaborations

In recent years, staff working with traditional energy companies led a strategic shift away from research on fossil fuel extraction and towards sustainable energy resources and new green technologies, even before the University adopted central guidelines.

Although, historically, there are some legacy oil and gas projects, over time an increasing proportion have focused on developing next-generation power and heating systems and carbon capture and storage. The processes put in place in October 2020 ensure that our academic-led strategic shift is now permanent.

List of funding received from the energy sector

These tables disclose funding from companies that have major fossil fuel activities and that have contributed more than a cumulative total of £1M over the last three years.

The first table shows research funding by project. While the University primarily conducts fundamental research, the column on the right of the table discloses the expected potential application of the research.

The second table presents non-prescriptive donations by intended gift destination. Gifts donated for research are used by Cambridge academics to make advances on sustainability goals.

Table 1. Research funding from traditional energy sector firms

* All data is taken at a snapshot in time and will be updated periodically.

* Award date column shows the date the funding is received by the University. The review process and approval of funding took place prior to the award date.

* Table discloses funding data from traditional energy sector firms that have given more than £1M in funding over the last three years.

Table 2. Philanthropic donations from traditional energy sector firms. Non-prescriptive gifts donated for research are used by Cambridge academics to make advances on sustainability goals.

* All data is taken at a snapshot in time and will be updated periodically.

* Table discloses funding data from traditional energy sector firms that have given more than £1M in funding over the last three years.