oil companies following silicon valley in backing green energy startups - home energy storage

Big oil companies join Silicon Valley to support energy-
Technology start-up-
Ups, a signal that the people in the industry with the deepest pockets are looking for new strategies.
From Royal Dutch Shell to Total and Exxon oil
The biggest investor
State-owned oil companies are investing money in companies that explore the advantages of energy technology.
These investments are not just for wind and solar energy, but for projects to improve the grid and brew new fuels from renewable resources.
Although there are very few funds involved
A fraction of $7.
5 billion venture capital and private equity investment last year clean energy industry
With government efforts to limit fossils, funding-backed work may evolve into a major source of income over the next few decades
Fuel pollution and global warming.
Geert van de Wouw, general manager of Shell technology venture capital, said in an interview: "In the energy industry, small companies have considerable disruptive power . ".
"To make sure we stay ahead of the game, we always have to cross our shoulders.
"Here's a list of projects supported by the largest oil company: a unit of Royal Dutch Shell divides oil and gas technology into clean energy spending.
According to van de Wouw, the Green share may increase to about 60% over the next few years, and he declined to elaborate on the annual budget.
He said the total size of the fund is "hundreds of millions of dollars ".
It invests money: a kite-generating system, a manufacturer of kites that uses wind power.
Glasspoint Solar Inc. is a company that has developed a steam manufacturing method that uses Solar energy to improve oil recovery. Sense, a start-
Create devices that monitor household power consumption.
According to Francois badouar, the fund's CEO, French oil giant Total has invested $0. 16 billion so far, flowing into North America in nearly three quarters.
Only a minority stake is needed.
It's invested: AutoGrid, California-
Companies based on intelligent design
Grid software Wind wind is a company leasing Wind turbines to retail customers and small businesses.
Off-grid power company in Tanzania
Installation program based on roof solar panels, working at low energy
Access areas for sub-regionsSaharan Africa.
"We are trying to discover and invest in innovation," Badoual said . ".
"This shift may accelerate at a speed that is hard to really foresee, but you have to be prepared and adapt.
So far, the venture capital fund of BP Plc has invested $0. 325 billion.
It tends to favor chemicals or fuels rather than renewable energy.
It invests money into: Tricoya Technologies, a manufacturer of Technologies that change the chemical structure of wood chips and can make more durable, energy-efficient building materials.
Fulcrum, the creature of production
Jet fuel made of urban garbage raised $30 million from BP.
Solidia is a company dedicated to reducing the carbon footprint of concrete.
"The goal of BP Venture is to be an investor and a final investor.
We invest in technology users, "said Jonathan Tudor, managing director of the fund.
"It will take longer.
Because we are not just focusing on fast financial returns.
We play an active role in the development of these companies and want to see their new technologies commercialized and deployed into BP's existing business.
Exxon has different views on cutting-edge technology.
It prefers to do research internally and with partners, rather than buying start-ups.
It's working on biofuels, carbon capture and storage, energy.
Process and energy efficiency
According to spokesman William Holbrook, he is working with Synthetic Genomics to preserve materials
Study how to make biofuels from algae.
Fuel Cell Energy
The company is developing carbonated fuel cells to capture CO2 emissions from natural gas plants while generating electricity.
"We passed in-
"Through collaboration with other industries, as well as funding academic and other non-governmental research projects, the efforts of the house," Holbrooke said in an email . ".
"These studies help companies understand emerging technologies, identify our potential contribution to science, and assess the future applicability of these technologies to our business.
Chevron has been investing in start-
Since 1999, ups has divided its portfolio into oil and gas, advanced materials, communications infrastructure and information technology, and emerging and alternative energy sources.
With regard to the latter, it has invested in the following: Acumentrics, a fuel cell company that can make products from ceramics.
Ensyn is a manufacturer that produces fuel and chemicals from forest and agricultural residues.
Ventys is the developer of carbon capture technology that captures carbon dioxide from industrial air streams.
The fund "as a window and
Chevron spokesman Kent Robertson said by email that the "ramp" of emerging technologies ".
These technologies are "very consistent with the projected energy demand ".
Statoil ASA's subsidiary has invested $20 million since February 2016.
It only provides funds for renewable energy.
Ups is listed on its investment theme "wind energy, solar energy, storage, transportation, energy efficiency and smart grid.
So far, it has put money into: ChargePoint Inc. , an electric-
California-based car charging point operators.
Oxford Photovoltaic Co. , Ltd.
A solar technology company is developing solar panels with perovskite.
This material can increase the efficiency of traditional photovoltaic power generation by 30%.
Convergence, big-
Scale energy storage developers using lead-acid and lithium development projects-
Ion and flywheel batteries in the United StatesS. and Canada.
"In the process of making the transition to clean energy, it is not clear who is the winner and the loser," said Bala Nagarajan, investment director of the Norwegian national petroleum energy enterprise.
"So for us, investing is a means to understand which business models and which technologies are likely to be more successful.
These investments help us position ourselves in the right position in the value chain.
Of course, after the 1973 oil crisis, oil companies have been involved in other forms of energy to support solar energy.
Exxon supported nuclear power in the 1980 s.
Shell has pledged to boost renewable energy ahead of the landmark Kyoto Protocol on climate change in 1997.
These efforts failed when falling oil prices exacerbated the industry's focus on costs.
Recently, Shell held a large stake in offshore wind power projects, and BP resumed its wind power business and pressured the solar sector by investing in SunPower Corp.
The entry of large oil companies into venture capital adds to the feeling that technology in the energy industry is rapidly evolving, leaving a question mark on the factors that have dominated supply for the first time in nearly a century.
Rick Wheatley, head of leadership and innovation at Xynteo Ltd, said: "Many of these companies are still working on how to engage on a large scale . "
Sustainable development and long term consultants for Shell, Statoil and Eni SpAterm planning.
"They invest in business.
Diagram of Ups learning and exhibition.
They can invest dozens of start-up projects for the cost of drilling activitiesups.