The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) and BP Group will join efforts in establishing an Energy Innovation Laboratory (BP-DICP EIL) at DICP. The agreement for the new initiative was signed by DICP Director Zhang Tao and BP Group Vice President Tony Meggs on Dec. 5 in Dalian.

According to the agreement, BP will donate $3 million for the establishment of the new lab, which will be part of the forthcoming National Laboratory for Clean Energy Sources. In addition, the company promises to annually contribute no less than $1 million for its research over the next 20 years.

Since the establishment of the Clean Energy: Facing the Future program between DICP and BP in Nov. 2001, the two sides have conducted a number of substantial collaboration projects in the energy field and are making efforts to commercialize the research results, says Prof. Zhang. The new lab will further promote the cooperation.