The oil-rich state of Qatar is weeks away from announcing a £4 billion investment to set up a university-style facility in the UK specialising in green energy research and development.
Its not-for-profit Qatar Foundation is funding the plan, which will include a partnership with Rolls-Royce for technical expertise. Of the £4 billion total, £1.5 billion will go into a fund to seed the development of new UK green energy ideas, with the hope of starting “unicorn” companies worth $1 billion.
The new research base is described by organisers as a “MIT for UK energy transition” — referring to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.
The launch comes as Britain struggles to fund and grow start-up ideas and has seen a string of technology
