Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 has become a global trend, with technology development and talent cultivation playing pivotal roles in driving the energy transition. NTU, in collaboration with the TECO Technology Foundation, co-hosted the “Net-Zero Tech International Contest@Taiwan” in 2023. The event attracted 146 teams from places such as Denmark, Israel, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and China, totaling over 500 participants, including students and faculty. The competition covered themes such as carbon capture, renewable energy, negative carbon technologies, green energy transportation, and the circular economy, highlighting the innovative abilities of global youth in developing net-zero technologies.
To honor the participants, then-President Ing-wen Tsai personally attended the finals and presented trophies to the winning teams. Third place was awarded to Professor Nae-Lih Wu’s team from NTU’s Department of Chemical Engineering. They developed high-efficiency, mass-producible, and highly stable solid-state batteries. They also designed a recycling system with up to 90% efficiency, paving the way for a low-pollution all-solid-state lithium-ion battery supply chain. The Image Systems Technology Award was awarded to Professor Yu-San Han’s team from NTU’s Institute of Fisheries Science. They converted high-salinity fermented vegetable waste into a nutrient source for algae biomass and used an AIoT smart aquaculture system to save 50% on labor costs, achieving a low-carbon, zero-waste aquaculture economy.
President Wen-Chang Chen of NTU expressed that the competition was not only a technological feast but also an important platform for global sustainable development. He pledged to continue hosting this competition in the future, emphasizing talent development as a core aspect of fulfilling social responsibility. He hoped that participants would continue to improve their technologies and persist in advancing the net-zero transition. The 2024 competition will be held on August 21 at NTU, with a total prize pool of up to 6.5 million NT dollars, promising an exciting event.
Then-President Ing-wen Tsai (fifth from the left in the third row), NTU President Wen-Chang Chen (sixth from the left in the third row), and the award-winning teams are featured in a group photo. The third-place prize was awarded to Professor Nae-Lih Wu’s team from NTU’s Department of Chemical Engineering, while the Image Systems Technology Award was given to Professor Yu-San Han’s team from NTU’s Institute of Fisheries Science.
Students from the Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering responding to judges’inquiries.
Then-President Ing-wen Tsai listening to students’ presentations and asking questions.