City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) stands at the vanguard of clean energy research, spearheading groundbreaking innovations and pioneering contemporary trends in the realm of green energy material development. Its focus spans key areas aimed at fostering a more sustainable future.
Experts, including Professor Michael Graetzel from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, explored innovative solutions in green energy production, storage, and utilisation at the HKICE Summit on Next-Generation Green Energy Materials and Applications from 13 to 14 June 2024, organised by the Hong Kong Institute for Clean Energy (HKICE) at CityUHK.
Guests at the opening ceremony included Professor Freddy Boey, President of CityUHK, and Miss Diane Wong Shuk-han, JP, Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, HKSAR Government, alongside CityUHK faculty including Professor Lee Chun-sing, Provost and Deputy President, Professor Michael Yang, Senior Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise), Professor Chan Chi-hou, Vice-President (Community Engagement), Professor Cheng Shuk-han, Associate Vice-President (Research), Professor Kenneth Leung, Dean, School of Energy and Environment, and Professor Xin Wang, Dean, College of Science, and Head of the Department of Chemistry.
During his opening remarks, President Boey emphasised CityUHK’s dedication to breaking traditional disciplinary boundaries and fostering a multidisciplinary approach to addressing the challenges of green energy.
“Throughout this summit, we will explore the latest advancements in next-generation green energy materials and their applications, embracing a diverse range of fields such as solar and wind energy as well as bioenergy. We are privileged to have at this summit some of the brightest minds in the industry sharing their insights, breakthroughs, and visions for the future of energy,” he said.
In her address, Miss Wong highlighted the summit’s role as an excellent platform for technological knowledge exchange among the renowned experts.
CityUHK’s groundbreaking work includes the development of new catalysts to enhance electrocatalytic water splitting for the production of green hydrogen, the utilisation of novel materials to enhance solar efficiency, the creation of safe and reliable battery technologies, the integration of AI and IoT to boost smart grid technology, pioneering smart and advanced energy monitoring and management systems, and the promotion of green energy materials in energy-saving devices.
These comprehensive endeavours highlight the University’s multifaceted approach to addressing energy challenges head-on, solidifying its unfailing commitment to fostering a sustainable future.
Distinguished academics from various institutions delivered presentations at the summit. The eight plenary speakers were:
• Professor Michael Graetzel, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
• Professor Chennupati Jagadish, Australian National University
• Professor Alex Jen, Lee Shau Kee Chair Professor of Materials Science, CityUHK
• Professor Chaojun Li, McGill University
• Professor Shigang Sun, Xiamen University
• Professor Benzhong Tang, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen
• Professor Zhang Hua, Herman Hu Chair Professor of Nanomaterials, CityUHK
• Professor Tianshou Zhao, Southern University of Science and Technology
The six keynote speakers were:
• Professor Bolong Huang, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Professor Liu Bin, Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, CityUHK
• Professor Liu Qi, Associate Professor, Department of Physics, CityUHK
• Professor Yichun Lu, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Professor Zuankai Wang, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Professor Zhu Zonglong, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, CityUHK
The plenary lectures, keynote talks, interactive dialogues, and networking sessions at the summit aimed to stimulate productive conversations and foster partnerships to help develop and deploy green energy materials and sustainable energy solutions.
