Yuan Ze University Won Second Place at International Net Zero Tech Competition with Cross-University Team

As the global trend toward net zero emissions continued to rise, Yuan Ze University (YZU) once again achieved remarkable success. Led by Assistant Professor Song-Yu Chen from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, YZU formed a cross-university research team in collaboration with National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Taiwan Tech) and Ming Chi University of Technology. Representing Taiwan in the 2025 Net Zero Tech International Competition, the team stood out from 230 teams and more than 1,100 participants across 11 countries. They advanced to the final round of 40 teams and ultimately won second place, the Pao-Chia Net Zero Tech Award, demonstrating Taiwan’s international competitiveness in green energy and net zero technologies.

The competition, co-hosted by National Taiwan University and the TECO Technology Foundation and guided by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and Ministry of Environment, offered a total prize pool of NT$6.5 million. It was regarded as one of the most influential international events in the field of green energy and net zero emissions. Its goals included cultivating net zero technology talent, fostering international exchange, promoting cross-disciplinary collaboration, and enhancing public consensus on energy sustainability.

The award-winning team brought together strong expertise: Assistant Professor Song-Yu Chen of YZU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, Professor Cheng-Hao Wang and Distinguished Professor Yu-Lin Kuo of Taiwan Tech—both also YZU Honorary Professors and outstanding alumni of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science—as well as Distinguished Professor Ting-Yu Liu of Ming Chi University of Technology, who was likewise a YZU Honorary Professor and an outstanding alumnus of the same department.

The research team presented the project “Toward Carbon Neutral Energy Storage: Green Modification of VRFB Electrodes via Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Deposited Bimetallic Oxides.” The study adopted a green process using atmospheric pressure plasma deposition of bimetallic oxides to modify the electrodes of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). This method effectively enhanced the catalytic activity of the electrodes, demonstrating the potential of plasma technology in advancing energy storage solutions toward net zero emissions.

Assistant Professor Song-Yu Chen stated that this achievement not only symbolized the strength of cross-university collaboration but also highlighted Taiwan’s innovative capacity in green energy and storage technologies, contributing to the realization of net zero emission goals. The award brought honor to Yuan Ze University and its partner institutions while showcasing Taiwan’s outstanding performance on the international stage of net zero technology. The collaborative model also set a new paradigm for academia-industry-research integration, injecting crucial momentum into the pursuit of sustainable energy development.