A fuel cell model at Tseng's lab (Photo by Pang Chia-shan)
The school’s Center for Energy Research works with Taiwan Association for Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cell, which is based on the NCU campus, to develop new and better sustainable energy options. Established in 2005, THEFC comprises academics, researchers, business operators and government officials who organize forums, offer training courses and build connections with international organizations.
The group also coordinates with other universities in Taiwan to sponsor events like an annual innovative energy contest that challenges senior high school and college students to build and run hydrogen-powered vehicles. Such events can inspire the growing cohort of environmentally conscious students to invest in careers that focus on energy sustainability, a crucial factor in the government’s 2050 goal of generating at least 60 percent of Taiwan’s electricity through renewable means.
Tseng Chung-jen, professor at NCU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and head at CER and THEFC, points out that Taiwan’s efforts in exploring a range of ways to help power a sustainable future require continuous research, especially in the emerging field of hydrogen energy. Helping develop hydrogen energy is a priority for Tseng’s team, as the fuel is produced in a carbon-free process and emits only water when combusted with oxygen.
Tseng is a member of the Executive Yuan’s working group on decarbonized energy systems, which was set up in April 2021 along with three other interministerial taskforces on business and energy efficiency, carbon-negative techniques, and green transportation, respectively, to support the country’s net-zero campaign.
“Taiwan’s carbon emissions have remained at a stable level since their peak in the early 2000s,” Tseng said. “Hydrogen fuel can make further significant contributions to greenhouse gas reduction when it’s used in previously carbon-intensive industrial processes.”
The proton exchange membrane fuel cell developed by Tseng’s labs at NCU is the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ 2021 Taiwan Innotech Expo Invention Award prizewinner. (Courtesy of Tseng Chung-jen)
Taiwan’s academic and research institutions have studied hydrogen technologies for over two decades now, but until 2010, programs suffered from limited access to resources. According to Tseng, a change in international trends and the consequent shift in domestic policy mean that now is the time to accelerate R&D in next-generation energy options ranging from hydrogen production to its compression, transport, storage and applications.
Collaborations between industry and academia on projects relating to hydrogen power development—such as those undertaken in Tseng’s lab—are increasing. “This area requires that commercial companies possess a high level of technical expertise,” he said. “We’re often approached for advice and consultation.” (E) (By Pat Gao)
Tseng points at an NCU energy storage system powered by solar and hydrogen power. (Photo by Pang Chia-shan)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw
(This article is adapted from “Natural Power” in the January/February 2023 issue of Taiwan Review. The Taiwan Review archives dating to 1951 are available online.)