On November 22, the 2023 International Conference on the Cooperation and Integration of Industry, Education, Research and Application, Sub-venue of Low Carbon/Zero-Carbon Energy Technology Revolution and Doctoral Forum for Central Plains of China was held at Zhengzhou Campus of Henan University (HENU). The Forum was attended by more than 200 people, including experts and scholars from the government, universities, and research institutions, as well as heads of functional departments of HENU and representatives of teachers and students from the Department of Chemical Sciences. The opening ceremony was presided over by Yuchen Miao, vice president of HENU.

At the Forum, Suojiang Zhang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of HENU, extended a warm welcome to the experts, scholars and entrepreneurial friends attending this Forum. He expressed that HENU has joined the establishment of platforms, such as the Institute of the Carbon Neutrality, the Longzihu New Energy Laboratory, and the School of Energy Science and Technology, with the purpose of making breakthroughs in the new generation of energy technology and cultivating high-quality talents for society. He hoped that through the Forum, HENU would promote interdisciplinary integration, increase the numbers of practical courses, make progress in scientific research, and enhance international exchanges and cooperation.

Later, Heng Yang, general manager of Henan Energy Group, introduced Henan Energy Group in terms of its current situation, industrial distribution, and target and positioning. He made clear the Group’s efforts in its green and low-carbon energy transformation. He expressed his wish that the Group could further exchange and cooperation with HENU in “Dual Carbon” talent development and school-enterprise cooperation and take more actions based on the support of green and low-carbon technology.

Zhizheng Zhao, counsellor of the People’s Government of Henan Province, introduced Henan’s achievements in new energy and green and low-carbon transformation. He encouraged students to study and work hard so as to promote the energy saving and emission reduction of Henan Province.

Zhaoxia Zhou, deputy director of the Degree Management and Graduate Education Office of the Henan Provincial Department of Education, expressed her wish that HENU could seize the opportunity of energy revolution to contribute to Henan’s energy technology innovation and its construction as a national innovation hub.

The academic report session was presided over by Xiaowei Yang, a National Distinguished Young Scholar and a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. During this section, many experts and scholars shared the latest research and achievements, such as Shizhang Qiao, an academician of the Australian Academy of Science and a professor at the University of Adelaide, Zhengmeng Hou, an academician of the German National Academy of Science and Engineering and a professor at Clausthal University of Technology, Yifan Han, a professor at East China University of Science and Technology, Xiaoyan Ji, a professor at Lulea University of Technology in Sweden, and Zhiqiang Xie, a Research Associate at the University of Tennessee.

The Industrial Development Forum was hosted by Professor Qian Li, executive dean of the School of Energy Science and Technology. Yuanli Jiang, deputy chief engineer of Henan Energy Group, Wujun Li, deputy director of the Henan Provincial, Xiaowei Yang, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Junzhang Sun, vice president of United Chemical Energy Group, reported on breakthroughs in key energy storage technologies in Henan Province.