In order to solve the problem of global warming and achieve a sustainable environment, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) led the construction of the country's first negative carbon emission demonstration plant. On September 24, the "Negative Carbon Emission Demonstration Factory Inauguration Ceremony" was held at the Annan campus of NCKU. More than 60 business representatives were invited to participate in the grand event, including Vice President Ching-De Lai , Deputy Minister Wen-Sheng Tseng,of Economic Affairs, Mayor Wei-Zhe Huang of Tainan City, President Jun-Zhi Liao of Academia Sinica, President Deng-Maw Lu f Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Director Bo-Geng Yang of Economic Processing and Export Zone, and Vice President Bo-Ren Shiao of the Information Council of Taiwan, Chairman Wei-Fu Yang of Taipower, and other business representatives. There were as many as two hundred VIPs attended the meeting.

[Vice President Ching-De Lai and the distinguished guests were taking a group photo at the opening ceremony of the Negative Carbon Demonstration Factory Inauguration Ceremony.]

As Vice President Lai said in his speech, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the intensified climate change show that the relationship between mankind and nature has been severely imbalanced. In this new era, while developing the economy, mankind must learn to respect natural environment. Advanced countries had been committed to a new generation of carbon neutral technology, facilities, new materials, and other strategic priorities. Those who can get the key technology opportunities can stay ahead in the new era.

[Vice President Ching-De Lai was delivering a speech at the Inauguration Ceremony of the Negative Carbon Emission Demonstration Factory.]

The Negative Carbon Emission Demonstration Factory is hosted by Zhi-Yong Chen, a distinguished professor of the Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University. Sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology's price creation plan, the factory is divided into two major units. One is CO2 capture and purification, which was directed by Zhen-Chian Wang, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, STUST. The other is the reuse of purified CO2 alkylation. Large carbon emission companies, such as plastics and other large-scale enterprises, have expanded their establishments to recycle CO2 as a new carbon source for petrochemical raw materials.

[Mayor Wei-Zhe Huang of Tainan City was delivering a speech at the Inauguration Ceremony of the Negative Carbon Emission Demonstration Factory.]

The Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, STUST, has successfully developed a carboxylate series CO2 absorption and capture system with high chemical stability in the guidance of carbon reduction or carbon neutralization technology for enterprises, which is a new type of salt absorbent with commercial competitiveness. This technology won not only the second place in the chemical material group of the National Technical School of the Ministry of Education in 2019, but also the CO2 Capture and Desorption Technology Development Project, with a total funding of 7.677 million NTD by an important domestic petrochemical industry in the same year. This development case is able to conduct substantial tests for domestic environmental protection and carbon reduction technologies; once it runs smoothly, it can even adopt the entire plant technology output model and promote it internationally. The late segment of this technology combines the CO2 conversion catalyst of NCKU in a series, and it can also convert the captured CO2 into methane, ethane, propane, and other upstream petrochemical raw materials, forming an artificial carbon cycle system, which will help solve the trade and tariff problems related to the future global issue of carbon tax.

As President Deng-Maw Lu of STUST said, STUST has always been concerned about green energy and sustainable development. In addition to establishing the Industry Elite Training and Demonstration Base to cultivate talents in the design and production of renewable energy converters, it has also set up a special laboratory, investing in research and development of wind power technology to cultivate talents with green energy expertise. It is a win-win for economy and environmental protection that this time STUST can participate in the NCKU Negative Carbon Emission Demonstration Factory, while it also helps solve global warming issues and takes a step further towards environmental sustainability. Lu felt proud of the goal of the work, and he looked forward to the school-running philosophy of being the best industry-university cooperation partner, which has been upheld by STUST and which can make more contributions to the sustainable operation of the industry and the environment.