The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (STUST) recently hosted the Southern Taiwan Wind Power Cup - Green Energy Innovation and Net-Zero Practical Competition as part of the Ministry of Education's new engineering initiative, titled "Future Talent Cultivation in Smart Manufacturing for Sustainable Development with a Sense of Purpose and the SDGs." This competition, which invited participation from universities across the nation, was spearheaded by Professor Yi-Chu Hsu, a longtime advocate for educational innovation at STUST, along with Associate Professor Jui-Hung Liu and Assistant Professor Yu-Jen Chen, both experts in the domestic green energy R&D sector. The competition was designed with a focus on real-world industry needs, aiming to equip students with professional competencies in the green energy sector, in alignment with the global push towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. 

STUST President Cheng-Wen Wu emphasized that sustainable energy and net-zero goals are now global trends, making the cultivation of talent in green energy and carbon reduction critical for both industry and society. He expressed deep gratitude for the enthusiastic response and interaction from industry, government, and academia in supporting the various green energy practical competitions and training workshops led by the university's faculty. 

The competition featured a panel of industry-academic experts, including Le-Ren Chang-Chien, Deputy Director of the Green Energy and Environment Research Laboratories at the Industrial Technology Research Institute; Xu Zhong-Jun, Chairman of the Small Wind Turbine Alliance; Zheng-Jie Hu, General Manager of Jufan Industrial Co., Ltd.; Pi-Da Rong, Manager at the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre; Tai-Wei Chen, CEO of Torktek; and Ming-Hao Zhang, Assistant Professor at STUST. These experts provided evaluations and technical guidance, fostering collaboration between industry and academia. Their shared experiences and resources are expected to enhance the ability to address teaching and practical challenges and to jointly develop innovative educational approaches. 

The competition was strongly supported by various industry partners, including Giant Heavy Machinery Service, JUFAN Industrial Co., Ltd., Torktek, E-Tech Engineering Co., Ltd., Jing Ying, CENMING, and the TAIPOWER Renewable Energy Department, who collectively contributed over NT$60,000 in prizes and awards. This large-scale competition exemplified the university's commitment to industry-academic collaboration, cultivating well-rounded, future-ready engineering talent capable of tackling challenges in green energy innovation, carbon reduction, digital integration, and the advancement of renewable energy technologies.