Local
Energy Festa
Chonnam National University's Energy Industry Promotion Unit (ENIPU) actively conducts various initiatives to raise awareness of the importance of energy efficiency and clean energy within the local community. One of the most notable events is the Energy Festa: "Realizing the Value of the Region," held from January 9 to 10, 2023, at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center. This event was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the National Research Foundation of Korea, Gwangju City, and Jeollanam-do.
Key Highlights of the Event:
- Community Engagement in Energy Efficiency: The Energy Festa provided a platform for key stakeholders from academia, industry, research institutions, and local government to come together and share insights on energy efficiency and clean energy technologies.
- Energy Awareness and Educational Programs: The event featured recruitment fairs and startup programs with participation from KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation) and KEPCO KDN, offering education to local residents, students, and businesses on energy efficiency and clean energy.
- Energy Innovation Showcase: Exhibition booths highlighted the achievements of participating universities, companies, and institutions in energy innovation, enhancing understanding of industry-academia cooperation and raising awareness about energy efficiency within the local community.
Achievements:
- Energy Efficiency Education: Through public lectures, educational programs, and hands-on exhibitions, ENIPU educated local residents on the importance of energy efficiency and the need for clean energy.
- Strengthening Energy Sector Competencies: ENIPU also focuses on fostering talent in the energy sector through programs such as the High School Energy Industry Skills Training Program, University Energy-IP Fusion Capstone Design, and Graduate School Energy Industry R&D Advanced Workforce Development Program. These efforts aim to enhance the competitiveness of the energy industry in the Gwangju-Jeonnam region and provide quality employment opportunities.
Through such events and educational programs, Chonnam National University's ENIPU contributes significantly to raising awareness about energy efficiency and clean energy within the local community, playing a vital role in supporting sustainable regional development.
Evidence: [News Article] https://today.jnu.ac.kr/WebApp/web/HOM/COM/Board/board.aspx?boardID=174&bbsMode=view&page=77&key=2772
Symposium of the Environmental Energy Fusion Research Center
Chonnam National University's Environmental Energy Fusion Research Center (EFET Center) was established in May 2023 with the goal of promoting sustainable global environmental solutions through interdisciplinary innovation in environmental technology. The center's main research areas include microbial electrochemical systems, focusing on the development of technologies for:
- Energy-generating wastewater treatment
- Green hydrogen production
- Removal of harmful algae in water bodies
This symposium was organized to foster research collaboration and exchange in preparation for the selection of the Regional Leading Research Center (RLRC). The key topics included waste resource utilization technologies, carbon-neutral R&D, and microbial electrochemical systems.
Key Presentations:
- Current and Future of Microbial Electrochemical Systems (Seok-Hee Jeong, Director)
- Triboelectric and Piezoelectric Properties for New Applications (Professor Jongjin Park)
- Surface Engineering for Perovskite Materials (Professor Jonghyun Park)
- Intelligent Semiconductors and Circuits (Professor Myungjin Lee)
- New (Photo)electrochemical Catalysts Using Group 4 and 5 Elements for Energy Conversion (Professor Jung-sook Seo)
- Microstructural Analysis of Various Materials Using Transmission Electron Microscopy (Professor Taehoon Kim)
- Maximizing Energy Recovery from Organic Waste: Anaerobic Digestion and Microbial Electrochemical Cells (Team Leader Mingui Jeong)
- Carbon-Neutral R&D Demonstration (Team Leader Hongin Kim)
- Considerations for Introducing Microbial Electrochemical Systems in Domestic Environmental Facilities (Manager Yuchang Lee)
- Current Status and Issues of Waste Recycling Systems in Korea (Reporter Hangyeol Kim)
- Policy Directions for Organic Waste Resources (Senior Researcher Kwangho Jang)
Conclusion: Director Seok-Hee Jeong emphasized that innovative microbial electrochemical technologies would be integrated into traditional environmental engineering to address critical challenges, such as energy-generating wastewater treatment, green hydrogen production, and harmful algae control, ultimately aiming to build a sustainable society.
Evidence: [News Article] https://today.jnu.ac.kr/WebApp/web/HOM/COM/Board/board.aspx?boardID=174&bbsMode=view&page=32&key=4246
AI Model Development Using Renewable Energy Program
Chonnam National University’s Engineering Education Innovation Center conducted an educational program for local university students focused on the integration of renewable energy and artificial intelligence (AI). The program, titled "AI Model Development Using Renewable Energy," took place from August 28 to 30, 2023, at the Ocean Resort in Yeosu. This program was part of the Creative Convergence Engineering Talent Development Support Project and aimed to educate students on the importance of energy efficiency and clean energy.
Key Program Features:
- Renewable Energy and AI Integration: Participants learned data analysis techniques using Python and conducted hands-on projects developing AI models based on renewable energy data.
- Application of Industrial Data: Students gained practical skills by applying renewable energy data to AI models, enhancing their understanding of how AI can optimize energy management and efficiency.
- Creative Thinking and Team Building Activities: In collaboration with Suncheon National University’s Engineering Education Innovation Center, participants engaged in creative thinking and team-building exercises, fostering collaboration and networking among students from various universities.
Outcomes:
- Education on Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy: The program successfully educated local university students on the significance of energy efficiency and the need for clean energy through the practical application of renewable energy data in AI projects.
- Enhanced Practical Skills: Students developed skills in applying real-world industrial data to AI models, improving their problem-solving and data analysis abilities for future professional use.
This program played a crucial role in raising awareness of energy efficiency and clean energy among local university students, contributing to the local community's understanding and engagement with sustainable energy solutions.
Evidence: [News Article] https://today.jnu.ac.kr/WebApp/web/HOM/COM/Board/board.aspx?boardID=174&bbsMode=view&page=51&key=4058
Basic Education Program on Energy Materials
Chonnam National University's Engineering Education Innovation Center, in collaboration with the Korea New and Renewable Energy Association, successfully completed the "2023 Basic Education Program on Energy Materials" with strong positive feedback. This program, held from June 26 to 30, 2023, at the G&R HUB seminar room, targeted engineering students from Chonnam National University and other consortium member universities such as Gangneung-Wonju National University, Mokpo National University, Suncheon National University, and Dongshin University.
Key Features of the Program:
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Industry Experts as Instructors: Eight industry professionals participated as instructors, delivering a curriculum focused on practical and theoretical knowledge related to key energy sectors, including:
- Solar Energy
- Wind Power
- Hydrogen Energy
- Waste-to-Bioenergy
- Smart Energy Systems
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Hands-on and Practical Approach: The program provided both theoretical learning and hands-on practice, allowing students to gain valuable experience in energy materials and their applications.
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Consortium's Collaborative Efforts: The energy-based materials field was chosen as a key area of focus for the consortium of five universities. This field plays a crucial role in regional industries, and the consortium aims to foster talent that meets the growing demand in this sector.
Outcomes:
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Enhanced Learning Opportunities: Students expressed high satisfaction with the program, noting that they were able to learn a great deal about various energy industries within a short period and in-depth. Many expressed the hope for more such opportunities in the future.
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Skill Development for Future Careers: The program's focus on real-world application and direct engagement with industry professionals provided students with skills and insights that would be valuable for their future careers in the energy industry.
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Support for Energy Materials Sector: Through this program, the Engineering Education Innovation Center demonstrated its commitment to fostering engineering talent that can contribute to the energy materials sector, supporting the growth of renewable energy industries.
This education program aligns with Chonnam National University’s broader goals of promoting energy efficiency, clean energy technologies, and fostering a new generation of engineers equipped to tackle the challenges of the energy transition.
This program provides a solid foundation for the development of local talent in the energy industry, contributing to the university’s engagement with the local community on energy-related education and awareness.
Evidence: [News Article] https://today.jnu.ac.kr/WebApp/web/HOM/COM/Board/board.aspx?boardID=174&bbsMode=view&page=59&key=3964
national
Professor Heo Jae-young's Team at Chonnam National University Develops Thin-Film Solar Cell Technology with World’s Highest Photoelectric Conversion Efficiency
Professor Heo Jae-young's team from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Chonnam National University successfully developed a thin-film solar cell using tin sulfide-selenide compounds (SnSSe). This research was supported by national programs, including the Mid-Career Researcher Support Program, the Climate Change Response Technology Development Program, and the Nano Materials Development Program. By utilizing a vapor transport deposition method, the team achieved a world-record photoelectric conversion efficiency of 3.75%.
This achievement, funded through national research support, significantly contributes to national efforts to enhance clean energy technology and energy efficiency. The research is aligned with the national goals of addressing climate change and advancing renewable energy technologies.
The results of Professor Heo's research were published as a cover article in the ACS Applied Energy Materials, a prestigious international journal in the field of energy, further underscoring the importance of this national achievement.
Evidence: [News Article] https://today.jnu.ac.kr/WebApp/web/HOM/COM/Board/board.aspx?boardID=147&bbsMode=view&page=12&key=991
Professor Park Jeong-hoon’s Team at Chonnam National University Proposes Eco-Friendly Method for Recovering Valuable Metals from Waste Batteries
Professor Park Jeong-hoon’s team from the Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering at Chonnam National University has proposed an economical and eco-friendly technology for recovering valuable metals from nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) waste batteries and recycling waste resources. Their research demonstrated that formic acid could be used to efficiently extract valuable metals such as nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), and cobalt (Co) from discarded Ni-Cd batteries.
The method proposed by Professor Park's team offers high efficiency in metal recovery while reducing the use of highly corrosive acids. This makes it a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative. The technique also has potential applications in biomass fuel production, wastewater treatment, and contaminated waste remediation.
This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea's Mid-Career Researcher Support Program, highlighting its significance as a national achievement in the field of environmental technology. The results were published in the prestigious Chemical Engineering Journal (Impact Factor: 16.7, JCR top 2.78%), further showcasing the global impact of this national contribution.
Evidence: [News Article] https://today.jnu.ac.kr/WebApp/web/HOM/COM/Board/board.aspx?boardID=147&bbsMode=view&page=12&key=991
Global
Chonnam National University’s Regional Development Research Institute Conducts Overseas Training for Future Energy Talent
From August 13 to 19, 2023, Chonnam National University’s Regional Development Research Institute conducted an overseas training program for outstanding students who completed the Power Direct Trading Specialist Program. The students visited energy companies and renewable energy sites in the UK.
The delegation visited key energy companies and facilities such as Piclo, the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, and SE24, gaining a deeper understanding of offshore wind systems and renewable energy business models. They also visited the Climate Group, the organization leading the RE100 campaign, to discuss the current status and future challenges of promoting renewable energy.
This program provided opportunities for global collaboration and learning on clean energy technology and policy development through exchanges with international energy companies and organizations related to renewable energy policies.
Evidence: [News Article] https://today.jnu.ac.kr/WebApp/web/HOM/COM/Board/board.aspx?boardID=174&bbsMode=view&key=4545
