News 2018

1 June 2018 

TRS Project Workshop for Smart Energy Distribution and Utilization 2018 

"TRS Project Workshop for Smart Energy Distribution and Utilization 2018"
was successfully organized on 28 - 29 May 2018 

The CUHK cross-institutional Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS) Project Workshop for Smart Energy Distribution and Utilization led by Prof. Ching-ping Wong, Dean of Engineering is held on 28-29 May 2018.  The workshop drew more than 90 technology leaders, experts, researchers and government officials to explore the future development opportunities and trends of renewable energy. The workshop was officiated by Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, and chaired by Prof. Jianbin Xu, Leading Co-PI of the project, Professor of Department of Electronic Engineering and Director of Materials Science and Technology Research Center, CUHK.  Prof. Tuan remarks, “As an innovative pioneer in technology advancement for the good of society, CUHK is committed to  research activities in “Environment and Sustainability” - which is one of our four major research areas in the University’s Strategic Plan 2016 – 2020.”

Prof. Jianbin Xu, Leading Co-PI of the project, Professor of Department of Electronic Engineering and Director of Materials Science and Technology Research Center, highlighted the remarkable achievements of the project as, “We collectively obtained 5 world-record performance innovative technologies, putting Hong Kong on the map. In addition, we have published more than 210 international journal papers and 11 technology patents, all attributed to the collective efforts by more than 150 students and research staffs in the past four years.”

There are four keynote speakers including Prof. Yonghua Song, Rector of University of Macau, Prof. Steven Low, Frank J. Gilloon Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Prof. Sang Il Seok, Distinguished Professor, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) and Prof. Zaiyue Yang, Professor, Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology.

Other invited speakers included Prof. Shengwei Wang, Chair Professor of Building Services Engineering, Department of Building Services Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Prof. Junhua Zhao, Associate Professor, School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen; Prof. Kai Pan, Assistant Professor, Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Prof. Zijun Zhang, Assistant Professor, Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, City University of Hong Kong and Prof. Wei Chen, Research Assistant Professor, Dept of Electronic & Computer Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. For industry speakers, we have Mr. CK Lau, General Manager (Projects), HK Electric; Mr. Eddie Wu, Director – Smart Energy China, CLP Holdings Limited;  Ms. Isabel Fan, Regional Director, Tesla, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan and Mr. Travis Kan, Director of Business Development, Schneider Electric. 

In the poster session, the team reported their innovative breakthroughs in various areas of solar energy technology, putting Hong Kong on the map. They include:

• The online energy generation scheduling algorithm CHASE (Competitive Heuristic Algorithms for Scheduling Energy-generation) was able to bring about a remarkable 20% cost saving via intelligent tracking of the behaviors of perfect dispatch of electricity generation.
• A highly-efficient algorithm that is able to improve the fuel efficiency of heavy-duty truck by up to 17% as compared to the common shortest/fastest path algorithm.
• A first-of-its-kind microgrid platform in Hong Kong dedicated for scientific experiment and practical implementation of advanced microgrids control algorithms, with capacity 4 kw.
• A novel optimization-based probabilistic interval prognosis method for solar and other renewable energies in microgrids (in collaboration with Hong Kong Observatory).
• A first-of-its-kind smart demand controller in Hong Kong enabling frequency/voltage response from various home appliances.
• The first-ever smart energy management online system “Woo Sing Power” in CUHK student hostel.  

Commenced in 2014, the project was awarded HK$ 60.33 million from the RGC, which is the most highly funded under the grand challenge topic “Developing a Sustainable Environment”. The project will be completed in December 2018.  In the future the team is going to further explore the potential applications of the developed technologies.

For more details, please visit the workshop website at https://sse.erg.cuhk.edu.hk/sse/node/175 

News at Faculty of Engineering, CUHK: https://www.erg.cuhk.edu.hk/erg/node/1573 

1. Group photos of speakers and organizing committee members on 28 May (Left) and 29 May (Right) 2018. 

2. Officiating chair: Prof. Rocky Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

3. Keynote speaker: Prof. Yonghua Song, Rector, University of Macau

4. Leading Co-PI of the TRS project: Prof. Jianbin Xu, Professor of Department of Electronic Engineering and Director of Materials Science and Technology Research Center, CUHK

5. Poster session at the workshop.

6. Sample display: High-energy-density and low-cost zinc/iodine-bromide redox flow battery (ZIBB)

7. Sample display: Flexure-based Precision Roll-to-roll Machine for Fabrication of Flexible Electronics

(Left) First Layer of FET (Field-effect Transistor) Fabricated by Roll-to-roll Printing System (卷對卷印刷系統所製造之晶體管的第一層) ;
(Right) Metal Grids Fabricated by Roll-to-roll Printing System (卷對卷印刷系統所製造的金屬網格)  

8. Prototype display: Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) Cell

9. Sample display:  Red phosphorus

10. Sample display:  Lanthanide-sensitized oxide upconversion powder

11. Demonstration: The first-of-its-kind Smart Demand Controller in Hong Kong

12. Demonstration: Software Demo for Renewable Prognosis