Keynote Speakers

Dr. Yunan Chen, Professor

School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China

Biography: Dr. Yunan Chen is a researcher dedicated to the study of thermochemical conversion and resource utilization technologies for multi-source waste streams (organic solid waste/saline wastewater). His research focuses on core technologies including the multi-scale collaborative optimization of supercritical water gasification, mechanisms for the directional migration and recovery of pollutant elements/inorganic salts, and equipment development. Over the past five years, he has led one sub-project of the National Key R&D Program of China and four provincial/ministerial-level projects. He has published 33 SCI-indexed papers as first author or corresponding author (27 with an Impact Factor ≥9, including 10 papers with IF ≥10). His accolades include the Natural Science Award (First Class) from the Chinese Society of Engineering Thermophysics, the Patent Award (Second Class) from the Electric Power Science and Technology Innovation Awards, and the Special Prize for Higher Education Teaching Achievements in Shaanxi Province. He was also selected for the Xianyang City Scientific and Technological Innovation Talent Program. Dr. Chen serves as a committee member for the Green and Low-Carbon Technology Committee of the China Energy Research Society and the Shaanxi Provincial Resource Comprehensive Utilization Association, as well as an expert committee member for the China International Project Management Collaborative Innovation Platform under the China Association for Promoting Cooperation between Industry, Universities, and Research Institutes (CAPIUR). He has co-edited two undergraduate textbooks and delivered four invited presentations at domestic and international forums. His work has established an integrated innovation model spanning "fundamental research – technology development – engineering application," contributing to the clean conversion of multi-source waste and energy substitution under China's "dual carbon" goals.

Topic: Resource Utilization of Organic Solid Waste in Supercritical Water: Gasification Mechanisms, Kinetic Analysis, Migration Mechanism of Sulfur and Heavy Metal Elements

Abstract: This presentation addresses the critical challenge of organic solid waste (OSW) management and utilization in the context of China's pressing "double carbon" goals (carbon peaking and carbon neutrality). It proposes supercritical water gasification (SCWG) as a novel, efficient, and clean technology for converting high-moisture OSW (including household waste, manure, and straw) into hydrogen-rich syngas while mitigating environmental pollution. The core research focuses on five key areas: 1. High-Concentration Slurry Preparation: Developed an alkali-salt modification technique and specialized equipment to overcome the inherent limitations of OSW (low density, high hydrophilicity, complex structure) and achieve pumpable, high-concentration slurries. This is identified as crucial for enabling self-heating SCWG systems and efficient hydrogen production. 2. Reaction Mechanism & Kinetics: Elucidated the specific reaction pathways (e.g., phenol decomposition) and catalytic role of supercritical water (SCW) using molecular dynamics and experimental studies. Established comprehensive kinetic models based on gasification laws and macroscopic/microscopic mechanisms to predict products and enable directional control of the gasification process. 3. Sulfur Migration & Transformation: Revealed the transformation mechanisms of both inorganic and organic sulfur compounds during SCWG. Demonstrated that SCW inhibits SOx generation by facilitating reduction pathways (using in-situ produced reducing gases like H2) and altering reaction energy barriers/paths, providing a theoretical basis for desulfurization. 4. Heavy Metal Stabilization: Established migration pathways and transformation models for heavy metals (e.g., Cu, Cr, Zn) between different environmental risk fractions (F1-F4). Conducted thermodynamic analysis to determine stabilization strategies (e.g., using K2CO3/Na2CO3) and proposed a comprehensive environmental risk assessment methodology for gasification residues. 5. System Integration & Optimization: Developed thermodynamic models (using Aspen Plus based on Gibbs free energy minimization) and conducted energy/exergy analysis (achieving up to 79.5% energy efficiency and 47.9% exergy efficiency for co-gasification). Introduced Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate environmental impact (showing low GWP under optimal conditions), proving the feasibility and environmental friendliness of integrated SCWG polygeneration systems for wet OSW. Collectively, this research provides a comprehensive theoretical and practical foundation for the industrial application of SCWG technology for clean hydrogen production from OSW, contributing significantly to energy structure optimization and sustainable waste management in China.

Dr. Zhen Zhang, Professor

School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China

Biography: Dr. Zhen Zhang, Professor and PhD Supervisor, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU), recipient of the Shaanxi Province High-Level Talent Program. Prof. Zhang’s research focuses on energy electrocatalytic materials and devices. He leads over 10 significant research projects, including Canadian national-level industry-academia collaboration program, National Foreign Experts Program, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) grants, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) technology development project, Shaanxi High-Level Talent Program, Key Project of Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi, Young Talent Fund of Xi'an Association for Science and Technology. As the first/corresponding author, he has published in premier international journals including J. Am. Chem. Soc. (2), Adv. Mater. (4), Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., Matter, Sci. Bull., Adv. Energy Mater. (2), ACS Nano (2), Adv. Funct. Mater. (2), and ACS Catal. His work includes 14 ESI Highly Cited Papers, with total citations exceeding 6,000 and an H-index of 40. He was awarded the Advanced Materials Award of International Association of Advanced Materials (IAAM), Canada Mitacs Accelerate Award (10 awardees nationwide), Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad (500 awardees globally), Ontario Graduate Scholarship (5 awardees province-wide), and the Waterloo Nanotechnology Award (6 awardees city-wide). Prof. Zhang serves as an Academic Editor of the China Chemical Society journal Renewables, Chief Guest Editor and (Youth) Editorial Board Member for several SCI-indexed journals. He is also the Session Chair for the 2025 Renewables International Conference.

Topic: Confined Electrocatalytic Materials Toward Catalytic Conversion of Energy Small Molecules

Abstract: Confined electrocatalytic materials play a key role in the catalytic conversion of energy small molecules. In this talk, I will introduce our recent work on the functional confined supports, hierarchical confined structures, and atomically confined active centers, specifically including: (1) created conductive zeolite electrocatalyst supports, developed a new strategy that supports dynamically modulate confined metal structures, and achieved the dynamic regulation of catalytic performance by confined supports; (2) proposed the method for constructing new nanoconfined bimetallic structures, achieved precise modulation of the local microenvironment within nanopores, and solved the trade-off issue of catalyst activity, stability, and selectivity; (3) constructed atomic-scale confined catalytic active zones, established a new method of multi-site synergistic regulation in the active zone, and broke through the bottleneck of insufficient activity in confined isolated sites.

Dr. Abudukeremu Kadier, Professor

Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (XTIPC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Urumqi, China

Biography: Dr. Abudukeremu Kadier is a Professor/Senior scientist, Doctoral Supervisor at Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (XTIPC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Urumqi City, Xinjiang, China. He is a recipient of "China National Overseas High-Level Youth Talent Introduction Program" Award for Excellence in research, and he has been ranked in the "World's Top 2% Scientists 2022, 2023, 2024" list released by Stanford University/Elsevier（three consecutive years: 2022, 2023, and 2024）. His main research interests include High-salinity water and industrial wastewater treatment technologies; Capture and electrochemical reduction of CO₂ to multi-carbon (C₂+) products etc. He has published 115+ SCI papers in reputed international scientific journals, 15+ referred conference proceedings, 30 books and book chapters, 15+ Chinese invention patents. Presently, he also serves on the editorial boards of 4 international journals. He has presided and participated over 10 international and national research projects related to Energy, Chemistry and Environment.

Topic: Renewable Energy-Driven Technologies for Clean Treatment and Resource Utilization of High Salinity Water and Industrial Wastewater

Abstract: Clean water resources have faced serious threats in recent decades, primarily due to rapid population growth and global climate change. Brackish water, seawater, and industrial high-salt wastewater desalination or purification has emerged as an essential process to ensure a sustainable supply of freshwater to meet the global demand for freshwater and industrial reuse. Solar energy, as a clean and renewable resource, can be converted into thermal energy and green electricity used for freshwater production, holding the potential to address the freshwater shortage. It has been proven that over 90% of freshwater and reusable inorganic salts could be recovered through solar-powered water desalination. Over the past decades, many strategies such as material modification and structural engineering have been applied for performance enhancement. However, this approach still has some shortcomings, such as due to the strong dependence on solar radiation, achieving efficient and continuous water evaporation in low-light or dark environments still requires further investigation. To overcome this challenge, we have designed an innovative solar evaporator system that combines photothermal and electrothermal water evaporation capabilities, using Basalt fabric as a main support material. Over the years, we have mainly worked on high salinity water and wastewater treatment by solar powered technologies related research. The primary goal of this presentation explores novel and sustainable renewable energy-powered systems (solar powered electrocoagulation, Photo/electro-thermal assisted evaporation, etc.) for high salinity water and wastewater desalination/treatment for zero-waste and improved productivity. It also examines technologies and strategies that improve the efficiency and sustainability of solar powered desalination systems. Finally, it provides insights into the advancements, challenges, and prospects for optimizing renewable energy-powered high salinity water desalination processes aimed at achieving zero waste.

Dr. Li Luo, Associate Professor

School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, China

Biography: Dr. Li Luo received her PhD in Municipal Engineering from Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology in 2014 and currently serves as an Associate Professor at the same institution in Shaanxi Province, China. Her research interests include wastewater regeneration and resource utilization, environmental biotechnology, and environmental systis analysis and evaluation. Dr. Luo has led seven scientific research projects, including those funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (General Program and Young Scientists Fund), the Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi, and the Scientific Research Program of the Education Department of the Shaanxi Provincial Government. Her work has been published in high-impact journals such as Applied Energy, Journal of Hazardous Materials, Bioresource Technology, and Nano Energy. She has received several honors, including the First Prize of the Science and Technology Award for Higher Education Institutions in Shaanxi Province and the Second Prize of the Science and Technology Progress Award of Shaanxi Province.

Topic: Impact of Recharge Water Source Quality on Chlorella Vulgaris Growth and Biomass: Strategies for Eutrophication Control in Urban Landscape Lakes

Abstract: Understanding the relationship between recharge water quality and algal metabolism is critical for managing eutrophication in urban landscape water bodies. This study investigates six landscape water bodies in Xi'an City, utilizing natural and reclaimed water recharge sources to cultivate and evaluate the growth and biomass composition of Chlorella vulgaris. The findings revealed that the growth and metabolic rate of C. vulgaris were faster in reclaimed water sources, whereas nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) conversion rates were higher in natural water sources. Redundancy and statistical analyses indicated that total nitrogen (TN) in reclaimed water was a major factor influencing C. vulgaris growth, contributing 74.3% to its growth dynamics. In contrast, natural water sources did not significantly affect the growth characteristics of C. vulgaris. The biomass characteristics of C. vulgaris across different recharge water sources were similar, exhibiting a strong correlation with water quality. Environmental factors such as COD, N/P ratio, and PO4-P contributed most significantly to biomass accumulation. These findings provide a strategy for preventing and controlling eutrophication in landscape water bodies that utilize reclaimed water recharge sources in Xi'an City.