From November 20th to 23rd, the Second National Energy Chemistry Academic Conference was successfully held in Shanghai. Under the theme "Materials Powering Energy Chemistry, Innovation Driving a Low-Carbon Future", the conference convened academicians, experts, scholars, entrepreneurs, and young researchers from both China and abroad in the fields of energy chemistry and related interdisciplinary areas, showcasing the vibrant dynamism and robust developmental momentum of China's energy chemistry discipline. The conference was jointly organized by the Professional Committee of Energy Chemistry of the Chinese Chemical Society and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and hosted by SJTU's School of Materials Science and Engineering and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.

Attendees included Kuiling Ding, President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Lifeng Xi, Executive Vice President; Qinghua Fan, Vice President and Secretary-General of the Chinese Chemical Society; Wenlan Xie, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission; and Qiang Kang from the Third Division of the Chemical Science Department at the National Natural Science Foundation of China. The conference also gathered renowned experts and scholars such as Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Xinhe Bao, Huiming Cheng, Yongfang Li, Yunqi Liu, Zhizhen Ye, Deyue Yan, Nanfeng Zheng, and Chunhai Fan; Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) Wenjiang Ding and Wen Ling; CAS Foreign Associate Ho-Kwang Mao; and Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) Academicians Shixue Dou and Huakun Liu, among others. Leaders from SJTU's School of Materials Science and Engineering and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, along with nearly 1,500 experts, academic leaders, and faculty members from over 230 universities and research institutes participated on-site, with cumulative online participation exceeding 150,000. The conference was chaired by Fuqiang Huang, Chair Professor of the School of Materials Science and Engineering, SJTU, and Vice Chair of the Conference.

Energy chemistry, an interdisciplinary frontier integrating chemistry, materials, energy, and physics, has become a crucial force in implementing the "Dual Carbon" strategy and safeguarding national energy security. Centered on major national needs, this conference focused on key areas including energy storage and conversion, new energy materials design, low-carbon catalytic technologies, solar energy conversion and utilization, and AI-driven materials creation. It established a communication platform bridging "fundamental research – technological development – industrial application," promoting the dissemination and mutual learning of academic achievements, and fostering deep collaboration across academia, industry, and end-users.

At the opening ceremony, addresses were delivered successively by Qinghua Fan, Wenlan Xie, and Lifeng Xi. They emphasized the significant role of the energy chemistry discipline in the national energy strategy and encouraged participating experts and scholars to respond to the challenges of the times with original innovation, contributing wisdom and strength to achieving high-quality development in the energy industry.

Qinghua Fan

Wenlan Xie

Lifeng Xi

Fuqiang Huang

On the first day, invited plenary reports were presented by esteemed experts including Academicians Xinhe Bao, Huiming Cheng, Yongfang Li, Wen Ling, Yunqi Liu, Ho-Kwang Mao, Zhizhen Ye, Meifang Zhu, and Bo Wang. These sessions were chaired by Nanfeng Zheng and Fuqiang Huang. The reports covered cutting-edge topics such as efficient fossil resource conversion, two-dimensional material-based solid-state electrolytes, organic photovoltaic materials, building-integrated photovoltaic carbon reduction technologies, atomic/molecular manufacturing, and extreme high-pressure quantum energy materials. The presentations offered both in-depth explanations of fundamental theories and pragmatic discussions on industrial technological bottlenecks, creating an academic atmosphere that valued both theoretical and technological exploration.

Xinhe Bao

Huiming Cheng

Yongfang Li

Wen Ling

Yunqi Li

Ho-Kwang Mao

Zhizhen Ye

Meifang Zhu

Nanfeng Zheng

The conference featured 29 parallel sessions covering topics including lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries, solar cells, hydrogen energy, electrocatalysis, biomass conversion, and carbon resource utilization. These sessions highlighted interdisciplinary integration and the synergy between research and industry, attracting participation from key enterprises such as Defu Technology, the National Innovation Center for New Energy Storage, Shanghai Electric Wind Power Group, Naer Co., Ltd., Toreth Energy, and Jinyu New Energy. A dedicated industry-academia-research exchange forum facilitated deep connections between universities, research institutes, and companies.

As a significant component of academic exchange, a poster session was held, where innovative research findings from young researchers garnered attention. A special ceremony was held for the "Outstanding Poster Award," where senior scientists personally presented awards to the winning graduate students, fully embodying the care and support of the older generation of scientists for the growth of young researchers. Following expert online review, Tianquan Lin, Professor at SJTU's School of Materials Science and Engineering, announced the list of awardees, with 60 outstanding posters recognized for their merit. The face-to-face exchanges achieved an organic integration of academic heritage and innovative vitality between young scholars and senior experts, highlighting the passing of the torch in the discipline's development.

 Fuqiang Huang noted that the conference's success was owed to the strong support and active participation of peers nationwide. Since its establishment in 2020, the Professional Committee has built a series of academic exchange platforms, including the Energy Chemistry Symposium at the Chinese Chemical Society Annual Meeting, the National Energy Chemistry Academic Conference, the Energy Chemistry Youth Forum, and Energy Chemistry "Cloud Forums," fostering the continuous emergence of innovative achievements in the field. Moving forward, the committee will continue to refine the construction of high-level exchange platforms, better serve national strategic energy needs, and provide solid scientific and technological support for building a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy system.