Cultivate talent for Net Zero Emissions and promote Taiwan's goal of achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2050 through contest.

Over 130 countries globally have declared their commitment to achieving "Net Zero Emissions" by 2050. Taiwan, in March 2022, announced its "2050 Net Zero Emissions" framework, which includes five major pathways (Buildings, Transportation, Industry, Electricity, and Negative Carbon Technologies), four transformation strategies (Energy, Industry, Lifestyle, and Society), and two foundational pillars (Technological Research and Development, Climate Legislation). A total of 12 key strategies were proposed, among which nine—wind power, solar power, hydrogen energy, forward-looking energy, power systems and storage, energy saving, carbon capture utilization and storage, electrification and decarbonization of transportation, resource circulation and zero waste, natural carbon sinks, and net zero green living—are recognized as critical strategies for advancing net zero and negative emission technologies through technological innovation.

As international climate action further converges on the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to within 1.5°C, net zero emissions have evolved from a long-term vision into concrete global action. In this context, forward-looking technology development, cross-disciplinary integration, and the cultivation of young technological talent have become increasingly important.

TECO Technology Foundation and National Taiwan University, driven by the goal of Net Zero Emissions, jointly organize the "Net Zero Tech International Contest" to fulfill their social responsibility of cultivating talent. Since its relaunch in 2023, the contest has sought to foster technical exchange and breakthroughs among participating teams, with the ambition of establishing an annual flagship event in net zero technology. Over the past three years, more than 600 teams worldwide have registered for the contest. In 2025 alone, the contest attracted 1,150 faculty members and students from 16 countries, bringing together global youth innovation in net zero research while laying the foundation for dialogue between academia and industry. The contest has gradually evolved into a platform that integrates international perspective, technological depth, and talent development.

Looking ahead to 2026, the contest will continue to center on the 2050 Net Zero goal and respond to the international 1.5°C climate target by strengthening forward-looking technological exploration and practice-oriented innovation. With dual tracks in Energy and Sustainability, the contest encourages faculty and students worldwide to engage in the research and implementation of net zero technologies. Through this high-profile international contest and platform, Taiwan aspires to establish itself as a hub for net zero technology exchange, talent development, and industrial advancement on the global stage.

Objectives

“Net Zero Tech International Contest” initiative aims to cultivate talent, enhance industry-academia collaboration, promote global exchanges in net zero technologies, and improve the dissemination of net zero knowledge. It plans to establish professional prestige and international influence through the following measures: