PolyU partners with Yangjiang Offshore Wind Energy Laboratory to establish joint research centre to drive development of offshore wind power technology

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Yangjiang Offshore Wind Energy Laboratory (the Laboratory) signed an agreement to jointly establish the PolyU-Yangjiang Laboratory Joint Research Centre for Offshore Wind Power (JRC).

The JRC will be operated and managed jointly by the PolyU Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and the Laboratory, signifying an increasingly close research collaboration between the two organisations in offshore wind power technology. Under the new partnership, PolyU and Yangjiang researchers will share resources and laboratory facilities, and join force in research projects on new technologies and materials for offshore wind power applications, as well as translating the research outcomes into practical solutions for industry.

The JRC signing ceremony was held on the PolyU campus and attended by a delegation from Yangjiang in Guangdong province together with PolyU representatives. Distinguished guests included Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation); Mr LIU Dewei, Vice Mayor of Yangjiang Municipal People’s Government; Prof. DONG Cheng, PolyU Associate Vice President (Mainland Research Advancement); Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR); Prof. DING Xiaoli, Director of RILS; Mr MO Jiaqiang, Deputy Director of Yangjiang Science and Technology Bureau; Mr LIN Tao, Deputy Director of Yangjiang Development and Reform Bureau, and Prof. ZHU Ronghua, Director of Yangjiang Offshore Wind Energy Laboratory.

In his welcoming remarks, Prof. Christopher Chao said, “Wind power has emerged as a pivotal strategy for many countries to achieve carbon neutrality. The collaboration between PolyU and Yangjiang Offshore Wind Energy Laboratory not only propels the advancement of offshore wind power knowhow, but also fortifies a mutual engagement in research, talent development and knowledge exchange. The JRC will amalgamate the research capabilities and expertise of both organisations to address major scientific challenges and surmount technical barriers in the energy field. This, in turn, will support the development of a world-class research and innovation powerhouse for wind power industry and clean energy.”

The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department of the HKSAR Government has estimated that wind power could satisfy approximately one-third of Hong Kong’s electricity demand if the City’s offshore wind energy reaches 10.7 billion kilowatts. The construction of offshore wind turbines often involves technical challenges in engineering design and construction. The collaboration between PolyU and the Laboratory will facilitate interdisciplinary research and the development of practical engineering solutions to benefit Hong Kong, the Nation, and the world in the construction of offshore wind farms.

The Laboratory brings together top experts from mainland universities, including Zhejiang University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, South China University of Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Guangdong Ocean University and Hebei University of Engineering, to conduct research on fundamental science, as well as applied and core technology in the field of offshore wind power.

Established in 2021, RILS is one of PAIR’s 18 constituent research institutes and research centres with over 50 PolyU scholars from different disciplines specialising in interdisciplinary research and knowledge transfer across five major areas: land reclamation; innovative solutions for land and space development; environmental treatment and impact; land economics and planning; and land analysis and management. Offshore wind power is one of the areas which RILS actively pursues. In November 2023, RILS delegates visited wind energy-related laboratories in Yangjiang, including the Yangjiang Offshore Wind Energy Laboratory and met with representatives of the Laboratory for potential research collaboration opportunities.

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