Respected Guests, Colleagues, and Dear Students,
Good morning!
Five years of chasing light, and now a spark has grown into a torch. Today, we gather with pride and gratitude to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the Center of Artificial Photosynthesisfor Solar Fuels at Westlake University. Standing here, my thoughts drift back to that spring five years ago—March 8, 2020—when I boarded a flight from Stockholm's Arlanda Airport alone, carrying only a suitcase full of research papers, embarking on my journey to join Westlake University full-time. Back then, I held only one conviction: to ignite a spark for our nation's "dual-carbon" journey with independently innovated green energy technologies. Today, that spark has gathered into a brilliant light—we have grown into an international team of 5 PIs and 92 members, leaving a solid Chinese imprint, especially in the field of anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEM-WE)! On behalf of all members of the center, I extend our highest respect and heartfelt gratitude to all the leaders, mentors, partners, and family members who have supported us!
Below, I would like to share four reflections.
Part 1: The Path of an "Originator" Breaking New Ground
Five years ago, when I decided to return to China on a snowy night in Sweden, many asked me, "How can you have the confidence to take on the global frontiers of science and technology single-handedly?" My answer was, "Because humanity needs it, and we will make it happen."
Starting with just one person, one desk, and one lab bench, we pioneered like explorers:
⭐ Team from 0 to 1:The first members of the center worked alongside me to build and furnish the lab while tackling several core AEM-WE hydrogen production technologies within three years.
⭐Talent from 1 to N:Today, we have gathered 97 members, including 5 PIs, bringing together experts from electrochemistry, materials chemistry, catalysis, organic synthesis, polymer chemistry, and more, forming a small yet highly innovative chain from "basic research to technological development and industrial application."
⭐ Passing the Torch:The young talents of the post-90s and post-00s generations—your dedication to testing data in the lab at 1 a.m. and your eloquence in communicating fluently in English at international conferences—convince me that the younger generation is the answer to China's energy revolution!
Part 2: Turning the 'Cold Bench' into a 'Hot Spot,' Making the Impossible Possible
Over these five years, we have dedicated ourselves to AEM-WE technology with the perseverance of "sharpening a sword for ten years," breaking through doubts and blooming in solitude:
⭐ Breakthroughs in Papers and Patents:We have published over 100 SCI papers, including dozens in top-tier journals such as Nature Catalysis and Energy & Environmental Science, and filed a large number of invention patents, steadily increasing our visibility in the AEM-WE field.
⭐Localization of Core Technologies:We have broken the foreign monopoly on anion exchange membranes, achieving a membrane lifespan of over 20,000 hours, continuously improving hydrogen production efficiency, and further reducing costs.
⭐Accelerating Industrialization:We have partnered with numerous enterprises inside and outside Zhejiang to establish kilowatt-scale AEM-WE hydrogen production lines, with technical indicators leading the industry.
Behind these numbers lies the unwavering dedication of 97 passionate hearts—some working through the night to optimize membrane materials and catalysts, others leaving their newborns to return to the lab and explore the unknown, and still others carrying instruments and newly prepared materials across airports, docks, and stations for assembly and testing at enterprises... Today, allow me to bow deeply to every "light-chaser": it is you who have given China's green hydrogen technology a backbone!
Part 3: Walking Alone Goes Fast, Walking Together Goes Far
At this moment, I would like to extend special thanks to:
⭐The Support of Dalian University of Technology:I am grateful to Professor Frei Li, Professor Fusheng Li, Professor Ze Yu, Professor Jungang Hou, and many other team members from the Solar Cell and Fuel Center of Dalian University of Technology for their long-term collaboration, which laid a solid foundation for my new journey.
⭐The Support of Westlake University:President Yigong Shi once said, "Westlake University must become a beacon of innovation." Thank you for instilling in us the courage to "dare to be pioneers," turning a "starting from scratch" vision into reality.
⭐The Support of the Government:The affirmation and support from the China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Baima Lake Laboratory of Zhejiang province, and the Hangzhou Municipal Government have enabled us to advance steadily in both research and industrialization.
⭐Saluting the Unsung Heroes:My heartfelt thanks to every member of the center’s administrative team and to the families of everyone present. Those missed family reunions and postponed parent-child trips have ultimately become the bricks and tiles of the hydrogen energy revolution. History will remember your contributions!
Part 4: Let China's Green Hydrogen Light Up the World
Standing at this new starting point of our 5th anniversary, we are clear and determined:
⭐Digging Deeper Roots: Over the next three years, we will work together to build a "megawatt-scale AEM-WE stack driven by renewable energy," tackling deep-water challenges such as ion conductivity in anion exchange membranes, catalyst lifespan, membrane electrode assembly, and large-scale manufacturing of electrolyzers.
⭐Growing Upward: From now on, we will unite with high-tech enterprises to jointly develop megawatt-scale "green hydrogen factories," further reducing the cost of hydrogen energy, making clean and renewable energy truly "affordable and accessible," bringing hydrogen into every home and powering the future.
⭐Blooming to the World: Through the "Westlake Symposium on AEM-WE," we will promote Westlake University’s technologies globally, allowing Chinese innovations to benefit the world. This is our answer to sustainable human development!
Distinguished guests, colleagues, and students, five years ago, we embarked on this journey as lone pioneers. Today, we set out as leaders. May we forever retain the passion for "innovation-driven, pioneering spirit" that ignited us years ago. With the strength of a hundred, let us forge a legacy for the ages, allowing the green hydrogen spark from the shores of Westlake to ignite the carbon-neutral future of China and the world!
Finally, I wish all the women present here today a happy International Women’s Day!
Licheng Sun
Chair Professor of Chemistry, Westlake University
March 8, 2025
