To bring together expertise in the field of low-carbon development, establish a platform for exchange among academia, industry and alumni, and jointly explore new pathways towards zero-carbon development, the “Low-Carbon Pathfinders” Industry Salon, organized by the China-UK Low Carbon College (LCC) of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), was successfully held on May 22 at the Sheng Residence of SJTU-Xuhui Campus. Industrial supervisors, academic supervisors, alumni and student representatives from LCC gathered to focus on cutting-edge topics in green and low-carbon development, and to discuss industrial transformation and innovative development. The event was chaired by Yao Fei, Assistant Professor at LCC.

At the start of the event, Guo Liang, Chief of LCC, delivered the opening address. She noted that under the “dual carbon” goals, the low-carbon industry is facing vast opportunities for development. LCC has always been committed to fostering a deep integration among academic development, talent cultivation and industry needs. She expressed the hope that this salon would serve as an opportunity to establish an effective platform for exchange, promote collaborative innovation among industry, academia and research, bring together the strengths of all parties, and contribute to the high-quality development of the green and low-carbon industry.

The thematic presentation session was packed with valuable insights, with four guest speakers and alumni delivering fascinating and insightful professional presentations on the key areas: integrated energy, ESG+AI, low-carbon shipping, and carbon consulting.

Zhou Tian, Technical Director of Smart Energy at the Shanghai Electric Group Co.,Ltd. Central Academe, delivered a presentation on “Smart Management and Control Technologies for Integrated Energy Systems and Case Studies”. Drawing on the industrial experience and practice, he provided a detailed elaboration of the technical architecture, control logic and practical applications of integrated energy systems, offering technical guidance for the efficient use of energy and the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Wang Chunlei, Assistant Director of the Shanghai Industrial Development Research and Evaluation Centre and Head of the Green Intelligent Manufacturing Department, focused on the integration of ESG and AI, and how green and intelligent technologies empower zero-carbon industrial practices. He provided an in-depth analysis of the pathways for integrating ESG principles with artificial intelligence technology, shared innovative practices in the field of green intelligent manufacturing, and explored new paradigms for technology-driven development in the zero-carbon industry.

Zhang Yuquan, Associate Professor at LCC, delivered a presentation on the driving factors, current status and future prospects of the green and low-carbon transition in shipping. He analyzed the core drivers of this transition from multiple perspectives — including policy, market and technology — outlined the current state of the industry and the challenges it faces, and looked ahead to the future prospects for green shipping.

Gao Ge, a LCC alumna that graduated in 2024 and joined the Carbon Assets Division of Sinochem Energy High-tech Co., Ltd., drew on her professional experience to analyze the current state of the carbon consultancy industry, its core business activities and career progression pathways, offering insights into the sector and career guidance for the current students at LCC.

During the discussion session, the international students from LCC and the guest speakers engaged in lively exchanges on topical issues such as low-carbon technological innovation, the impact of AI on the job market, trends in industrial policy, talent development and career guidance, and industry-academia-research collaboration. They actively shared insights and exchanged ideas, creating an open and dynamic atmosphere that effectively facilitated the exchange of information and the matching of resources. LCC will continue to focus on the strategic requirements of the “dual carbon” goals, regularly organize industry exchange activities, deepen academic development and talent cultivation, and vigorously promote the integration of industry, academia and research in the low-carbon sector.