東海大學與台灣永續能源研究基金會「大學永續發展倡議書簽署儀式」今(4/28)日於東海大學求真廳舉行。會議邀請產官學界代表，針對氣候變遷、淨零轉型、永續經營等議題，進行深入探討，期許東海走向未來大學。

校長張國恩於致詞時提到，對簡又新大使及永續能源研究基金會於多年前便已具備前瞻的眼光感到十分欽佩，而今基金會更已成為台灣永續人才的搖籃。今天雙方簽署永續發展倡議書，無疑是東海邁向永續的里程碑。

東海力行社會、經濟、生態、文化四大永續，在英國泰晤士高等教育(THE)影響力排名中，為台灣第三佳的大學。未來在張嘉修副校長兼永續長的帶領下，將持續帶領校內既有AIoT技術團隊，發展碳示範中心，以及由環工系陳鶴文教授擔任永續發展辦公室主任，負責智慧淨零聯盟的運作；另外詹家昌副校長則負責永續治理辦公室建立，與證券暨期貨市場發展基金會合作，結合校友力量，培育綠色金融人才，為中部產業界服務。

台灣永續能源研究基金會董事長簡又新大使表示：「2022年在天災人禍下，對全球而言是蒙難的一年，然而同時卻也使台灣的減碳行動年。」上月底國發會公布2050淨零碳排路徑圖，形同是樹立一個箭靶，未來三十年要如何擊中目標，需借助大學的研究能量領導相關技術的提升，進而全面翻轉社會。

張嘉修副校長強調，減碳已經不是「要不要做」的問題，而是要問「要怎麼做」。自蔡總統於2021年世界地球日時宣示台灣將加入2050淨零碳排行列後，一年來政府、學界、企業都紛紛提出積極有效的因應方案。政府所提出的12戰略中，許多與東海既有科系的研究領域息息相關，因此由大學端發展減碳、節水、減廢、以及能源的技術可說再合適不過。張副校長在會中介紹了微藻負碳技術如何應用於產業中，介紹台灣生質能源發展概況以及東海如何將生質能處理技術推廣在蝦類養殖上，也期許台灣能更重視生質能源的應用與推動。

永續發展辦公室陳鶴文教授以微觀的角度說明大學如何協助企業進行減碳，他提到東海既有的AI技術研究，與減碳結合，形成智慧減碳。未來永續發展辦公室將擔任中部產業人才培育的腳色，並輔導企業進行碳盤查、以AIOT上傳即時資料並建立廠內資訊系統此部分將借重本校化工、環工、電機以及資工系的研究量能，完成減碳路徑分析。陳教授表示：東海正在紅土農場旁興建Zero Zone示範區，將在友善環境、資源永續、系統整合、AIoT調控的原則下運作，並歡迎企業界建教合作，也期許智慧減碳聯盟能將東海大學形成一平台，協助企業解決所有碳排問題。

企業永續影響力中心許書銘主任認為：大學必須發揮社會影響力，與企業一同解決問題，東海掌握先機，企業永續影響力中心已輔導許多上市櫃公司入選道瓊永續DJSI指數。許主任建議，企業可以先聚焦自身最優先改善的面向，並且根據SDGs指標聚焦發展特色，進而使ESG成為品牌行銷的利器，創造共享價值。

Microalgae-Based Carbon Fixation, Waste Reduction, and Circular Economy

In light of the increasing demands for greenhouse gas reduction, Professor Jo-Shu Chang has devoted himself to developing microalgae-based technologies for CO2 reduction, biofuels production and biorefinery. The microalgae’s photobiosynthesis function is the most natural and sustainable method of CO2 reduction, and the resulting microalgal biomass could be used as the third-generation feedstock for the production of biofuels or other high-value products. Professor Chang has established a world-leading microalgae biorefinery team in collaboration with China Steel Corporation, CPC-Taiwan, ITRI, Greenyn Biotech, Central Farm, and Nanotech Co., with the aim of developing flue-gas CO2 reduction and re-utilization, microalgal biofuels, microalgal pigments, DHA/EPA, and aquaculture feeds. His team also successfully practices a circular economy based on swine wastewater treatment. Professor Chang’s team has accomplished outstanding academic achievement and industrial collaboration. His ultimate goal is to build up a commercially viable circular economy model and ocean farming technology to mitigate CO2 emissions and reduce industrial wastes by using microalgae. He is also attempting to utilize marine resources (mainly algae) to produce fuels, food, and bio-based chemicals to create a clean and sustainable environment for Taiwan.

Algae were present on earth earlier than Trilobites and dinosaurs and are able to carry out photosynthesis very efficiently, thereby playing a major role in the Earth’s carbon cycle. Since they are rich in valuable functional components, such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, pigments, and so forth, algae have been considered a potential renewable feedstock for biofuel production and biorefineries. The research, development and patents related to algae have been increasing dramatically since 2008. 

Professor Jo-Shu Chang’s team has isolated over 300 microalgal strains (e.g., Chlorella sorokinana, Scenedesmus obliquus, Chlorella vulgaris, Spirulina sp., Nannochloropsis sp., etc.) in the Taiwan area, some of which possess functional components for potential commercial applications. In particular, we are especially interested in the microalgal strains that could uptake CO₂ at a fast rate with the accumulation of lipids, carbohydrates, and pigments. These microalgae could be utilized for the production of biofuels (e.g., biodiesel, bioethanol, biohydrogen) and nutrient supplements for human health food or for animal/aquaculture feed. Our microalgal lutein production technology has recently been transferred to a domestic Biotech company for commercialization.  

Professor Chang’s team has also collaborated with China Steel Co. (CSC) and CPC-Taiwan on the development of microalgae-based CO₂ reduction and utilization technology. We have established Taiwan’s first fully-automatic microalgal flue-gas carbon fixation plant in the CSC factory. This microalgae-based flue-gas treatment plant has been successfully operated for over two years with the CO₂ removal efficiency of more than 60% and the Sox and NOx removal efficiency of 70-80%. This technology has already been transferred to CSC. We also established a 300-ton scale microalgae cultivation plant on NCKU’s An-Nan Campus, which is one of Asia’s largest and most complete microalgal biorefinery demonstration plants. Currently, we are working with Nanoplus Tech Co. to develop flue-gas upgrading and high-value utilization technology with a 10-million NTD technical transfer project. 

Recently, Professor Chang’s team used flue-gas and wastewater to cultivate microalgae for the simultaneous removal of CO₂ and pollutants from flue gas and wastewater. The obtained microalgal biomass with a high content of functional components can be further utilized to produce feed supplements or fertilizers. The biomass residues containing high heat value could be converted to charcoal as a solid fuel or to biochar with multiple applications via the torrefaction process. We have also collaborated with a large-scale pig farm to construct two-stage anaerobic digesters (working volume is 2000 m³) along with a 2000 m³ microalgal cultivation plant. An innovative circular economy model has been developed based on the swine wastewater treatment process. In this model, the swine wastewater is first anaerobically digested to produce methane for electricity generation. The effluent of the anaerobic digester is then introduced to microalgae cultivation ponds to grow microalgae for further COD (7000 mg/L reduced to 150 mg/L) and nutrients removal. Finally, the microalgal biomass obtained from wastewater treatment is harvested to produce functional feed supplements after co-fermentation with probiotics. The treated water meets the national discharge standard and could be used to clean up the pig farm. 

The latest focus of Professor Chang’s team has been the development of antibiotic-free, high-nutrition and high-efficiency shrimp cultivation technology, in which microalgae play a pivotal role. Specific microalgae species combined with appropriate types of probiotics were used as feed supplements in a different stage of shrimp growth to enhance its survival rate and to produce shrimp with high efficiency and high content of functional components (such as antioxidants, pigments, or DHA/EPA) without the addition of any antibiotics or drugs. This project has received investment from angel funds and other key investors. We have also worked in collaboration with Japan’s OPBIO Factory Co., Ltd. and Malaysian partners to promote the microalgae-aid aquaculture business to the international stage to enhance our international impacts and competitiveness.

Taiwan Reserch Hlighlight

為能讓各界更瞭解國內淨零排放的挑戰與機會及低碳與負碳技術的發展與規劃，在4/26日（二）假國立臺灣大學集思會議中心舉辦「淨零排放策略與負碳技術整合」會議，現場將邀請到科技部環境工程學門特別邀請行政院能源及減碳辦公室副執行長林子倫博士、臺灣永續能源研究基金會董事長簡又新大使、工研院彭裕民副院長、國立清華大學談駿嵩教授、及東海大學副校長張嘉修講座教授等人將齊聚一堂，深度討論各界在2050淨零排放路徑公布後可以著墨的技術發展與扮演的角色，歡迎各位先進與學子踴躍參加。