Good news! The “Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Advanced Carbon-Based Electrode Materials” of North China University of Technology has been established at Pengfei, laying the groundwork for enhancing China’s capabilities in developing core technologies for electrode materials.

As spring warms and flowers bloom, all things come alive in radiant splendor. On April 11, the unveiling ceremony and signing of an agreement between Pengfei Group and the Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Advanced Carbon-Based Electrode Materials at North University of China were held at Pengfei’s headquarters.

Ju Zhen, Party Secretary and Director of the Shanxi Provincial Administration for Market Regulation; Shen Xingquan, Party Secretary of North China University of Technology; Liu Shiqing, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Lüliang Municipal People’s Congress and Secretary of the Xiaoyi Municipal Party Committee; Ren Lei, Vice Mayor of the Lüliang Municipal People’s Government; Guo Hongbo, Vice Mayor of the Lüliang Municipal People’s Government and Director of the Public Security Bureau; Liu Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Committee and Vice President of North China University of Technology; and Zheng Peng, Chairman of the Board and President of Pengfei Group, attended the event. The ceremony was chaired by Guo Qingzhi, Deputy Secretary of the Xiaoyi Municipal Party Committee and Mayor. More than 300 people, including leaders from the Shanxi Provincial Administration for Market Regulation, North China University of Technology, the cities of Lüliang and Xiaoyi, and representatives of Pengfei Group’s cadres and employees, took part.

The Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Advanced Carbon-Based Electrode Materials is a provincial-level key laboratory jointly established by Pengfei Group and North China University of Technology. Focusing on “new materials” and grounded in the province’s resource endowments and industrial needs, the laboratory conducts fundamental and applied research—guided by the development of green hydrogen‑producing carbon‑based electrodes and the commercialization of related成果—covering theoretical design, synthesis, performance testing, and evaluation. Under the leadership of Professor Hu Tuoping, a leading scientific figure and Vice Dean of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at North China University of Technology, the laboratory has successively overcome numerous “bottleneck” technologies, including novel hydrogen‑storage materials, precursor materials, high‑performance electrocatalytic carbon materials, a series of high‑performance electrode materials, and integrated high‑performance fuel cells.

Pengfei Group and North China University of Science and Technology signed a strategic cooperation agreement on-site, and Zheng Peng and Shen Xingquan jointly unveiled the “Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Advanced Carbon-Based Electrode Materials.”

Zheng Peng, Ren Lei, Liu Shiqing, Shen Xingquan, and Ju Zhen delivered speeches in succession.

The unveiling ceremony and signing event mark another solid step forward in the deepened collaboration between Pengfei Group and North University of China—working together to build a world-class innovation ecosystem and establish a national hub of innovation. The laboratory will closely integrate research and development with production and the market, translating scientific and technological advances into productive forces, accelerating the conversion of technological strengths into economic and competitive advantages, and achieving breakthroughs in major research projects and high‑level outcomes. The goal is to develop the laboratory into an internationally influential, domestically first‑rate center for scientific and technological innovation.

Ren Lei

This collaboration between Pengfei Group and North University of China is a momentous and commendable achievement. It not only establishes a new provincial-level key laboratory in Lüliang, bolstering the region with a stronger pool of scientific and technological talent in the hydrogen energy sector, but also sets a valuable example for city‑wide efforts to advance corporate innovation and facilitate the transformation and upgrading of traditional coal‑and‑coking enterprises. The city of Lüliang will provide full support for the laboratory’s development, intensify its backing for university–enterprise partnerships, and work tirelessly to create a mutually beneficial cooperation framework, a policy environment that values and respects talent, and a dynamic ecosystem that fosters innovation and creativity—spanning talent cultivation, technological R&D, and the commercialization of research outcomes.

Liu Shiqing

The development of a complete hydrogen‑energy industrial chain hinges on the collaboration of responsible, committed, and capable universities and enterprises that pool resources and leverage their respective strengths to spearhead and drive the growth of industrial clusters. It is hoped that North China University of Technology will fully capitalize on its unique advantages in resources, talent, and science and technology, seizing the opportunity presented by the joint establishment of a provincial‑level laboratory to conduct in‑depth research and development of critical core technologies and their industrial applications. The university aims to translate scientific breakthroughs into marketable products and turn those products into thriving industries, thereby building the “Key Laboratory for Advanced Carbon‑Based Electrode Materials” into a world‑class innovation hub—ranked at the highest national and global levels—in addressing the challenges of hydrogen storage and transportation as well as battery performance, thus bolstering the momentum and empowering the robust expansion of the hydrogen‑energy sector.

Shen Xingquan

North University of China will provide full support for the laboratory’s development, making it a new starting point for leveraging the complementary strengths of both parties and achieving mutual benefit and win‑win outcomes. It is hoped that the laboratory will strengthen its principal responsibility, demonstrate a strong sense of commitment and accountability, boldly pursue innovation, and accelerate the translation of scientific and technological achievements into practical applications. With the concerted efforts of Pengfei Group and North University of China, the laboratory is sure to become a premier hub for attracting top talent, a center for integrating high‑end industries, a base for cultivating outstanding professionals, a platform for collaborative scientific and technological innovation, a research institute for strategic development, and a leading force driving regional innovation and growth.

Ju Zhen

Ju Zhen extended warm congratulations on the successful unveiling of the laboratory. He emphasized that, to achieve high-quality development in the hydrogen energy industry, it is essential to firmly uphold a strong commitment to quality first and steadfastly pursue a path of winning through quality. The joint establishment of a provincial key laboratory by Pengfei Group and North University of China serves as a model for deep collaboration among academia, industry, research, and application. He expressed the hope that Pengfei Group, along with more local enterprises, will prioritize the development of quality infrastructure, strengthen quality management, and reinforce inspection and testing, standard-setting, and innovation-driven initiatives. The Shanxi Provincial Administration for Market Regulation will spare no effort in providing comprehensive support and services to market entities at all levels, thereby jointly contributing to the province’s high-quality development.

Guo Qingzhi

During the ceremony, Guo Qingzhi stated that Xiaoyi City will fully leverage its comparative advantages in resources, talent, and the business environment to provide robust support for the laboratory’s efforts in tackling key scientific and technological challenges and translating research outcomes into practical applications. He expressed hope that the Provincial Administration for Market Regulation would offer greater guidance and assistance in areas such as building a quality‑driven city, developing a standards system for the hydrogen energy industry, and enhancing inspection and testing services. Furthermore, he urged both universities and enterprises to deepen their collaboration, work tirelessly to overcome the core technical hurdles of hydrogen fuel cells, harness the potential of hydrogen as a catalyst, and inject an even stronger “hydrogen‑powered” impetus into the province’s high‑quality development.

The ceremony marked the launch of a new chapter in the university–enterprise collaboration between North China University of Technology and Pengfei Group. Moving forward, the two parties will align with the industrial and strategic needs of the enterprise, leveraging the university’s disciplinary strengths and talent pool to further strengthen their joint efforts in areas such as hydrogen‑energy equipment manufacturing, advanced materials, and digital manufacturing. They will strive to achieve tangible results in establishing platforms for scientific and technological innovation, commercializing cutting‑edge technologies, attracting high‑level talent, and developing platforms to support technology‑driven entrepreneurship.

Prior to the ceremony, the visiting leaders also paid a visit to Pengfei’s Urban Hydrogen‑Recharging Integrated Energy Island and the 5G‑Enabled Central Dispatch and Command Center.