Publications

Technology Review for Carbon Neutrality (TRCN) is a multidisciplinary, open-access journal hosted by Tsinghua University to provide a global platform of communication and collaboration on carbon neutrality and energy system transformation. Moving beyond traditional academic journals, it aims to track global clean technologies across the innovation lifecycle, catalyze global innovation ecosystems, and shape global agenda and discourse on carbon neutrality and energy system transformation. With unique access to a high-level audience of decision-makers in academia, industry, investment, and policy around the world, it helps authors to extend their impact beyond disciplinary and national borders and steer support to their projects.

TRCN official release at the 2025 International Forum on Carbon Neutrality and Energy System Transformation, Beijing, JUN 27-29, 2025

Recent articles

Perspectives

John Loughhead (University of Birmingham) spotlights the lack of effective international research collaboration at pace and scale on decarbonization, analyzing the causes of diverse research systems, funding mechanisms, and national priorities, and proposing areas for future collaboration.

Loughhead JN. Can we develop better international research collaboration on decarbonization?. Technology Review for Carbon Neutrality, 2025, 1: 9550002. https://doi.org/10.26599/TRCN.2025.9550002

Pete Smith (University of Aberdeen) proposes multidisciplinary interventions in global governance to work across disciplines to solve nexus problems such as climate, nature, water, food, and health.

Smith P. Emerging from our narrow disciplines: trying to find solutions to carbon neutrality and the world’s multiple other challenges. Technology Review for Carbon Neutrality, 2025, 1: 9550008. https://doi.org/10.26599/TRCN.2025.9550008

Massamba Thioye (UNFCCC) proposes a systemic innovation framework to deliver transformative climate and sustainability innovations, calling for societal transformations from reactive, problem-solving, sector-based, fragmented, and closed innovation, to proactive, vision-driven, need-based, integrated, and open ecosystem innovation; as well as mental transformations and caring, sharing, and daring leadership.

Thioye M. What innovations for the climate and sustainability transition? Technology Review for Carbon Neutrality, 2025, 1: 9550012. (accepted)

Reviews

Siyue Guo et al. (Tsinghua University, Administrative Centre for China’s Agenda 21, University College London, etc.) addresses energy sector decarbonization in China through a technology-governance systemic framework, reviewing not only supporting technologies but also the transmission, distribution and storage system, carbon governance mechanisms, risks of renewables waste, and critical mineral supply.

Guo S, Zhang X, Huang X, et al. Energy sector decarbonization in China: macro challenges, supporting technologies and systems, and policy recommendations. Technology Review for Carbon Neutrality, 2025, 1: 9550003. https://doi.org/10.26599/TRCN.2025.9550003

Jianing Liu et al. (Tsinghua University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China Energy Storage Alliance) reviews the shifting technology landscape of electrical energy storage in China from ultra-short-term to ultra-long-term solutions, emphasizing on locally tailored storage solutions and suggesting multi-sectoral policies to promote these technologies.

Liu J-N, Huang W-Z, Tang C, et al. The shifting technology landscape of electrical energy storage toward carbon neutrality in China. Technology Review for Carbon Neutrality, 2025, 1: 9550004. https://doi.org/10.26599/TRCN.2025.9550004

Xuequn Chong et al. (Tsinghua University, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Peking University, Xiamen University, University of Cambridge) reviews the development of AI-enhanced multi-scale smart systems for decarbonization in the chemical industry, from micro-level materials discovery, meso-level process optimization, to macro-level chemical industrial park design, and analyzes their key challenges and future directions.

Chong X, Li L, Zhang C, et al. AI-enhanced multi-scale smart systems for decarbonization in the chemical industry: a pathway to sustainable and efficient production. Technology Review for Carbon Neutrality, 2025, 1: 9550005. https://doi.org/10.26599/TRCN.2025.9550005

Yan Yan et al. (Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, et al.) reviews industrial decarbonization technologies in China’s steel, cement, petrochemicals, and non-ferrous metals sectors and projects their staged roles till 2050 onward.

Yan Y, Ruan Z, Zhang L, et al. Supporting technologies and pathways for industrial sector decarbonization in China. Technology Review for Carbon Neutrality, 2025, 1: 9550007. https://doi.org/10.26599/TRCN.2025.9550007

Ziwen Ruan et al. (Tsinghua University, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, et al.) reviews the development, trends, and challenges of wind, photovoltaic (PV), and concentrated solar power (CSP) in China, suggesting wind and solar occupying more than 83% of China’s total installed power capacity by 2060, and proposes a roadmap for sustainable wind and solar development.

Ruan Z, Wang Y, Lu X, et al. A systems-oriented review of China’s wind and solar power development toward carbon neutrality. Technology Review for Carbon Neutrality, 2025, 1, 9550010. https://doi.org/10.26599/TRCN.2025.9550010

Bojun Du et al. (Tsinghua University and Beijing Jiao Tong University) reviews the vision and technology framework of China’s new power system toward carbon neutrality, analyzing the progress and challenges of eight key technological components of the new power system, as well as proposing a technology roadmap.

Du B, Cai X, Dong Q, et al. Vision, technology framework, and roadmap of the new power system in China. Technology Review for Carbon Neutrality, 2025, 1, 9550011. https://doi.org/10.26599/TRCN.2025.9550011

Case Studies

Nadhilah Reyseliani et al. (Universitas Indonesia, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences) develops a new demand-side rich energy system modeling tool DREAM Indonesia and projects demand-side emissions reductions by sectors in Indonesia in 2020–2060, highlighting the importance of demand-side energy efficiency and electrification in halving the growth rate of final energy demand. The study provides insights and modeling approaches for rapidly growing Asian economies as well as other developing countries facing combined development and decarbonization challenges.

Reyseliani N, Letschert V, Khanna N, et al. The DREAM approach to demand-side emissions reductions in Indonesia, 2020–2060. Technology Review for Carbon Neutrality, 2025, 1: 9550006. https://doi.org/10.26599/TRCN.2025.9550006

Features

TRCN’s original Feature article by Yijing Zhong and Shaoqing Bian covers inside stories of Prof. Heping Xie (Shenzhen University), tracking the cross-disciplinary transfer of a failed technology attempt in deep-core mining to a successful innovation and pilot testing in seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production, and shedding light on the technology – industry – policy innovation ecosystem in China.

Zhong Y, Bian S. Mining hydrogen at sea. Technology Review for Carbon Neutrality, 2025, 1: 9550009. https://doi.org/10.26599/TRCN.2025.9550009

TRCN is sponsored by Tsinghua University, and published by Tsinghua University Press.

To learn more about the journal or submit a paper, please visit the journal’s website:

https://www.sciopen.com/journal/Technology-Review-for-Carbon-Neutrality

Or contact us at carbontr@tsinghua.edu.cn.