On December 8, Professor Agustin Valera-Medina from Cardiff University, UK, was invited to deliver an online academic lecture titled "Ammonia Energy and Power" in Lecture Hall 1517 of the Energy Research Institute. The lecture was chaired by Professor Wang Ping from the Energy Research Institute, with participation from the institute's faculty and students.

In his lecture, Professor Valera-Medina systematically elaborated on the development prospects of ammonia energy in the future energy system, focusing on two main themes: "breakthroughs in fundamental research" and "engineering implementation." He noted that ammonia energy offers comprehensive advantages such as convenient storage and transportation, high energy density, and suitability for long-duration energy storage, positioning it to play a key role in green hydrogen delivery and long-distance energy supply. However, challenges such as the high cost of green ammonia synthesis, relatively low combustion reactivity, difficulties in NOx emission control, and limited public awareness remain major barriers to its large-scale application. Addressing these bottlenecks, Professor Valera-Medina introduced recent advances in fundamental research on flame structure, spray evaporation, radiation characteristics, and plasma ignition. He also shared engineering demonstration results of ammonia applications in internal combustion engines, boilers, industrial kilns, and gas turbines. He emphasized key technological pathways such as hydrogen‑ammonia co-firing, staged combustion, high-pressure combustion, and cycle system optimization, highlighting that ammonia energy is gradually transitioning from the laboratory to practical applications. He stressed that the establishment of safety systems, cost optimization, and enhanced public acceptance will be crucial for the sustainable promotion of ammonia energy. During the Q&A session, faculty and students engaged in lively discussions with the professor on topics such as ammonia combustion emission mechanisms, the stability of co-firing systems, and the safety and economic viability of ammonia energy applications, fostering a vibrant academic atmosphere.

Professor Agustin Valera-Medina is currently a professor in the School of Engineering at Cardiff University, UK, with long-term expertise in ammonia energy and power research. He was elected Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales in 2024 and as an Academician of the Mexican Academy of Engineering in 2025. As a project leader or co-leader, he has undertaken 34 industrial collaboration projects with multinational companies, including Pemex, Rolls-Royce, Siemens, Ricardo, Airbus, and FloGas, focusing on validating ammonia energy applications in gas turbines, internal combustion engines, boilers, and kilns. Additionally, he serves as Chair of the British Standards Institution (BSI) committee on "Ammonia Combustion," Co-Director of the Cardiff University Innovation and Research Institute for Net Zero, and Director of the Centre of Excellence for Ammonia Technologies (CEAT).