To promote Taiwan's STEAM interdisciplinary education and root the concepts of sustainable energy and engineering design, the inaugural "2026 Chia-Wind Cup STEAM+ KidWind Renewable Wind Energy Creative Practical Competition" was successfully held. The event was guided by the Chiayi City Government, co-hosted by Chiayi Municipal Daye Experimental High School and National Chiayi University, with our organization—the Asia-Pacific Energy & Science Education Association (AESEA)—honored to serve as the co-organizer. Centered on wind power generation, the competition guided young students through "learning by doing"—encompassing wind turbine blade design, structural adjustment, and practical testing—to explore the infinite possibilities of green energy technology and engineering innovation.

Guided by Key Figures, Government, Industry, Academia, and Research Converge

The smooth promotion and flawless execution of this competition owe the utmost gratitude to the general convener and driving force behind the event, Professor Jiong-Wu Su from the Department of Electronic Physics at National Chiayi University. Professor Su has long been dedicated to advancing energy education in Taiwan. Serving not only as a mentor inspiring students but also as the core soul of the event, he led the team to successfully build a top-tier green energy science education platform bridging local government, higher education, energy education organizations, and junior high school education fields.

On the day of the opening ceremony, the Asia-Pacific Energy & Science Education Association expressed its sincere appreciation to all attending officials and distinguished guests. Special thanks go to Principal Ming-Chun Chen of Daye Experimental High School—the host school that provided exceptional venues and full support—as well as officials from the Chiayi City Government Education Department, whose presence greatly inspired and enhanced the entire event.

Expert Keynotes Connecting Global Perspectives

Following the opening ceremony, the organizing committee specially invited heavyweight scholars to deliver keynote speeches, leading participating students to gain deep insights into the scientific principles of wind power generation and international competition experiences:

• Professor Chien-Heng Chou of Vanung University (who also serves as the Chairman of our association) first introduced the basic principles of wind power generation systems. As the sole authorized partner representative in Asia for the KidWind non-profit organization under the U.S. Department of Energy, Chairman Chou has dedicated exceptional efforts to promoting sustainable energy education. Through accessible explanations ranging from wind energy conversion, blade aerodynamics, and generator operation mechanisms to common engineering challenges, he inspired students to improve turbine performance from a scientific perspective[cite: 1].
• Professor Wei-Ching Hung of the Republic of China Military Academy shared his valuable experiences in leading students to participate in international KidWind competitions. Professor Hung encouraged the Chia-Wind Cup contestants to view this not merely as a challenge, but as an opportunity to accumulate engineering design capabilities, with the ultimate goal of bravely stepping onto the global stage of the KidWind World Tournament to showcase the creativity and strength of Taiwan's students.

Moving Toward a Sustainable Future

The Asia-Pacific Energy & Science Education Association (AESEA) hopes that through the successful promotion of the "Chia-Wind Cup," young students will not only recognize the importance of renewable energy but also gain vital opportunities to integrate with international energy education and STEAM learning. Moving forward, our association will continue to collaborate across industry, government, academia, and research sectors to cultivate a new generation of energy talents equipped with scientific literacy, innovative thinking, and global vision, making Chiayi an essential hub for promoting sustainable energy education.