June 3rd, 2026
Today marks an exciting and historic moment for our association! This morning (the 3rd), our Chairman, Prof. Chou Chien-heng, and Secretary-General, Yang Tien-to, led the "2026 World KidWind Challenge Taiwan Delegation," accompanied by Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao, to the Executive Yuan to be personally received and commended by Premier Cho Jung-tai.
In May of this year, our young Taiwanese competitors traveled to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States. Standing out in fierce competition against 125 teams and over 550 top participants from around the globe, they swept 4 World Championships and proudly brought home 3 special awards, including the Judges' Award, the KidWind Spirit Award, and the Blade Engineering Award. This is not only a supreme honor for Taiwanese students but also a demonstration of Taiwan's proud scientific prowess and green energy soft power to the world!
Premier Cho Expresses High Praise: The Cornerstone of National Energy Transition Lies in Talent Cultivation
In his remarks, Premier Cho Jung-tai expressed high praise for the winning team led by our association. He commended these young students for their boundless potential, noting that it is truly rare to achieve such international acclaim at such a young age.
Premier Cho emphasized that "the most critical cornerstone of the national energy transition lies in talent cultivation." The government is currently actively promoting the international talent training program for the wind power industry, and encouraging students to study green energy and the circular economy abroad through the "Ten Billion Youth Overseas Dream Fund Project." This year, the government has also launched the flagship "Green Checkpoint" exploration mission for the first time, selecting outstanding young people to go to Paraguay to gain experience in sustainable development. The government hopes to work closely with the industry, government, and academia to nurture more new-generation green energy elites.
Solid Theory and Hands-on Practice Showcase the Boundless Vitality of Taiwan's Green Energy
Delivering remarks on behalf of the delegation, AESEA Chairman Chou Chien-heng shared that he and Secretary-General Yang Tien-to were present at the world finals in the US, witnessing the intense competition surrounded by global powerhouses. The key to the Taiwan team's ultimate triumph and dominance was their "solid theoretical foundation, outstanding hands-on creativity, and comprehensive, ingenious experimental exploration capabilities."
Chairman Chou reiterated that the association's mission is to "coalesce positive and constructive forces." This honor not only validates the initial success of our country's wind energy science education but also demonstrates the boundless vitality of Taiwan's developing green energy industry. In the future, the association will continue to optimize our internationally leading wind power teaching materials and strive to perfect the teaching certification mechanism, laying down the most reliable human capital for the nation.
Showdown in Taiwan this December! A Six-Nation League to Create an Unprecedented Spectacle
Riding the momentum of this championship victory, Chairman Chou also announced a major event for the end of the year: the "KidWind Challenge in Asia" hosted by our association since 2019, will make its grand debut in Taiwan this December!
At that time, KidWind's American founders, Michael and Kathy, along with other core members, will personally visit Taiwan. Moreover, they will be joined by experts and student teams from Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, as well as the champion delegation that stood out from over a thousand teams in Thailand, creating an unprecedented spectacle of six nations competing on the same stage. Chairman Chou personally invited Premier Cho to take the time to attend the opening ceremony. He also expressed his hope to visit relevant government agencies in the near future to seek deeper collaboration, giving this international competition led by Taiwan even greater appeal, "using science to make friends and expanding citizen diplomacy full of opportunities."
Sincere Gratitude to our Long-Term Partners in Industry, Government, and Academia
Behind these stellar results lies the long-term, quiet dedication of many. The association would like to take this opportunity to especially thank our partners across industry, government, and academia who have supported us along the way:
Corporate Sponsorship and Support: Mark Wainwright, CEO of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) Taiwan; Ørsted; Asia Vital Components (AVC); Hengs Technology; Shinfox Energy; and Tien Li Offshore Wind Technology.
Public Sector and Academia: The Renewable Energy Department of Taiwan Power Company (Taipower), the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), former Taichung Power Plant Director Hsueh Jen-hao, Professor Lai Hsin-chih of Chang Jung Christian University, and Professor Su Chiung-wu of National Chiayi University.
As Chairman Chou concluded emotionally: "Although time passes and things change, the dedication everyone has poured into wind power science education will become an indelible mark in the process of our national energy transition, though it may not be conspicuous." Thank you to all our partners for your support, allowing Taiwan's green energy education to continue shining on the world stage!