On July 22, all final sessions of the 20th MOON-TECH Cup China Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry University Student Technology Competition were successfully completed, and the competition officially concluded in Yantai, Hosted by the China Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry Association (CRAA), this competition received joint support from the Teaching Steering Committee for Energy and Power Engineering under the Ministry of Education and the Sub-Committee of Teaching Steering for Building Environment and Energy Application Engineering and Building Electrical and Intelligent Engineering, together with special support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Tianjin University of Commerce served as the organizer, and MOON-TECH as the co-organizer.

Marking the competition’s 20th anniversary, this year's event was themed “AI+ Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Technologies,” focusing on the integration of digital intelligence and green, low-carbon development. The competition continues to deepen industry-university-research collaboration while fostering young innovative talents to support the intelligent and low-carbon transition of the refrigeration industry.

Young Innovators Gather in Yantai

This year's competition brought together innovative student teams from 31 universities nationwide, including participants from Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Hebei, Henan, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning and many other regions.

Distinguished guests in attendance included Zhang Zhaohui, Vice President of the China Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry Association; Bai Junwen, Secretary General of the Association; Li Zengqun, Party Secretary and Chairman of MOON-TECH; Wang Qiang, Deputy Party Secretary; Yu Zhiqiang, Chief Scientist; Chen Wenqing, President of the Central Research Institute; Professor Sun Zhili, Vice Dean of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Tianjin University of Commerce; Professor Ma Guoyuan from Beijing University of Technology; Professor Liu Jinping from South China University of Technology; Professor Chen Huanxin from Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Professor Han Xiaohong from Zhejiang University; Professor Huang Xiang from Xi'an Polytechnic University; as well as Xu Yashu, Movers Mentor of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). They took part in project evaluation, academic exchanges and the award ceremony.

Immersive Industry-Academia Integration

From Competition to Intelligent Manufacturing

To boost learning through competition and equip students with hands-on practical experience, this year’s event launched an innovative “From Competition to Factory” immersive on-site learning programme. All participating teachers and students were organised to visit MOON-TECH’s intelligent manufacturing headquarters.

Participants toured smart manufacturing workshops and observed full-range heating & cooling systems as well as high-end integrated refrigeration equipment up close. From precision component machining and automated intelligent assembly to complete unit performance testing, they experienced the full intelligent manufacturing workflow firsthand. They gained deeper insights into world-class manufacturing technologies, digital management systems, modern industrial operations, and the complete industrialisation chain of advanced refrigeration equipment — from R&D to commercial application.

Two Competition Divisions, One Pursuit of Excellence

The competition set two categories: the Graduate Division and the Undergraduate Division. Upholding the principles of fairness, impartiality and transparency, the expert judging panel carried out comprehensive assessments against multiple criteria: innovation, technical feasibility, commercialisation potential and on-site presentation performance.

Building a Greener, Smarter Future

Advancing Together Through Innovation

After two decades of steady development, the competition has grown into one of China’s most influential youth innovation platforms within the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector, recognised for extensive participation, solid academic foundations and remarkable industry impact.

For years, MOON-TECH has remained dedicated to advancing industry-university-research collaboration. The company continuously integrates its 70 years of expertise in heating & cooling technologies and smart manufacturing practices into university talent development initiatives.

Though each competition draws to a close, the pursuit of innovation never ends.

Moving forward, MOON-TECH will continue to leverage this competition as a bridge to foster long-term university-industry cooperation. It will accelerate the alignment of academic innovation with industrial demands, inspire more young professionals to engage in the green refrigeration sector, and leverage the potential of the next generation to steer the refrigeration and air-conditioning industry toward a smarter, greener and more advanced future.