Researcher uses his energy to help country hit green goals

TIANJIN — For Pakistani researcher Muhammad Salman Nasir, weekdays begin with a routine that reflects China's shifting energy landscape: driving a Chinese-made hybrid electric vehicle to take his son, a second grader, to school.

"New energy vehicles are everywhere in China. They are not only low-carbon and environmentally friendly but also very convenient for travel," says Nasir, 37.

Nasir, an associate researcher at the State Key Laboratory of Engines in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Tianjin University, is pursuing a green career amid China's massive efforts toward a green transition. His research covers advanced catalytic technologies, clean hydrogen production, carbon dioxide resource utilization, plastic waste recycling, and renewable energy system development.

Nasir arrived in China in 2017 and completed his doctoral and postdoctoral studies at Xi'an Jiaotong University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University before joining Tianjin University.

Over the years, he has witnessed China's green and low-carbon transition, including the expansion of solar and wind power, the electric vehicle boom, breakthroughs in hydrogen and energy storage technologies, and low-carbon transportation.

"If you travel across China, you can see solar farms even in the desert or in the mountains, and you can also see towering wind turbines along the coast or in the countryside. Sustainable development is being integrated into economic and social operations on an unprecedented scale. The world can learn from China," Nasir says.

"Whether it is the wide adoption of low-carbon lifestyles, the rise of new energy industries, or the continuous breakthroughs in sustainable technologies, I have been deeply impressed," he says, adding that these developments influenced his decision to build his career in China.

He notes that China's integration of national development strategies with scientific research, particularly under its carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, provides researchers with a clear direction and a stable platform.

With China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) targeting "a new clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy system" while boosting the circular economy, Nasir says these targets will further accelerate China's green transition and contribute China's wisdom and solutions to the global climate response and sustainable development.

Nasir is working to further develop scalable solar-driven catalytic technologies and improve the economic efficiency and stability of green hydrogen and carbon-negative synthesis technologies.

"At Tianjin University, I'm not just conducting experiments. I'm part of a larger effort to advance sustainable energy solutions in line with China's and the world's green transition," he says.

In Nasir's view, China plays a pivotal role in advancing global carbon neutrality, underpinned by its large-scale investment in renewable energy technology and mission-driven research. The country's key strengths, he says, lie in its ability to integrate national policy with academic and industrial innovation, enabling rapid scaling of technologies such as green hydrogen, solar fuels and carbon capture.

"I believe carbon neutrality is a global challenge that requires shared innovation," he says.

"I plan to actively engage with partners worldwide, especially in developing regions, to co-develop adaptable clean energy solutions, share knowledge, and contribute to a collaborative, inclusive pathway toward a net-zero future."

For Nasir, conducting research in China is not merely an academic pursuit but a practice of participating in the global energy transition and serving the common development of humanity with science and technology. "I will continue to work closely with academia and industry to advance China's green development," Nasir says.

Xinhua