Aligned with global net-zero emission targets, this work distills three actionable, electrochemistry-centered research pathways rooted in molecular and cluster-level modulation to accelerate the low-carbon energy transition. Green hydrogen, green ammonia and sustainable electro-fuels are prioritized as leading zero-carbon energy carriers, with their large-scale deployment unlocked via precise tuning of electrochemically active molecular structures and reaction clusters. Artificial intelligence reshapes electrochemical combustion and energy storage research workflows: machine learning refines molecular electro-kinetic models from sparse in-situ measurement datasets, drastically cutting prediction deviations to underpin targeted electrochemical energy system optimization. Chemical looping electrochemical combustion and ordered electrocatalytic conversion further tailor reaction pathways through targeted interfacial molecular interactions, enabling highly efficient fuel-to-energy conversion with near-zero pollutant output. Moving forward, focused efforts will break through green electro-fuel synthesis bottlenecks, advance high-fidelity AI electrochemical simulation tools, and scale up industrial decarbonization deployment — bridging microscopic fundamental discoveries in electrochemistry to real-world energy storage engineering solutions for a truly clean, net-zero future.

Zhen-Yu Tian received his Ph.D. from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2008. He conducted postdoctoral research in France during 2008 to 2010, and served as a group leader at Bielefeld University, Germany, from 2010 to 2013. Since 2013, he has been working at the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He currently serves as Director of the Combustion Kinetics Research Center. He is a recipient of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, Humboldt Scholar, Fellow of the International Combustion Institute, and Council Member of the Chinese Society of Engineering Thermophysics. His main research interests cover advanced combustion diagnostic instrument development, variable-gravity combustion, catalytic combustion, and ordered energy conversion. As of May 2026, he has published over 240 SCI-indexed papers, including around 80 papers in top combustion journals Combustion and Flame and Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, authored 4 English monographs/chapters and 2 popular science books, and holds over 40 filed and authorized patents. He has led more than 40 research projects including 9 programs funded by NSFC. He has been honored with the Program of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, K.C. Wong Outstanding Scholar Program, Bernard Lewis Fellowship, Wu Zhonghua Outstanding Young Scholar Award, Sino-Forest Young Talent Exchange Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology, China-New Zealand Exchange Program, Zhu Liyue Outstanding Teacher Award, and Li Pei Outstanding Teacher Award. He is a member of more than 10 academic committees, and serves as associate editor or editorial board member for over 10 academic journals including AECS and JTS.