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Dr Hai Yu

Principal Research Scientist, Project leader, Team leader

https://people.csiro.au/Y/H/Hai-Yu

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Contact details:

PO BOX 330
NEWCASTLE NSW 2300 AUSTRALIA

Biography

I have been developing and demonstrating innovative technologies for capturing and conversion of greenhouse gases since my PhD work in 2000.

One of my research focuses on the development and demonstration of environmentally friendly and low-cost CO2 capture technologies . These technologies play a critical role in helping hard to abate industries such as cement and lime to achieve net zero emissions.

I was lead researcher for the pilot plant trial of aqueous ammonia-based capture technology at Munmorah power station (approx AUD $ 7 M) and project leaders for 3 projects on CO2 capture supported by Australia-China Joint Coordination Group on Clean Coal Technology (approx AUD $ 0.3 M), Australian National Low Emissions Coal (ANLEC) R&D (approx AUD $ 0.85 M) and Coal Innovation NSW (AUD $2M) respectively. I also participated in a number of projects on CO2 capture in both Australia and China, including assisting in providing training and input to the establishment of the first post combustion capture pilot plant in China in 2008 and scoping study for post combustion capture feasibility study in China (precursor to AUD $ 12 million full scale PCC feasibility study in China).

Real-world trials of our advanced, aqueous-ammonia capture technology at Vales Point power plant have confirmed that the technology is cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Moreover, to extend the technology to hard-to-abate industries such as cement and lime (where flue gases contain appreciable levels of NOx and SOx and process heat is not available), I led the team to make two further advances: low-cost capture of multiple pollutants and the absorbent regeneration using electricity only and at the lowest energy consumption compared to other competing technologies. The advanced capture technology has a great potential for broad industrial decarbonation applications.

Building on my carbon capture expertise and industrial connections, I led a number of leading experts from 6 organizations (Adbri, Cement Industry Federation, Calix, UNO, Adelaide University, CSIRO) to propose and deliver a high-profile project “Development of carbon capture, utilisation and storage technology roadmap for the production of low emissions cement and lime in Australia” (2022-2023). The important role of the project has been highlighted in the 2022 Cement Industry Federation report.

In anticipation of Australia’s need for industrial decarbonisation while maintaining global competitiveness, I initiated our research on carbon utilization (mineralization and electrochemical conversion) when these research topics received little attention and very limited fund from industry in Australia. Now the research has receiving increasing attention due to their critical role in supporting national and global efforts to cut emissions while delivering economic growth. With internal and external support, I have led the team to develop two innovative technologies: integrated capture and electrolysis (ICE) and integrated absorption and mineralisation (IAM). These technologies enable integration of capture and electrolysis (or mineralization) in one short, efficient, thus low-cost process for the production of high-value, high-demand, low-emissions products including chemicals, fuels and carbonates. A number of internally and externally funded project are under way to advance these technologies.

My research has made significant contribution to science and technology development in emission reduction from energy production and industry. I have published more than 150 journal papers, four book chapters and more than 20 technical reports. The total citation of these publications is ca. 4500 and the H-index is 37. I received an ARC APD fellowship in 2007 and CSIRO Julius Career Award in 2018.

Other Interests

Jogging, soccer, movies

Professional Areas

Fields of Research

Current

Academic Qualifications

  • 1993

    Bachelor
    Wuhan Institute of Chemical Technologies, China

  • 1996

    Master
    Dalian University of Technology, China

  • 2004

    PhD
    The University of Newcastle, Australia

Professional Experiences

  • 2017-2020

    Pilot plant research at Vales Point power station
    CSIRO

  • 2008-2011

    Pilot plant research at Munmorah power station
    CSIRO

  • 2008-2008

    Pilot plant research at Loy Yang power station
    CSIRO

  • 2004-2009

    Research associate and ARC APD (2007)
    The University of Newcastle, Australia

  • 2000-2004

    Research Assistant and tutor
    The University of Newcastle, Australia

  • 1999-2000

    Research Student
    Surrey University

  • 1996-1999

    Lecturer
    China Ocean University

  • 1992-1992

    Industrial placement on ammonia production
    Hubei Yingcheng ammonia plant

Achievements and Awards

  • 2008-2009

    ARC APD
    The University of Newcastle

  • 2018-2023

    Julius Career Award
    CSIRO

Grants

  • 2023-2026

    Integrated CO2 Capture-Electrolysis for Production of Renewable Methanol, CRC-P project, $7.57M (Cash and in-kind) (Project leader)

  • 2024-2027

    Integrated CO2 capture, usage and storage technologies for generation of value-added products from industrial waste and low-grade ores, $0.45M, HILT CRC (Project leader)

  • 2023-2026

    Waste to Treasure: Novel Hybrid CO2 Mineralisation Initiated by Direct Air Capture, Carbonlocker FSP, $ 1.1M (Project member)

  • 2023-2026

    ICE technology to help cool the Earth and support sustainable carbon mining. CSIRO CERC Postdoc Fellowship

  • 2023-2026

    Construction materials from carbon dioxide and alkaline solid wastes: Two birds with one stone for a circular economy. CSIRO CERC Postdoc Fellowship

  • 2022-2023

    Cost-effective renewable methanol from CO2, $ 100,000, SME kictstart project (Project leader)

  • 2022-2023

    Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage for the production of low-emission cement and lime in Australia, $454,894 (cash and in kind), HILTT CRC (Project leader)

  • 2021-2023

    Low cost electrolysis of seawater and CO2 for co-production of renewable fuel and hypochlorite: toward practical application. CSIRO-CAS partership fund, $ 3 M (Cash and in-kind) (Project leader) Project leader

  • 2021-2022

    New ways of working with SMEs to enhance collaboration, $10K, SME Collaboration Investment Funds (Project leader)

  • 2016-2020

    Pilot plant demonstration of advanced aqueous ammonia based CO2 capture technology, NSW Coal Innovation, $2M (Project leader)

  • 2012-2016

    Development of an advanced aqueous ammonia based CO2 capture process, ANLEC R&D, $0.85 M (Project leader)

  • 2010-2012

    Development of an aqueous ammonia post combustion capture process for power sections in both Australia and China, Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, 0.28M (Project leader)

  • 2008-2012

    Process for treatment of fluorine- containing synthetic greenhouse gases,Kennedy E; Dlugogorski B; Mackie J; Yu H (APD), ARC Discovery, $1.2 M

Community and Corporate Citizenship

  • 2019-Current

    Energy BU HSE committee member

  • 2019-Current

    Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Community of Practice

Publications

We have publications by Dr Hai Yu