City University of Hong Kong

School of Energy and Environment

SEE Tech Talk Series

on

Hydrogen Technologies and Economy

Brief Description

SEE has been undertaking cutting-edge research to address urgent energy- and environment-related issues in three categories: (1) sustainable technologies for energy, environment and health, (2) urban atmospheric and aquatic environment and (3) smart and healthy cities. In this SEE Tech Talk, three SEE faculty members will present their latest research and on-going efforts in developing hydrogen technology in response to the carbon neutrality target in and beyond Hong Kong.

Abstract & Speakers

Topic 1 – Design for Sustainability in a Hydrogen Economy: Sustainability Analytical Toolbox, Indicators and Application in Process Integration in a Hydrogen Supply Chain

Dr. Liang DONG, Assistant Professor (Joint appointment with Department of Public Policy)

Abstract

This talk will introduce the concept of process integration and industrial symbiosis, and advanced sustainability analytical toolbox (material & flows analysis, life cycle sustainability analysis) and indicators, as well as their application in the process integration to design sustainable hydrogen supply chain. Based on the idea of industrial symbiosis, the developed toolbox was applied in industrial park pilots in Mainland China (within the national circular economy pilot program) and Japan (within the national “Eco-town” and “Environmental future city” initiatives), for the process analysis, process integration, design-analysis-evaluation on hydrogen production chain, as well as integration with other industries, such as an advanced iron & steel-hydrogen industrial symbiosis. Such will offer decision making support tool for technology assessment and process design for a more cost-effective and sustainable hydrogen industries.

About the Speaker

Dr. Liang Dong is currently an assistant professor at City University of Hong Kong. His research interests are the field of industrial ecology, process integration and industrial symbiosis, circular economy, urban sustainability and their applications in sustainable industrial and urban development. He is one of the most productive and active scholars in the field with over 100 publications and a h-index of 34. He has engaged in a series of national level sustainable industries and cities projects in EU, Japan and China, as well as being consulting expert to UN-ESCAP, UNIDO, Energy Foundation (USA), Korean Industrial Complex Cooperation (KICOX), European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE), and many local stakeholders of industrial and urban planning section. He is the associate editor for journal of Cleaner Environmental Systems (Elsevier) and Circular Economy and Sustainability(Springer Nature). (Link)

Topic 2 – “Green” Hydrogen Production Using Renewable Energy

Dr. Yun Hau NG, Associate Professor (SEE, CityU)

Abstract

Molecular hydrogen (H₂) is a clean energy carrier with high energy density. It is a chemical reagent for petroleum refining as well as ammonia production. Currently, major production way is based on fossil fuel transformation, including the steam reformation of methane. Water splitting is another popular potential way in producing H₂ with low or zero carbon footprint but water decomposition is a thermodynamically challenging reaction. Wastewater containing organic pollutants such as pharmaceutical wastewater, leachate, and industrial process water can be potentially used to produce H₂ with reduced energy requirement during the oxidative removal of such organic carbon inherently present in the water stream. In this presentation, we examine a few potential methods to simultaneously oxidise the organic component (pollutant) in the water and reduce the proton to liberate molecular H₂. In particular, electrocatalysis, photocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis would be discussed. Challenges encountered in this waste-to-energy conversion process will be shared in the talk.

About the Speaker

Dr. Yun Hau Ng received his B.Sc. (Industrial Chemistry) from the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 2003 and his Ph.D from Osaka University (under supervision of Prof. Michio Matsumura) in 2009. After a brief research stay at the Radiation Laboratory, the University of Notre Dame (Prof. Prashant Kamat's group), he joined the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Functional Nanomaterials at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) with the Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship (APD) in 2011. In 2014, he took up a lecturer position at the School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW and was promoted to a tenured Senior Lecturer in 2016.

Dr. Ng’s research is focused on the development of novel photoactive semiconductors system (particles and thin films) for sunlight energy-to-chemicals conversion and storage. Focusing on these topics, he has secured more than AUD$3 million research funding in the last 7 years from various sources including the Australian Research Council. As of April 2018, he has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles including well-recognised journals such as Chem. Rev., Adv. Mater., Adv. Energy Mater., JACS, Energy Environ. Sci, Nano Energy, Small and Chem. Mater. Dr. Ng is currently serving as Editorial Board Member for Scientific Reports and Frontiers in Energy Research. He has also served as a Guest Editor in special issues for Catal. Today (Elsevier), ChemPlusChem (Wiley), Particle and Particle Systems Characterizations (Wiley), and Energies (MDPI).

Dr. Ng has received The Distinguished Lectureship Award from the Chemical Society of Japan in 2018. He was previously named the Honda-Fujishima Prize winner in 2013 as the first non-Japanese recipient, in recognition of his work in the area of photo-driven water splitting. He is also an Emerging Investigator in Energy Materials selected by RSC J. Mater. Chem. A in 2016. (Link)

Topic 3 – Hydrogen Power - A Sustainable Energy Supply 

Prof. Michael K.H. LEUNG, Professor (SEE, CityU)

Abstract

The transition from fossil fuel based energy into renewable energy is urgently needed as it is one of the most significant strategies towards zero carbon and sustainability. As the sources of renewable energy, such as solar and wind, are commonly intermittent, it is essential to implement storage of instantaneously excessive renewable energy and subsequent conversion of the energy stored into useful forms. Water electrolyzer for hydrogen generation and fuel cell for electrochemical electricity supply are promising technologies because they have low-carbon lifecycle. High-pressure vessels and metal hydrides are also well developed for effective hydrogen storage in various stationary and mobile applications. Still, there are many challenges in the research field for developing novel technologies that can improve the hydrogen power system performance and increase the cost effectiveness. Solar photocatalytic water splitting can directly make use of the sunlight for hydrogen production at low cost. The cost of fuel cell can be also reduced by adopting membraneless microfluidic fuel cell design. Moreover, ammonia can be used as an effective hydrogen carrier as it can be stored easily in liquid state at ambient condition. The ammonia can be decomposed to form hydrogen for fuel cell electrochemical conversion into electricity supply. In this talk, the speaker will present the development of hydrogen economy and highlight the new technologies that will overcome hurdles towards successful implementation.  

About the Speaker

Prof. Michael Leung is a Professor in the School of Energy and Environment, the Shun Hing Education and Charity Fund Professor of Energy and Environment and the Director of Ability R&D Energy Research Centre at the City University of Hong Kong.  He is also a Registered Professional Engineer and Chartered Engineer. His primary research interests include solar photocatalysis, fuel-cell electrochemistry, hydrogen production and advanced refrigeration and air-conditioning. He is listed in Highly Cited Researchers 2018 by Clarivate Analytics that recognizes world-class researchers selected for their exceptional research performance. He is also listed in The Most Cited Researchers in Energy Science and Engineering, Developed for ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects by Elsevier. Michael has published 160+ journal papers, 80+ conference papers, 17 books/book chapters and 7 patents. (Link) 

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