Christopher Yang
Researcher - Project engineer

ccyang@ucdavis.edu
Office Telephone (530) 754-9000

Summary

Chris is excited to be working on a wide range of energy and environmental issues at the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis.   He obtained his PhD (2003) from Princeton University, where his research (in collaboration with the Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering) focused on fuel cell polymer membranes. He also worked closely with the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies (now part of Princeton Environmental Institute).  His undergraduate and master's degrees focused on biology, environmental science and engineering.  Chris is now working within the STEPS program at ITS on analyzing economic and environmental implications of a variety of energy pathways and is a director for the Infrastructure System Analysis Thread.

STEPS Research Interests

Regional Analysis and Evaluation of H₂ Infrastructure – Chris is working on understanding issues related to the evolution of the hydrogen economy on a regional and geographic context.  Major work includes developing simplified H₂ pathway models for hydrogen production and distribution and optimizing economics and location of production facilities and distribution networks using GIS.

    - SSCHISM - Simplified steady-state model of hydrogen infrastructure for multiple pathways in the United States

Courses Taught

Fall 2004-2005 - The Hydrogen Economy - Technology, Pathways, Economics and Policy. 

Spring 2004-2005 - Integrated Energy and Resource Planning Course

Spring 2005-2006 - The Hydrogen Economy - Technology, Pathways, Economics and Policy.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Christopher Yang. Hydrogen and electricity: Parallels, interactions, and convergence.  International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.  2008.  33 (8), 1977 - 1994.  Download Link

Christopher Yang and Joan Ogden.  Determining the Lowest-Cost Hydrogen Delivery Mode.  International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.  32, 268-286. 2007.  ITS Download Link

Chris Yang, S. Srinivasan, A.B. Bocarsly, S. Tulyani, J.B. Benziger. A comparison of physical properties and fuel cell performance of Nafion and zirconium phosphate/Nafion composite membranes. Journal of Membrane Science. 237, 145-161. 2004. Link

P. Costamagna, Christopher Yang, A.B. Bocarsly and S. Srinivasan. Nafion 115/zirconium phosphate composite membranes for operation of PEMFCs above 100C. Electrochimica Acta. Vol. 47 (7). 1023 -1033, 2002. Link

Christopher Yang, P. Costamagna, S. Srinivasan, J. Benziger, A.B. Bocarsly. Approaches and technical challenges to high temperature operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. J. Power Sources. 103 (1): 1-9, Dec 30 2001. Link

Christopher Yang, S. Srinivasan, A. S. Arico, P. Creti, V. Baglio, and V. Antonucci. Composite Nafion/Zirconium Phosphate Membranes for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Operation at High Temperature. Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters, 4 (4) A31-A34, 2001. Link

Supramaniam Srinivasan, Renaut Mosdale, Philippe Stevens, Christopher Yang. Fuel Cells: Reaching the Era of Clean and Efficient Power Generation in the Twenty-First Century. Annu. Rev. Energy Environ. 24:281-328. 1999. Link

Christopher Yang, Stephen Schneider. Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions Scenarios: Sensitivity to Social and Technological Factors in Three Regions. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 2 (4):373-404,1997. Link

Books and Book Chapters

Supramaniam Srinivasan and Christopher Yang. Chapter 11.  “Competing Technologies” in Fuel Cells. From Fundamentals to Applications.  Springer.  2006.

Conference, Technical and Workshop Reports

Committee on Novel Approaches to the Management of Greenhouse Gases from Energy Systems, National Research Council. Novel Approaches to Carbon Management: Separation, Capture, Sequestration, and Conversion to Useful Products - Workshop Report. 2003. Link: National Academies Press.

Joan M. Ogden, Christopher Yang, Nils Johnson, Jason Ni and Joshua Johnson. Conceptual Design of Optimized Fossil Energy Systems with Capture and Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide. Final report for NETL project DE-FC26-02NT41623.

Christopher Yang, Joan Ogden. A Simplified Integrated Model for Studying Transitions To A Hydrogen Economy. Proceedings of the 15th Annual NHA Hydrogen Conference. (April 26-29, 2004).

Technical and Economic Assessment of Transition Strategies Toward Widespread use of Hydrogen as an Energy Carrier. Ogden, Joan; Yang, Christopher; Johnson, Nils; Ni, Jason; Lin, Zhenhong. Hydrogen Pathways Report to the United States Department of Energy. January 2005. UCD-ITS-RR-05-13.

Analyzing Infrastructure Transitions for Hydrogen Production from Natural Gas. Yang, Christopher and Joan Ogden.  Proceedings of the 16th Annual NHA Hydrogen Conference. (March 29-April 1, 2005).

Estimating Hydrogen Demand Distribution Using Geographic Information Systems. Ni, Jason, Nils Johnson, Joan Ogden, Christopher Yang, and Josh Johnson. Proceedings of the 16th Annual NHA Hydrogen Conference. (March 29-April 1, 2005).

Optimal Design of a Fossil Fuel-Based Hydrogen Infrastructure with Carbon Capture and Sequestration: Case Study in Ohio. Johnson, Nils, Christopher Yang, Jason Ni, Josh Johnson, and Joan Ogden.  Proceedings of the 16th Annual NHA Hydrogen Conference. (March 29-April 1, 2005).

Implementing a Hydrogen Energy Infrastructure: Storage Options and System Design.  Joan M. Ogden and Christopher Yang.  Proceedings of Materials Research Society Symposium.  Vol 895. (Nov. 27-Dec 1, 2005).  Selected as “Outstanding Meeting Paper”. UCD-ITS-RR-05-28.

Comparison Of Idealized And Real-World City Station Siting Models For Hydrogen Distribution.  Christopher Yang, Michael Nicholas, and Joan Ogden.  Proceedings of the 2006 Annual NHA Hydrogen Conference (March 12-16, 2006).

Assessing Strategies For Fuel And Electricity Production In A California Hydrogen Economy.  R.W. McCarthy, C. Yang, J.M. Ogden.  Proceedings of the 2006 Annual NHA Hydrogen Conference (March 12-16, 2006).

Long-Term Scenarios For Implementing A Regional Coal-Based Hydrogen Infrastructure In Ohio.  Nils Johnson, Christopher Yang, Joan M. Ogden.  Proceedings of the 2006 Annual NHA Hydrogen Conference (March 12-16, 2006).

Ryan McCarthy, Christopher Yang and Joan Ogden.  California Energy Demand Scenario Projections to 2050.  Research Report for Advanced Energy Pathways Project as part of Public Interest Energy Research Program for California Energy Commission.  November 7, 2006.  

Education

Ph.D. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Princeton University, 2003. Research collaboration with the department of Chemistry, Chris’s dissertation research focused on modified perfluorosulfonic acid fuel cell membranes for operation at high temperature and reduced relative humidity. While at Princeton, he spent a summer (2000) at the CNR-TAE in Messina, Italy working on high temperature membranes for H₂ and methanol fuel cells.

M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering. Stanford University, 1998. Chris received his Masters degree from Stanford in Environmental Engineering and Science.

B.S. Earth Systems. Stanford University, 1996.  Chris majored in Earth Systems with an emphasis on the Biosphere (Ecology and Environmental Biology). His Goldman Honors thesis, with advisor Stephen Schneider, focused on modeling global CO₂ emissions as a function of social and technological factors.

Experience

Research Associate –National Research Council, Washington DC; 2002 – 2003. Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship working with the Board on Energy and Environmental Systems (BEES) on research projects relating to novel approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the transition to a hydrogen economy.

Graduate Student Researcher - Princeton University; 1998 – 2003. Materials research on composite inorganic-perfluorinated sulfonic acid membranes for fuel cells operating at elevated temperatures and reduced humidity. Research activities include synthesizing composite membranes, physical and chemical characterization of polymer materials, and testing of performance and properties related to fuel cell operation.

Visiting Researcher – CNR-ITAE, Messina, Italy; 2000. Summer visiting researcher at a National Laboratory in Messina, Italy researching high temperature fuel cell (DMFC and PEMFC) membranes.

Activities and Interests