Dr. Yuan Li is a Research Scientist and Initiating Founder at X-Here (Future Ice-based Hydrogen Energy & Resilient Environments) Trek Lab, where he pioneers the integration of cryospheric science with sustainable energy innovation. His work bridges ice physics, cryogenic materials characterization, and hydrogen-based renewable energy systems, transforming the scientific understanding of ice microstructures into practical solutions for climate resilience and clean energy production. Formerly affiliated with Dartmouth College’s Ice Research Laboratory and Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute, he has made notable contributions to ice microstructural dynamics, paleoclimatology, and advanced cryogenic systems. Dr. Li’s groundbreaking research on ice-mediated hydrogen production introduced a self-sustaining cycle utilizing solid-state proton extraction from ice, achieving over 53% net efficiency and offering a decentralized, eco-efficient hydrogen generation pathway for cold regions and remote environments. His findings have been published in leading international journals such as Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Crystal Growth & Design, and Journal of Glaciology, earning global recognition for linking cryosphere science with renewable hydrogen technologies. With active collaborations across institutions in the United States, China, and Europe, Dr. Li has presented his work at prominent scientific forums in Berlin, Barcelona, Edinburgh, and Budapest, contributing to the advancement of climate-adaptive energy solutions. His professional focus lies in ice-based hydrogen energy, cryogenic materials, and polar system dynamics, with research outcomes that drive sustainability and resilience in global energy systems. With 12 publications, 103 citations, and an h-index of 6, Dr. Yuan Li continues to advance the frontier of cryogenic science and hydrogen innovation toward a sustainable and energy-secure future.
Profiles: Scopus | ORCID
Featured Publications
Li, H.-Y., & Li, Y. (2025, November). Ice to hydrogen: A self-sustaining cycle for decentralized green energy. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments.
Li, Y., Fu, C., & Li, H.-Y. (2025, September 13). Lessons from nature’s freeze crystallization—Perennial sea ice as a model for efficient salt rejection in desalination. Crystal Growth & Design.
Li, Y. (2025, June 24). Comments on linear-viscous flow of temperate ice [Preprint]. ESSOAr.
Li, Y. (2025, January). Hydrogen production via imperfective ice Ih. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.
Li, Y., & Fu, C. (2024, December). Hydrogen storage—Learning from nature: The air clathrate hydrate in polar ice sheets. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments.