Yi Min Zhang is a member of the Resources and Sustainability Group in the Strategic Energy Analysis Center.

Areas of Expertise

Life cycle assessment

Cost-effectiveness analysis of greenhouse gas emissions reduction

Research Interests

Life cycle assessment for biofuels

Sustainability

Competing uses of biomass resources

Education

Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, University of Toronto

M.A.Sc. in Civil Engineering, University of Toronto

B.S. in Environmental Engineering, Tongji University

Prior Work Experience

Environmental Engineering Manager, Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Company, Ltd. Shanghai, China (1997–2001)

Environmental Engineer, Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Company, Ltd. Shanghai, China (1990–1996)

Featured Publications

Transformative Reduction of Transportation Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Opportunities for Change in Technologies and Systems, NREL Technical Report (2015)

Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) User Reference Guide: Fast Pyrolysis Biorefinery Model, NREL Technical Report (2015)

Challenges in the Estimation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Biofuel-Induced Global Land-Use Change, Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining (2014)

Understanding the Evolution of Environmental and Energy Performance of the US Corn Ethanol Industry, Society of Chemical Industry (2013)

Air Pollutant Emissions from Large-Scale Bioenergy Feedstock Production in 2022 in Relation to National Emissions Inventory, Proceedings of the 106th Air and Waste Management Association Annual Conference and Exhibition (2013)

Selected Highlights of LCA Activities at NREL, NREL Presentation (2013)

Modeling Biofuel Expansion Effects on Land Use Change Dynamics, Environmental Research Letters (2013)

Land Use and Water Efficiency in Current and Potential Future U.S. Corn and Brazilian Sugarcane Ethanol Systems, NREL Poster (2012)

Life cycle emissions and cost of producing electricity from coal, natural gas and wood pellets in Ontario, Canada, Environmental Science and Technology (2009)

Can ethanol alone meet California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard? An evaluation of feedstock and conversion alternatives, Environmental Research Letters (2010)

Environmental and economic evaluation of bioenergy in Ontario, Canada, Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (2007)

Assessing the energy potential of agricultural bioenergy pathways for Canada, Canadian Journal of Plant Science (2007)

Life cycle assessment of switchgrass and corn stover-derived ethanol fueled automobiles, Environmental Science and Technology (2005)