Welcome to the Renewable Energy Advancement Lab (REALab) led by Prof. Mengying Li in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Extracting food, energy, and clean water from Earth’s limited resources and land area, while mitigating climate change and reducing pollution, is both essential and challenging. At REALab, we are committed to exploring the science and developing technologies that utilize renewable energy efficiently. To enhance the integration of solar power, we develop high-fidelity solar power forecasting models by integrating spectral atmospheric radiative transfer, physics-based estimation of cloud optical properties from cutting-edge remote sensing data (e.g., GOES satellite imaging), and machine/deep learning techniques. To improve the grid penetration of renewable power, we investigate PV integration with solid oxide electrolysis and fuel cells, integration of PV with green roofs, salt fields, agriculture, and PV-integrated desalination.
If you are interested in our research, please forward all inquiries to Prof. Li at mengying.li AT polyu.edu.hk.



REALab welcomes inquiries from prospective researchers and students interested in solar forecasting, renewable energy systems, heat and mass transfer, and related fields. Opportunities vary with current projects and available funding.
Prospective PhD students and postdoctoral researchers with relevant backgrounds are welcome to contact Prof. Li about research interests and possible opportunities. Experience in atmospheric science, deep learning, thermodynamics, or numerical modelling is particularly relevant to the lab’s work.
Prospective research assistants, MSc students, and undergraduates may contact Prof. Li to discuss suitable projects. Visiting researchers are also welcome to inquire about collaboration.
Please email mengying.li@polyu.edu.hk with a short introduction, your research interests, and a CV or résumé.