Alfonso Chinnici

Dr Alfonso Chinnici

Senior Lecturer

School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Dr Alfonso Chinnici is a distinguished Senior Lecturer in Sustainability, Net-Zero, and Energy Innovation at the University of Adelaide and an executive member of its Centre for Energy Technology. Employing cutting-edge research methodologies and fundamental engineering principles, he drives the advancement of ground-breaking clean energy technologies, prioritising the pivotal transition towards a net zero economy. At the forefront of his pursuits are the production and application of hydrogen and alternative energy carriers, alongside initiatives targeting the decarbonisation of carbon-intensive industrial processes, energy networks, and transportation systems. His expertise includes sustainable reaction engineering and heat/mass transfer, combustion science and solar thermal energy, multi-phase flows, circular economy practices, and environmentally conscious metal/mineral processing techniques. He has published some 100 publications in leading international journals, 4 patented innovations, and secured over $10 million in R&D funding. Presently, he occupies a leadership research role within the Australian Heavy Industry Low-Carbon Transition CRC, collaborating closely with industry leaders to drive impactful net-zero initiatives. He is a former investigator within Future Fuels CRC, and has also made significant contributions to international initiatives, notably as the manager of the Mission Innovation ARENA program on green fuels and the Global Net Zero Industries Mission, further establishing his global recognition and influence. Beyond academia, he has lent his expertise as a high-profile consultant to esteemed organisations such as the International Energy Agency and the Government of South Australia, advising on critical aspects of hydrogen, ammonia, green metals, and critical minerals supply chains.

My research provides a comprehensive 360-degree perspective on sustainability and energy transformation across multiple sectors, focusing on advancing technology, sustainable process transformation, independent clean tech analysis, design and assessment of decarbonization pathways, carbon balance and reporting, and the techno-economic evaluation of solutions.

Date Project/ No. Investigators Funding Body Amount
2019-2020 Identifying Pathways for STEM Technology in Mining and Off-Grid applications Chinnici, Saw, Nathan - (lead CI) ARENA $200k
2022 Solar Pre-Treatment of Ores Chinnici, Saw, Nathan - (lead CI) ARENA $80k
2018-2022 Building Australia's international partnerships in solar fuels research and innovation Nathan, Chinnici, Dally, Saw, Metha ARENA $574k
2024-2027 De-risking large scale Australian fine ore hydrogen ironmaking Pye, Coventry, Saw, Chinnici, Sun, Tian, Nathan ARENA $4.8M
2020-2023 Direct radiation to reduce comminution energy and enhancement of mineral liberation Chinnici, Nathan, Dally, Cook - (lead CI) BHP $435k
2021-2022 Radiant treatment of mineral ores Chinnici, Nathan, Dally - (lead CI) Magaldi Power & DISR $105k
2021-2022 Probing steam dilution as an efficient strategy to establish MILD combustion Chinnici, Medwell - (lead CI) FCT Combustion & DISR $101k
2021 Role of low-C fuels in Clean Energy Transition Chinnici - (lead CI) International Energy Agency $34k
2022 Potential opportunity for SA in additional processing of SA mineral deposits Wagner, Spandler, Goodsite, Cook, Nathan, Saw, Chinnici South Australia Government $47.5k
2022-2023 Scoping study for high-flux radiation beneficiation of iron ore Chinnici, Saw, Cook, Nathan - (lead CI) HILT CRC $190k
2022-2023 Green pyromet/hydromet beneficiation pathways Chinnici, Saw, Nathan, Cook, Pye, Hockaday, Eksteen - (lead CI) HILT CRC $0.5M
2023-2026 Feasibility H2 combustion study for iron/steel and cement sectors Chinnici, Medwell, Saw, Ashman, Nathan - (lead CI)  HILT CRC $1M
2024-2027 Mineral carbonation of mine waste/tailings Chinnici, Kennedy, Yu, Ashman, Saw - (lead CI) HILT CRC $1.5M
2023-2024 Testing of Australian iron ores in H2 DRI Brooks, Nathan, Jafarian, Chinnici HILT CRC $50k
2022-2023 Green heat for industry Pye, Coventry, Saw, Nathan, Chinnici HILT CRC $0.5M
2022-2023 Clay, bauxite residue and ironmaking by-products as alternative construction materials Jafarian, Saw, Nathan, Chinnici HILT CRC $180k
2022-2023 Low-carbon alumina calcination Saw, Nathan, Chinnici HILT CRC $165k
2023 RDF utilisation in industrial processes Saw, Nathan, Chinnici HILT CRC $155k
2020-2023 De-risking H2 adaptation to industrial processes Medwell, Dally, Ashman, Nathan, Chinnici Future Fuels CRC $447k
2016-2017 Design tools for complex solar hybrid thermo-chemical processes Nathan, Pitsch, Medwell, Jafarian, Saw, Chinnici DAAD - Australia Germany Joint Research Cooperative Scheme $50k

MECH ENG 4104/7026 Advanced Topics in Fluid Mechanics (including Course Coordination & Primary Lecturer)

MECH ENG 4112 Combustion Technologies & High Temperature Processes

CHEM ENG 4046 Combustion Processes

MECH ENG 4111 CFD for Engineering Applications (Guest Lecturer)

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Principal Supervisor Novel methods utilising heavy industry waste for carbon sequestration, metal recovery and value-added products Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Oliver James Beecroft
    2024 Co-Supervisor Investigation of a membrane-free electrolyser Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Shayan Sadeghi
    2023 Co-Supervisor Calcination of clay as a supplementary cementitious material Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Nikhil Kirti
    2022 Principal Supervisor Fundamental Insights into Novel Thermal Green Pathways for Transforming Low-Grade Australian Iron Ore into High-Value Products Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Renae O'Hara
    2022 Principal Supervisor Thermal pre-treatment of low grade ores Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Yuecheng Lin
    2022 Co-Supervisor Assessment of Hydrogen Driven Alumina Calcination Process Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Daniel Jin Tung Ang
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Impacts of Heating Rate and Reaction Atmosphere on the Calcination Process Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Eyad Al Smadi
    2021 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Effect of Hydrogen Blending in Industrial Flames Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Adam John Gee
    2018 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Experimental and Numerical Investigation on Particle-gas Flows in Open Vortex-based Solar Cavity Receivers Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Yining Tang
    2017 - 2021 Co-Supervisor Design and Development of a Fluidic Barrier for Solar Cavity Receivers Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Elham Alipour
    2017 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Characterising the Performance of Vortex-Based Solar Thermal Particle Receiver-Reactors Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dominic Michael Walldorf Davis
    2016 - 2019 Co-Supervisor The Influence of Wind on the Heat Losses from Solar Cavity Receivers Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Leok Lee
    2015 - 2017 Co-Supervisor Techno-Economic Analysis of Hybrid Concentrating Solar Power Systems Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Jin Han Lim
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2023 - ongoing Member Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Australia
    2021 - ongoing Member Australian Energy Institute Australia
    2015 - ongoing Member American Chemical Society United States
    2014 - ongoing Member The Combustion Institute Australia
  • Review, Assessment, Editorial and Advice

    Date Title Type Institution Country
    2021 - ongoing Associate Editor Editorial Frontiers in Energy Research -
  • Position: Senior Lecturer
  • Phone: 83132307
  • Email: alfonso.chinnici@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83134367
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Engineering South, floor 3
  • Org Unit: Mechanical Engineering

Connect With Me
External Profiles