Dr Yuan Peng specializes in researching urban sustainability experiments and transitions, and urban energy and climate governance. She is particularly interested in exploring the pathways and mechanisms of urban low-carbon transition, emphasizing the perspectives and engagement of stakeholders.

Peng is leading several research projects on decarbonization of urban energy and transport sectors. An ongoing research project is Unravelling the Mechanisms Underlying Electric Vehicle Uptake in Shanghai: the Importance of Policy Incentives, the Influence of Peer Effects, and the Role of Non-government Actors. This research aims to understand the mechanisms underlying Shanghai’s early-adoption success by examining the roles of different actors in this socio-technical transformation. Another project in energy space is to understand the role of Chinese cities in an energy transition towards hydrogen. The study evaluates these cities' ambitions and capabilities, the efficacy of their policies, and the dynamics of inter-city collaboration.

Peng is currently working on an ARC linkage project named Accelerating zero-emission vehicle adoption in Australian cities. The goal of this research is to devise strategic policy mixes and sequences to inform policymakers in the development, adjustment, and implementation of zero-emission vehicle adoption policies in Australian cities. Using Canberra as a case study, the project endeavors to integrate various stakeholder insights into the policy-making processes. Moreover, it delves into uncovering synergies and trade-offs among various policy objectives and actions, aiming to align policy targets and measures across time scales and sectors.

Please find more recent publications on Yuan Peng's google scholar profile.

Before starting her academic career, Yuan Peng had a diverse professional background, with roles as a policy consultant for climate policies withn local government. Additionally, she has industry experience, working as Business Development (BD), focusing on low-carbon solutions for urban infrastructure.