Ni's hometown is Zhenhai District, Ningbo, Zhejiang province.
Ni was transferred to the Bauman Moscow State Technical University of USSR and graduated in 1957.
[citation needed] Ni is a professor at energy department of Tsinghua University.
[1] Ni is a senior academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
Ni is also a leader and senior advisor of energy strategy, technology, policy for Chinese government.