Bahman Abbasi
Lead Inventor and CEO, Espiku
Bahman Abbasi joins the Breakthrough Energys Fellows program from Espiku Inc. in Bend, Oregon. As Espiku’s lead inventor and CEO, Bahman draws from his experience in industry, government, and academia to bring viable, competitive technologies to market. With a background in mechanical engineering, thermal-fluid sciences, and transport phenomena, Bahman has conceived thermally driven technologies that extract clean water and mineral-rich brines from produced water and continental brines.
Espiku’s technology concentrates lithium-containing brines, which enables extraction at a low cost and with minimal environmental impact. The thermal process produces only clean water, solid salts, and a concentrated lithium stream for battery-grade extraction. It has the potential to enable new sources of lithium for Li-ion batteries, as well as produce clean water and other valuable minerals which are vital for electrification of the energy sector.
Inspired by his love for high deserts and mountains, Bahman is dedicated to safeguarding water in regions where it is most scarce and where extractive industries are expanding. He holds Master’s and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville and the University of Maryland, respectively. His career includes roles at General Electric and as a Technical Advisor to the US Department of Energy, where he helped manage multimillion-dollar projects in thermal systems and net-zero water technologies. He is currently an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Oregon State University.
Q&A
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
The world is full of nay-sayers and pessimists. Persevere and be the one to show them what is possible.
What is the most impactful book that you have read?
“The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World’s Greatest Philosophers” by Will Durant. I enjoyed learning about the “history of thought” and how worldviews have progressed over time. The book held invaluable lessons on how to form one’s own philosophy and direction in life.
Share a fun fact about yourself
Gregory Hines is my favorite tap dancer.