Senior Lecturer
- Locations
- Room 521
- Phone numbers
-
7812 (Office)
64 3 479 7812 (Office Direct Dial)
- arjan.abeynaike@otago.ac.nz
- Research Group
- https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/fuels/
Biography
My undergraduate degree from University of Auckland was in Chemical Engineering.
In 2011 I completed a PhD on biodiesel production at the University of Cambridge.
Following this, I worked as a chemical engineer at a BP research centre and petrochemical plant, and as a safety/risk consultant in Hong Kong. I also taught an undergraduate programme in New Energy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen).
I returned to New Zealand in 2022, when I joined the Department of Physics as a senior lecturer, teaching in the Energy Science and Technology programme.
Research interests
I work on processes that improve the sustainability of energy and materials.
Sustainable fuels: Developing truly sustainable fuels remains a major challenge. Biofuels, e-fuels, hydrogen and ammonia have attracted significant attention, but it is unclear whether they make sense from energy, environmental and economic perspectives. I am developing assessments to objectively compare the relative benefits of sustainable fuels.
Sustainable materials: I am looking into methods for processing wastes that are difficult to treat, such as electronic waste, food waste, biomedical waste, clothing and composite materials.
Current teaching
EMAN201 Thermoprocesses 1
EMAN204 Renewable Energy Technologies
EMAN405 Energy Practice