Dr. Gur Mittelman

Introduction and Background: I hold a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Tel Aviv University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota. My expertise lies in thermal sciences, renewable energy, and energy systems. I have worked as an R&D engineer in several startup companies and served as Chief Performance Engineer at Shikun & Binui Renewable Energy, including the Ashalim solar thermal power plant. Currently, I am a full-time instructor at Afeka.

Current Research and Projects:

1. Agrivoltaics with solar spectral beam splitting: Collaborating with Tel Aviv University, Agricultural Research Organization, and North Carolina State University. With conventional photovoltaic panels installed above agricultural fields, inevitable damage to crop yield is often experienced. We are developing an approach that has the potential to minimize this negative effect while still producing a reasonable amount of solar electricity.
2. The transition of Israel to renewable electricity: Together with Dr. Moshe Tshuva, I lead a research group at Afeka focusing on shifting isolated grid regions such as Israel to renewable energy. Our holistic approach includes, among others, advanced plant performance analysis, and an in-house energy management model developed with experts from the field of operations research.
3. Energy supply to Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) systems: Together with Prof. Erel Avineri, we have developed a techno-economic model for energy consumption in full-scale PRT systems. This tool is designed to support urban planners and decision-makers.

Collaborations: I collaborate with researchers from other institutions and within Afeka, including Dr. Yossi Luzon and Dr. Ohad Eisenhändler from the School of Industrial Engineering; Prof. Erel Avineri, Head of the Energy and Electric Power Systems Engineering Program and Dan Hermann, Head of the Automotive Engineering Program.

Interdisciplinary collaboration is vital in all of my projects.

Innovation and Problem-Solving: I strongly implement a multi-disciplinary approach.

Emerging Technologies: Agrivoltaics is a very rich, demanding, and fascinating area. I stay updated mainly through scientific journals and conferences.

Career Advice: Develop a broad range of skills and stay open to multidisciplinary knowledge.

Challenges in Engineering: Mentorship is essential. Leadership qualities like vision and collaboration are crucial in senior engineering roles.