Ilja Pawel - Ilja Pawel - Energy Storage Advisor, Business Development

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Vienna, Austria

Check rate

Experience

Sep 2016 - Present

10 years

Vienna, Austria

Remote

Owner

Dr. Ilja Pawel Consulting

Technical due diligence
Energy storage business development
Investment advisory
Interim management

Aug 2011 - Jul 2016

5 years

Wiener Neudorf, Austria

On-site

Head of Projects

GILDEMEISTER Energy Storage GmbH

Worldwide customer project management and execution
Automating quotation generation
Defining product features
Managing orders
Executing flow battery projects (SmartRegion Pellworm 200kW/1600kWh; Gildemeister DMG Mori sites Bielefeld 200kW/400kWh, Winterthur 200kW/400kWh, Uljanowsk 130kWh, Tokio 130kWh; C&I sites in India, USA, Australia, South Africa 10-30kW per site)

Aug 2009 - Jul 2011

2 years

Vienna, Austria

On-site

Project Manager

HEI Solar Light GmbH

Product development
E-mobility charging infrastructure
Application for support

Jul 2008 - Mar 2009

9 months

Vienna, Austria

Hybrid

Consultant

EFS Unternehmensberatung GmbH

Implemented product data management for a German OEM

Jun 2005 - May 2008

3 years

Villach, Austria

On-site

PhD Candidate

Infineon Technologies AG

Device and process simulation of power MOSFET

Apr 2003 - May 2005

2 years 2 months

Ilmenau, Germany

On-site

Research Assistant

Technical University Ilmenau

Device simulation
Teaching undergraduate courses
Co-founder and shareholder of a start-up developing test and analysis equipment and processes, led the accounting department

Apr 2001 - Sep 2001

6 months

Melbourne, United States

On-site

Intern

Terion Inc.

Signal data processing and automation

Industry experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Energy, Professional Services, Manufacturing, Education, Automotive, and Information Technology.

Energy

Professional Services

Manufacturing

Education

Automotive

Information Technology

Business area experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Research and Development, Investments and M&A, Strategy, Product Development, Project Management, and Accounting.

Research and Development

Investments and M&A

Strategy

Product Development

Project Management

Accounting

Summary

Independent expert for energy storage. I support project developers and investors with transparent, economically sound investment decisions. My core areas: techno-economic assessments, risk and bankability analyses, and structured decision-making. When needed, I also take on operational responsibility as an interim manager. Keynote speaker on investment risks, market maturity, and the role of energy storage in resilient energy systems.

I am Ilja Pawel, an independent energy storage expert, and I help project developers and investors make well-founded and economically viable investment decisions. My work combines technical depth, financial clarity, and international project experience to reduce risks, sharpen business cases, and implement energy storage projects that are both financeable and operationally robust.

Companies work with me when they need answers to key questions:

Which storage technology fits technically and economically for the application?
What risks are hidden behind manufacturer data and system specifications?
How can degradation, OPEX, and performance be realistically modelled?
What makes a project financeable from the perspective of investors and insurers?
How can costly wrong decisions in early project phases be avoided?
How is a transparent investment decision structured?

I guide my clients through the decision-making process:

Techno-economic assessments (LCOS, scenario analyses)
Technology evaluation and maturity analyses
Safety, risk, and insurance assessments
Independent project reviews and due diligence support

I take on responsibilities beyond pure consulting. When operational leadership or implementation is needed, I step in as an interim manager to ensure that decisions not only look good on paper but are effectively executed. I stabilize projects, fill gaps, and support teams through complex implementation phases.

As a keynote speaker, I speak on investment risks, technology maturity levels, and the strategic role of energy storage. My talks bring clarity, challenge assumptions, and support informed decisions in an increasingly complex market environment.

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Spanish

Intermediate

Education

Oct 2003 - Jun 2010

TU Ilmenau

Ph.D. in Engineering · Electrical Engineering · Ilmenau, Germany

Oct 1997 - Jun 2002

TU Ilmenau

Diploma in Industrial Engineering and Management · Industrial Engineering and Management (Electrical Engineering) · Ilmenau, Germany

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 7

Experience in Energy 17 y

Avg length 3 y 3 m

Longest experience 9 y 11 m

Global experience

Countries worked in 3 (Austria, Germany, United States)

Primary country Austria

Expertise

Recent roles Owner, Head of Projects, Project Manager

Main industries Energy, Professional Services, Manufacturing

Main business areas Research and Development, Investments and M&A, Strategy

Qualifications

Highest degree Doctorate

Profile

Member since

February 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Have questions? Find more information here.

Ilja is based in Vienna, Austria and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.

Ilja speaks the following languages: German (Native), English (Advanced), Spanish (Intermediate).

Ilja has at least 23 years of experience. During this time, Ilja has worked in at least 7 different roles and for 7 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 3 months. Note that Ilja may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Based on recent experience, Ilja would be well-suited for roles such as: Owner, Head of Projects, Project Manager.

Ilja's most recent position is Owner at Dr. Ilja Pawel Consulting.

In recent years, Ilja has worked for Dr. Ilja Pawel Consulting.

Ilja is most experienced in industries like Energy, Professional Services, and Manufacturing. Ilja also has some experience in Education, Automotive, and Information Technology.

Ilja is most experienced in business areas like Research and Development, Investments and M&A, and Strategy. Ilja also has some experience in Product Development, Project Management, and Accounting.

Ilja has recently worked in industries like Energy and Professional Services.

Ilja has recently worked in business areas like Investments and M&A, Research and Development, and Strategy.

Ilja holds a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from TU Ilmenau and a Master in Industrial Engineering and Management (Electrical Engineering) from TU Ilmenau.

The availability of Ilja needs to be confirmed.

Daily rate distribution

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Daily rate avg. 814 €

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Median rate 800 €

The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.

Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 24 Aug 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.