Training to Accelerate Solar Photovoltaic Deployment in Developing Countries

A NEDO-IRENA joint training programme, focusing on project development and implementation for solar photovoltaic (PV) energy, was launched in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The training programme aims to develop capacities for fast-growing renewable energy technologies in developing countries. Nearly 40 trainees from 27 countries, mainly developing nations, will participate in training sessions between 25 September and 11 October, in the UAE and Japan.

Facilitated by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and fully funded by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), the programme aims to share the proven experience of Japan in solar PV deployment with practitioners from the public and private sector. Offering a testimony of IRENA’s commitment to provide a platform for Member States, the training is expected to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and skills and sharing of best practices.

Participants of the NEDO-IRENA Joint Training Programme at the Opening Ceremony, which took place on 25 September, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Participants were introduced to the Masdar 10 MW Solar PV Power Plant, located in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi. The Power Plant is one of the largest in the region generating around 17,500 MWh of clean electricity per year and offsetting 15,000 tons of carbon emissions annually.

Background on the NEDO-IRENA Joint Training Programme

One of the major challenges for renewable energy technologies in developing countries is the lack of professionals with the required technical knowledge and practical implementation skills. Therefore, in order to accelerate the deployment and sustainable use of renewable energy, developing countries need to build their human capacity for project development and implementation, as well as for operating and maintaining renewable energy systems.

NEDO - Japan’s largest public research and development management organization - actively undertakes various projects worldwide aiming to address global energy issues and enhance Japanese industrial competitiveness. IRENA, the global intergovernmental agency mandated exclusively for renewable energy, promotes the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy worldwide.

The joint capacity-building initiative is the first programme under the Memorandum of Understanding concluded between NEDO and IRENA in January 2012 to promote collaborative activities for renewable energy deployment. A highly motivated group of 38 trainees, coming from 27 different countries, was selected competitively through the networks of NEDO and IRENA.

The programme will provide lectures by leading experts in the field, intensive hands-on training, and site visits, including to the 10 megawatt Masdar solar PV plant in Abu Dhabi as well as some Japanese solar PV manufacturers and power companies in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan.

The programme covers solar PV project planning; engineering, procurement and construction (EPC); and operation and maintenance (O&M). The trainees are expected to contribute to PV deployment, both in their respective countries and globally.

NEDO-IRENA Training for Solar Technicians: Participation by region and country