The Energy Center (TEC) has completed two training sessions in Solar Energy Technologies for a total of 17 participants from National Energy Institutions and other Higher Educational Institutions. 

The courses comprised a 2-week session (23 January – 03 February, 2012) in Solar Thermal Power Technologies and a 1-week session (6 – 10 February, 2012) in Installation and Monitoring of Grid-Connected Solar PV Systems. 

The training sessions were sponsored by the World Bank under the Solar Capacity Upgrading Project (SolarCUP), being implemented by The Energy Center, KNUST and the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. 

The first session, which was on Solar Thermal Power Technologies, was led by Mr Emmanuel Ramde of the Mechanical Engineering Department at KNUST, and Dr Yao Azoumah of 2iE. Participants were taken inter alia, through the sizing and analysis of various low-temperature Solar Thermal Systems as well as Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies. 

The second session which was on the Installation and Monitoring of Grid-Connected PV Systems, was led by Dr David Anipa of the Computer Engineering Department of KNUST, who is also a Solar PV expert; and Mr Ahmed Bagre of 2iE. Participants had the opportunity to use a newly installed 20 kWp system during the training. The course included, introduction to inverter technology, sizing and simulation of grid-connected PV systems, etc 

The courses were packaged from the Center’s MSc. programme in Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs), and are intended to be a continuing professional development programme, particularly for staff of national energy institutions. 

The Coordinator of Short Courses, Mr David Ato Quansah and Director of the Center, Prof Abeeku Brew-Hammond, took turns to brief the participants on various initiatives over the years to build national and sub-regional capacity in Renewable Energy Technologies, as well as other activities of The Energy Center. 

Institutions represented at the training included:

• Volta River Authority (VRA),

• Energy Commission, 

• Ministry of Energy, 

• Wa Polytechnic, 

• Tamale Polytechnic,

• Bolgatanga Polytechnic, and

• Other private participants 

For information on other short courses available, click here.