SPC and COM-FSM Working Together on Renewable Energy Technologies

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (March 14, 2012) – The College of Micronesia-FSM and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) are working together to increase in-country capacity for renewable energy technologies in the FSM.

Besides providing access to renewable electricity, this partnership is focusing on ensuring the long-term sustainability of off-grid power generation systems through the training of qualified professionals. This effort is targeting the existing need for the maintenance of off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in the outer islands of the FSM. The training took place on February 20 – Mach 2, 2012, at the College’s Pohnpei Campus.

Two COM-FSM electrical instructors, Romino Victor and Cirilo Recana, were among the cohort of professionals undergoing training in order for them to incorporate the contents of the training into the existing COM-FSM electrical courses. As part of the planned capacity transfer, solar equipment will be transferred to the College along with training manuals and the skills obtained by the two instructors through the training.

The College will offer similar training sessions, as short-term (non-credit) training courses for interested individuals in the local communities. The long-term plan is to contribute to the establishment of a renewable energy associate’s degree at the College in the future.

The participants were trained on electrical skills relating to solar photovoltaic systems as well as programming of power electronics like charge controllers and inverters, while using the same equipment currently installed in the outer islands of Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap.

This is the second training that was delivered by Carsten Michelsen and Peter Konings from the Global Sustainable Energy Solutions in Micronesia on behalf of the North Pacific ACP Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Project (North REP), and funded by the European Union.