The Sustainable Energy Financing Project (SEFP) is a stand-alone project that aims to significantly increase the adoption and use of renewable energy technologies in the Pacific Islands. The project began in 2007, and will be implemented over ten years. It is financed through a $10.78 million ($US9.48 million) grant from the Global Environment Fund (GEF), a firm that manages private equity dedicated to clean technology, emerging markets, and sustainable forestry.

The mind behind the SEFP plans is Geoff Stapleton, Managing Director of Global Sustainable Energy Solutions Pty Ltd (GSES) and certified master trainer through the Institute of Sustainable Power (ISP), an international body that accredits and certifies renewable energy training programs and trainers.

The project is implemented across five countries in the Pacific region, namely Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Marshall Islands. The World Bank is responsible for supervising the projects in the first three of these countries, while International Finance Corporation (IFC) oversees the latter two.

GSES was contracted to provide advice on system design and products for the projects in the Solomon Islands, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, and to plan and conduct training for technicians throughout those islands.

Project planning – a local perspective

GSES approached the planning from a local perspective, visiting all three countries in 2008 to consult domestic industry representatives and identify potential training partners. The goal was not only to conduct single isolated training programs, but to focus on building capacity and internal frameworks so that future training could continue with local trainers.

Previous efforts in the region had primarily been made up of one-off training courses for particular projects, and the overwhelming opinion in the local industry was that training should be continuous, self-sustaining, and readily available.

Training – building on the Ghanian experience

With this at the forefront, GSES devised training plans with a recommended minimum of three training courses; the first would be conducted by a GSES trainer for a class made up of existing local industry technicians and those identified as potential future trainers.

The second would be presented by a GSES trainer with the assistance of local trainers, paying specific attention to ‘training the trainers’. Finally, local trainers would take the floor for the last session, with GSES trainers present if needed.

This was the same training model that had been successfully implemented at a Ghanian training centre, which now independently conducts at least eight training courses a year in the West African region.

Mr Stapleton finetuned a ten-day course for the Pacific islands to meet ISP standards, including theory and practical sessions, and assessing students through a combination of assignments, written examinations and one-on-one assessments.

The Solomon Islands

The course debuted in the Solomon Islands in February 2009. GSES trainer Stephen Garrett conducted training with 16 attendees from the local energy sector and the national department of energy. The trip also unearthed a potential future trainer with training premises – David Iro – and a number of additional potential trainers who will be invited to participate in the next stages of training in March 2010.

Papua New Guinea

Training subsequently began in Papua New Guinea in June 2009, which was conducted by Mr Stapleton and involved participants from industry, non-government organisations, Papua New Guinea Power, University of Technology (Unitech), and the Appropriate Technology and Community Development Institute (ATCDI). Unitech’s past involvement with renewable energy, particularly micro-hydro, made it an ideal venue for the first stage.

Garaio Gafiye of ATCDI has already agreed to attend the next phase, in 2010, at AT Projects, a non-government organisation in Goroka with a training facility and a close interest in solar.

Fiji

In Fiji, solar training was already incorporated tangentially into an auto electricians and car mechanics course at the Centre for Appropriate Development. The Training Productivity Authority Fiji (TPAF) had conducted solar courses and was planning to conduct more in the future, and the Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT) was looking to incorporate renewable training into their engineering courses. All three training hubs were invited to send attendees to an initial training course at the TPAF campus in Suva in September 2009.

While the Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands courses were limited to 16 attendees, the Fijian Department of Energy requested additional places, bringing the Fijian course total to 25, with a second course planned for May 2010.

Renewable energy association on the horizon for the Pacific

Feedback from all the courses has been overwhelmingly positive, especially from industry groups and attendees. As always, the focus of the courses remains on building capacity in the Pacific. To this end GSES is working in partnership with IT Power to develop a Renewable Energy Industry Association in Papua New Guinea.

The future for renewables outside of these three nations is also flush with potential and enthusiasm, and local feedback has highlighted the pressing need for an industry body that covers the Pacific. This prompted GSES to apply to the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership for funding support for a Pacific Sustainable Energy Industry Association, and the introduction of a technician’s accreditation program.