Solar Training for Technicians

Overview

Local technicians need to be trained at different levels, the tasks they need to be able to do after the training is to install the system and assist the user to repair the system when a problem arisses.

This article is divided in 2 parts, at the beginning it present ideas to prepare a technical solar training and then it shows examples of existing trainings.

Tips to Prepare a Trainning

Deppending on the targget group the trainning can be desing more technical and specialized.

It is important to have a clear objevtive of what

Suggested Modules for the Theoretical Training

1. Solar PV systems, general description
2. Concepts of Physics
3. Terminology and basic concepts of electricity
4. PV System Components:
   • PV Module
   • Battery
   • Battery charge controller
   • Inverter
   • Appliances

1. Design of PV Systems
   • PV array
   • Battery bank
   • Wiring

1. Maintenance
2. Troubleshooting and repair

Suggested Modules for the Practical Training

1. Security Measures
2. Working tools and materials
3. Electrical Installations
4. Measurement instruments
5. Connection of PV Systems

Training	Author/Language	Description
Solar PV systems Technical Training Manual	Herbert A Wade Unesco English Year 2003	Text document 123 pages Level: Medium-Advanced Well organized manual and friendly with the reader. Detailed explanation with many graphs and examples. Cover the modules suggested.
Handbook ver2g fullset.pdf SHS Handbook	Japan International Cooperation Agency in co-operration with the department of energy of Zimbabwe.	Text document 110 pages Level: Medium-Advanced Created after the experience of rural electrification projects in Zimbabwe. Clear explanation of how to install a SHS system.

Further Information

Specific producers offer also information about their products

• Fosera installation and operation manual for PSHS

Training Offers

This are some examples of existing trainings in the market. The taregget group, location and price are very diverse.

• Barefoot college, focus exclusively on training illiterate or semi-literate middle aged women, who are mothers and grandmothers between 35 and 60, from villages all over the world.
• Solar energy international, offers solar electric and solar thermal curses in English and Spanish.
• Renewables Academy, Renac. offers open trainnings, tailormade trainings and online trainning in German, English and Spanish.
• Solar trainning institute, from basic to advanced courses for the desing and instalation of PV systems.
  

Further Information

• Solar training materials
  
• Clean Energy Qualifications in Nigeria: Handbooks and Syllabus & Teacher’s Reference (2017)