. NESP to train youths on clean energy
Victor Uzoho
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), has urged governments particularly in developing countries to integrate the provision of cleaner energy into decision-making and planning processes of adaptation projects.
The Agency believes that the role of reliable, affordable, and modern renewable energy services in climate adaptation are not widely acknowledged in policy making or practice, considering it promotes mitigation and reinforces adaptation efforts in other sectors synchronously.
The advices comes as the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), a technical assistance programme co-funded by the European Union and the German Government, has organised a summit for the member-institutions of the Training Partnership Network in preparation for the launch of the National Clean Energy Skills Certification for young professionals in Abuja.
IRENA, in a report published this month on: Bracing For Climate Impact: Renewables as a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, notes that such integration is important as “Many climate change adaptation strategies require considerable energy use.”
Building conceptual links between renewable energy and climate change adaptation, the report also illustrates the opportunity renewable energy provides for well-designed, effective, and comprehensive climate adaptation, as well as the benefits of renewables-based adaptation, highlighting some of the contributions of clean energy transitions to climate change adaptation.
The report obtained by Sustainable Economy, said: “The nature of renewable energy such as low carbon emissions, distributed energy solution, and multifunctionality places it in a unique position to address climate change adaptation.”
With specific examples, the report shows how renewables can prevent or mitigate negative climate change impacts in the sectors of water; food, agriculture, and forestry; natural disaster response; health; as well as oceans, coasts, and small islands.
NESP summit
The organisers of the Abuja summit said it was in fulfilment of NESP’s objective to bridge the skills gap in the renewable energy efficiency sector.
The nature of renewable energy such as low carbon emissions, distributed energy solution, and multi-functionality places it in a unique position to address climate change adaptation.
The summit focused on the structure of the certification framework presented by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), which will assume the role of independent certification body of renewable energy and energy efficiency skills in Nigeria.
The training partnership is being implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), a German agency in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Power. The partnership was created during the first phase of NESP in 2017, and currently comprises 20 training institutes across the country, offering courses on renewable energy efficiency.
Under the terms, COREN will create a public database of all qualified personnel with referenced projects.
Speaking at the summit yesterday, (Wednesday), the Registrar of COREN, Prof Joseph Odigure, said: “COREN is committed to its primary mandate of regulating the education and practice of Engineering in Nigeria – the future is renewable energy & energy efficiency.
“We are dedicated to our partners and stakeholders in this project of certification of competent professionals in line with the industry competency standards and world best practices for a greater Nigeria.”
Also commenting, the Head of Programme, NESP, Duke Benjamin, said the programme aims to establish a pool of locally-trained professionals who would harness the employment opportunities in the growing renewable energy market in Nigeria.
He also assured that “NESP will continue to support COREN in ensuring the sustainability of the certification process for qualified professionals in the renewable energy sector.”
Discussions at the summit focused on the processes of certification and re-certification of young professionals and accreditation for training partners.
Others are how to enhance the delivery of the courses that confer professional qualification relevant to the renewable energy/energy efficiency industry for market development and establishment of guidelines on further mentorship, coaching and technical support.
Furthermore, with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the certification scheme has incorporated a blended-learning approach towards training and adapted Computer-Based Testing (CBT) to complement the hands-on assessment during examinations.
The official launch of the National Clean Energy Skills Certification for young professionals is scheduled to hold before the year ends.
