Programme to train future solar energy technicians

The solar skill development programme is named “Suryamitra”.file photo

In order to create more professionals in the field of solar energy, the Delhi government is conducting a three-month course to train those interested for free.

As part of the course, participants will be trained in installation, commissioning, and sales and service of renewable energy devices like solar water heaters, solar lights, etc.

The solar skill development programme, named “Suryamitra”, has been launched by the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Management Centre of the State’s Power Department and is funded by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. For Delhi, the Ministry has selected TERI (The Energy Research Institute) to conduct the programme.

The course started on Monday and the first batch includes 30 students who will be trained for 600 hours, including 100 hours of soft and entrepreneurship skill.

“Suryamitra course aims to train and develop skilled technicians for solar system installations. A laudable effort to improve employability of technicians, the program will help in creating jobs and improving quality of solar systems,” said Shirish Garud, director, energy-environment technology development division, TERI.

The Gurgaon-based National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), an autonomous institute under the Ministry, has plans to launch a mobile application to provide users information about technicians who will attend to bookings made by them. These technicians will comprise of Suryamitras, who are currently being trained in various States under the Centre’s flagship programme.

The main curriculum of the course is as per the National Council of Vocational Training (NCVT)-approved module V. The training programme is a residential one that includes early morning physical exercise like yoga. The first hour of the day is utilised for classroom lectures, whereas practical hours are utilised for hands-on exercise in lab sites, experiments, classroom exercises, software simulations, if any, and industrial visits. Besides, motivational sessions will be also conducted once every two weeks, informed an official.