HOME > Seminar reports > Environment Management > Seminars related to solar-power generation NEDO Seminar related to technical specialists of renewable energies (Sep.- Oct., 2013)

Seminars related to solar-power generation NEDO Seminar related to technical specialists of renewable energies (Sep.- Oct., 2013)

A joint effort with NEDO and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), this was a seminar to nurture technical specialists in renewable energies in emerging and developing countries. It was held for 17 days from Sept. 25 to Oct. 11 for 38 participants from 27 countries. The seminar program mainly involved the technical acquisition for solar-generated power and was conducted in the three locations of Abu Dhabi, Tokyo and Osaka. Our team of instructors came thanks to the kind cooperation of mainly manufacturers of solar batteries and panels, electric power companies, construction and other companies associated with solar power generation that have congregated in the Kansai region. Both classroom and practical study took place on project planning, design, business feasibility evaluation, design of solar-power generation systems, construction, trials, operation and maintenance.

Seminars related to solar-power generation NEDO Seminar related to technical specialists of renewable energies

Enegate (smart grids)

Enegate manufactures smart meters. KEPCO has the highest introduction rate of smart meters in Japan. So the seminar participants were deeply impressed by having the company president himself give a lecture.

Enegate (smart grids)

Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) (Sakai Port Solar Power Generation Plant)

Kansai Electric Power owns a 10,000 kW mega solar power generation plant at Sakai Port. It is compiling required data on the effects on the power supply by large-scale solar power generation, and it is researching how output fluctuation of large volumes of introduced solar power production can be minimized as an effect on the grid, even by small amounts.

Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) (Sakai Port Solar Power Generation Plant)

Kinden Corp. (practical training)

Kinden owns a school, called Kinden Gakuen, specializing in education for the training of company employees. Regarding solar power generation, Kinden provides self-study for planning, actual assembly and other programs for 1M-class mega solar power aimed at company employees. For this seminar, the company kindly gave a lecture that was basically in line with its curriculum.

Kinden Corp. (practical training)

Goda Ltd. (construction of rooftop solar batteries)

Goda is a construction company for rooftop solar batteries. It also educates the employees of competing construction companies, although it receives payment for this. The company educates the employees of other companies in the broad view that solar power production will never develop if its technologies don’t improve or if solar power fails to gain people’s trust. Many of the seminar participants will also educate human resources after returning to their home countries, and they seemed to have gained knowledge that will be indispensible for the promotion of solar energy.

Goda Ltd. (construction of rooftop solar batteries)

Panasonic Center Tokyo (home energy management systems)

At Panasonic Center Tokyo, the participants inspected and learned about home energy management systems, which are the ultimate in eco-systems that include solar power generation.

Panasonic Center Tokyo (home energy management systems)

Sharp Corp. (production line inspection)

In addition to allowing us to inspect its production lines, Sharp also provided us with an explanation of refrigerators incorporating solar power. The seminar participants were surprised to find out that the company’s production lines are fully automated, with humans totally absent.

Sharp Corp. (production line inspection)

Wanting countries to understand the special features of solar power generation and to install systems suited to their countries’ conditions

Introducing solar power generation in large volumes is a difficult task, even for advanced countries, due to the high costs. Yet this energy can be competitive in locations far from the power grid when comparisons are made of the costs of laying power transmission cables. Therefore, we would like people to understand this special feature of solar energy and to install systems in forms that suit the conditions of their countries.

Koichi Kitamura, Senior Director and Secretary-General

Seminar summary

Participants 38 people, including technical experts involved in renewable-energy businesses, and those involved in project planning, planning and finance procurement, from 27 countries20 people from the private sector, such as electric power and construction companies18 people from administrative organizations, etc. 
(India, Bangladesh, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, UAE, Fiji, Samoa, Mongolia, Uruguay, Nicaragua, Kenya, Morocco, Djibouti, Gambia, Niger, Senegal, Sudan, Tunisia, Togo, Sierra Leone, Swaziland)