Port Blair, May 31: In a bid to promote sustainable development and accelerate the adoption of renewable energy solutions in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a comprehensive two-day training program on renewable energy for the Officers of Electricity Department was conducted successfully in Port Blair. The training program was organized under United States Agency for International Development (USAID) South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP) program in collaboration with the Electricity Department, A&N Administration. The workshop brought together more than 30 Officers of Electricity Department.
The workshop aimed to enhance the technical knowledge and skills of participants in various aspects of renewable energy project assessment, design, deployment, and operations with deep focus on proliferation of rooftop solar. Key sessions included in-depth discussions on policy frameworks, technological advancements, and implementation strategies tailored to Andaman’s unique energy landscape.
Inaugurating the workshop, Ms. Ranjana Deswal, Secretary (Power), A&N Administration emphasized the Government's commitment to achieve 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. She highlighted that the Administration is working on deployment of advance technologies for clean energy transition and energy security in the Islands and capacity-building initiatives like this workshop are crucial in empowering our workforce with the necessary expertise to drive this transition.
Shri Divyanshu Jha, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy detailed the recently launched PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana that aims at installing rooftop solar and providing free electricity up to 300 units every month for one crore households. He highlighted that the scheme will play a pivotal role in greening the islands.
Ms. Madhuri Shukla, Superintending Engineer, Electricity Department impressed upon the need for increased deployment of rooftop solar and highlighted the importance of capacity building of consumers, installers and creating opportunities for entrepreneurship for scaling up rooftop solar uptake in Islands.
Expert speakers included Shri Atul Dhir, Shri Deepanker Bishnoi and Shri Himanshu Desai from USAID’s SAREP program who provided insights on RE technologies, business models, Innovative RE procurement mechanism and delved deeper into the role of utility officers and installers in ensuring optimum rooftop solar plant designing, conducting site assessment, with key focus on quality assurance and performance monitoring.
The closing ceremony was marked by the distribution of certificates to participants. This first in the series of workshops has set a benchmark for future training programs, reinforcing the importance of continuous learning and collaboration in the renewable energy sector. Participants expressed their appreciation for the comprehensive curriculum and subject areas covered during the training.