The fact that Paraguay has solar radiation of 1,725 kWh/m2 and approximately 300 clear days per year are encouraging data, as they reveal the potential for the development of sunlight in our country, an affordable and renewable energy source that offers economic and environmental advantages over to the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for climate change.
Aware of the benefits of converting sunlight into electricity to generate photovoltaic solar energy, the Paraguayan-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK) in conjunction with the German Development Cooperation (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GIZ), has trained, as part of the Training Project in Photovoltaic Systems, to 22 technicians, teachers and students of specialties such as Electricity, Electrotechnics, Mechatronics and Environmental Engineering from all over the country.
Attended by 50% female technicians, participants received a 40-hour certified instruction during the training called Solar PV Installer Training. In these face-to-face sessions, held from August 1 to 5, they had access to highly efficient technology for learning, such as virtual reality glasses that served as support in the development of the central topics: solar energy, its opportunities and applications, in addition to the management and installation of solar panels with the aim of promoting a more sustainable model in their communities and in the region.
“I knew about virtual reality glasses, but I didn’t know the things that can be done with them, it was very interesting. It would also be useful to go to Germany to do different types of training and then apply that in Paraguay”, commented Silvio Insfrán, Electromechanics student at the Dr. Pedro P. Peña College in Coronel Oviedo.
TECHNICAL TRAINING AND FEMALE PARTICIPATION
With the participation of technicians and students, we were able to “provide an addition to their training and strengthen cooperation ties for the benefit of the country’s development,” explained Marion Gottmann, manager of Professional Training at AHK Paraguay, an institution that seeks to strengthen economic relations. and technical cooperation between Germany and Paraguay for more than six decades. Part of this cooperation includes professional training aimed at skills that the Paraguayan market requires in sectors such as energy, logistics, transportation and sustainability.
“It is not easy to access training of this type. We are learning a new and innovative technology that is in the process of being introduced into our country,” said Sebastián Romero, an engineer and teacher at the Carlos Antonio López Vocational Technical College, who took part in the training.
One of the objectives of this project, as part of its strategy to include the female workforce in the technical labor market, was to achieve at least 40% participation by women who wanted to develop and expand their knowledge in this field, a challenge that was met with 50% attendance of interested students, teachers and technicians.
Gisselle Granada, environmental engineer and teacher at the Salesian Technical School, highlighted the opportunity for women to access projects of this type of education, since “usually technical work, especially installation work, is almost exclusive to men”, he pointed.
