BayWa r.e. Solar Trade has partnered with New Energy Academy, to offer training modules for solar industry professionals in the Philippines – a partnership that is the first of its kind between a globally renowned renewable energy company in the Philippines and an international educational institute.
New Energy Academy (NEA) is an educational platform offering training and qualification for solar professionals through technical and business training, hands-on practical experience, and access to solar design & sales software.
Commenting on the partnership, Junrhey Castro, Managing Director, BayWa r.e. Solar Trade said: “The solar industry is wide, diverse and growing, and we want to be a part of the process in upskilling the technical know-how of installers. In driving the transition to renewable energy in the Philippines, we need to arm our professionals with adequate skills and knowledge such as keeping them up to date on the rapidly changing technology in the solar industry, while ensuring that they know the correct protocols for safe design and installation.”
The partnership will see NEA and BayWa r.e. leveraging combined skills and resources to develop and roll out certification programs for businesses and applied technologies in the renewable energy sector. This will include the upskilling of rooftop solar installers and EPCs (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Companies) in the Philippines.
“With the solar industry growing, we noticed a need for the continual education and upskilling of solar professionals in our line of work, distributing and servicing inverters, solar modules, including the installation and commissioning of projects, large and small. As an industry, we need to make sure that there is proper certification for installers, with the government ensuring there are certification procedures in the qualification of solar installations. We hope our partnership will pave the way for these procedures. This is the perfect opportunity to not only help our customers, but also help accelerate the development of the solar industry in the Philippines”, Mr Castro said.
As part of the program, BayWa r.e. Solar Trade and NEA will conduct online training modules over a duration of eight weeks. The partnership will also conduct workshops throughout the country to better enable solar professionals with the right skills needed for their business capabilities, while encouraging engineering students to learn about solar, get into the industry, and adopt the exciting new technologies on offer.
“BayWa r.e. Solar Trade is committed to the solar industry for the long-term. We are confident that we will be able to bring out expertise to the table to uplift the solar industry and bring like-minded individuals to benefit the Philippines’ energy transition,” added Junrhey.
Brenda Valerio, Country Manager, NEA Philippines said: “We are excited to onboard BayWa r.e. Solar Trade on our journey to accelerate the growth of trained talent and professionals. This will contribute greatly to the rapid growth of the solar, storage, and other distributed energy solutions in the global high-growth energy markets. This is part of our strategy to support a greater energy transition in these markets.”
“We are looking forward to what the future holds for the Philippines’ solar industry and are confident that it will continue to grow from here,” she added.