Courses in Solar Power Technology

By Jane Omara

A cornwall energy company is offering free training courses to local tradespeople to fill a skills gap.

Renewable energy specialist Capture Energy, based in Redruth, is holding free training sessions to give plumbers, heating engineers and other tradespeople a grounding in solar power technology.

The company says the Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership forecasts a shortage of specialist engineers to deal with the increasing interest in renewable energies like solar and wind power.

A recent report for sustainable energy agency Regen SW has found the renewable energy industry contributes pounds215 million to the South West’s economy, up from pounds34 million in 2005.

The next course, which takes place in Redruth on April 30, will be led by Capture Energy technical director Nathan Billings, one of the UK’s first renewable energy graduates.

More free training sessions in different technologies will take place in the coming months.

Mr Billings said: "Homeowners and businesses across the country are waking up to the fact that they can save money and the environment by fitting renewable energy technologies to their property.

"Tradespeople who gain the skills and knowledge now to carry out this work will be ideally placed to take advantage of this massive market.

"We are not claiming that a free three-hour session will provide the depth of theoretical knowledge that, for example, I gained on a three-year university course, or the extensive practical experience I have gained since then in business.

"However, practical training, which doesn’t patronise, will help make sure that tradespeople are not making fundamental mistakes and risking the reputation of the renewable energy industry."

The free training session will focus on hot water solar power and those attending will find out about the components used, types of panels available, how to calculate the size of the system needed and the types of properties the technology suits.

Capture Energy has installed projects including solar panels, wind turbines, heating systems using wood pellets and other sustainable systems in homes and businesses around the South West.

Tim German, director of the Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership, said: "A renewable energy skills shortage may hamper our ability to cut carbon emissions, and will force the price of installations up.

"It is important to encourage the highest quality installations of low and zero-carbon technologies in order to gain the confidence of local householders and businesses.

"Capture Energy is part of a growing industry in Cornwall, and we applaud its efforts to provide free basic training to tradespeople who are already proficient in plumbing and heating."

To book a free place, visit the website www.capture-energy.co.uk/ trade/training or call 01209 716 861.

(c) 2008 Western Morning News, The Plymouth (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.