Photovoltaic water pumping systems installer training: a partnership experience between the university and São Francisco hydroelectric power plant

A broad demonstration process of photovoltaic solar technology for the powering of rural areas lacking power and water supply is currently being developed in Brazil. Due to the severe and problematic drought that now impacts an extensive area of Brazil, particularly the northeast region, compromising agriculture and with a more serious consequence affecting water supply for human and animal consumption, emergency actions to mitigate these conditions are being undertaken. For this purpose, the Program for Energy Development in States and Municipalities (PRODEEM) aims to install approximately 800 photovoltaic water pumping systems, of which approximately 236 by mid 1999. The massive process of installation and maintenance of these systems, requires skilled technical staff. In order to accomplish such a broad program, the universities play a key role: the training of human resources. The Group of Research on Alternative Sources of Energy of the Federal University of Pernambuco (FAE/UFPE Group) has a long tradition on human resource training on solar energy, and it was invited to participate in this process by teaching training courses to several groups of middle-level technicians. Some 145 technicians, coming from several states of the northeast involved in the program were trained in only three weeks, after which they installed approximately 86% of the expected systems (225). The systems are now running in the communities. This paper provides a detailed report on the training process, on the course evaluation accomplished by the students, the difficulties and the logistic problems found, and the lessons learned.