WECF training on renewable energy issues in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan
WECF trained 26 partners from the Caucasus and Central Asia on Energy
03.12.2008 | Regina Drexel and Anna Samwel
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From 10 –
14 November 25 WECF members and experts from Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Germany and the Netherlands gathered in the small town of Khoni in Western
Georgia to discuss and learn about Energy efficiency and Sustainable Energy
generation.
During the training excursions were undertaken to energy projects implemented by the Greens Movement of Georgia, Center for Social Development Akhaltsikhe, SEMA and Rural Communities Development Agency in the frame of the ELA project. Participants saw three biogas plants, three public solar warm water collectors and simple solar warm collectors at each of the Urine Diverting Dry toilets that the Greens Movement of Georgia had constructed.
Partners were able to exchange their knowledge and experience on biogas, solar warm water collectors, solar fruit dryers, solar greenhouses and house insulation during the workshops. Experts from Germany and the Netherlands on biogas, house insulation, energy efficiency and carbon credits gave valuable contributions.
The last day of the training a multi stakeholder seminar was organized which was attended by local, regional and national authorities as well as invited international organizations and scientists. The ministry of Energy opened the conference. Contributions were from WECF partners, German, Dutch and Georgian experts. Recommendations for the governments in the three South Caucasus countries were prepared during the training and presented during the official seminar.
The training was organized by WECF together with its partners Greens Movement of Georgia and was financially supported by the GTZ and the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety in the frame of the project “Support of climate protection via sustainable energy by training and capacity building of local partner NGOs in Caucasus and Central Asia and networking between them”.
WECF training on renewable energy issues in Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia
From 17 - 21 November about 45 WECF members and experts from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Germany and the Netherlands gathered in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to discuss and learn about Energy efficiency and Sustainable Energy generation.
The first two days of the training, a high level conference on energy issues was conducted in which German and local experts as well as local and national authorities and scientists from the participating countries and WECF members contributed with their knowledge and experience. The German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety also took part in the conference.
The following three days, various practical workshops on solar energy and energy efficiency were offered. Learning by doing was the motto of these three days. Experts from Germany on house insulation, energy efficiency and solar energy were contributing with their knowledge.
WECF partner company from Germany, Solar Partner Sued, trained local partners on the construction and installation of two demonstration solar collectors for warm water and room heating at two houses in a project area from WECF partner Habitat for Humanity Kyrgyzstan. One of these houses will function as demonstration center where people can ask questions. As preparation for the training in Kyrgyzstan, two members from WECF partner organisations Habitat for Humanity and BIOM had completed a three week internship at Solar Partner Sued, Kienberg, Germany, in October, 2008. These organisations have the big but grateful task now to adapt the Solar collector to local circumstances.
In several other workshops by WECF members, participants helped with the installation and construction of house insulation, construction of solar fruit driers and low-cost solar collectors (EMAS). Not only technologies were learned but also tools to bring the technologies to the communities, e.g. community involvement.Participants could choose workshops according to their interest. In between the workshops experts, scientists, representatives from NGO’s from all over Central Asia exchanged experiences and knowledge. Many participants indicated that they got new ideas for energy efficiency and renewable energy in their regions and will write them down in new proposals for the next years.
The activities were organized by WECF together with its partners UNISON and Habitat for Humanity.
Climate Protection via sustainable energy - supported by the Climate Protection Initiative
The two trainings in Central Asia and Caucasus were part of the project: “Support of climate protection via sustainable energy by training and capacity building of local partner NGOs in Caucasus and Central Asia and networking between them” financed by the GTZ and German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety, duration 02.10.2008 until 31.03.2009. In the frame of this project, 9 Caucasus partners will build capacities of their target communities on renewable energy and energy efficiency through trainings and demonstration projects. In Central Asia, several demonstration projects were implemented during and following the practical training activities in Bishkek.
WECF and its partners are preparing the three year follow up of this project. The aims of this project is that partners will be able to implement solutions to the problems that were identified and prioritised during the capacity building phase.
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