Renewable Energy Research,
Education and Training
at
The University of the South
Pacific
Atul Raturi
Sustainable Energy-Global
Indicators
Energy Intensity
(1990-2013)
Countries with RE
policies and
targets ( 2014)
Fiji- among 10 top countries in
terms of investment in RE relative
to GDP ( REN21- GSR2015)
RE Sector Jobs (2014)
RE Sector Jobs
“Difficult to Fill” RE occupations (ILO, 2011)
Wind energy
Project developers; service technicians; data analysts;
electrical, computer, mechanical and construction
engineers.
Solar energy
Photovoltaic and solar thermal system installers and
maintainers; building inspectors.
Hydropower
Electrical, and operations and maintenance engineers;
technicians; tradespersons; sustainability specialists.
Geothermal
Trainers; geothermal engineers.
Bioenergy
R&D and design engineers; service technician; trainers.
Needs Assessment
IRENA has identified the following key actions ( based on FAESP) for RE
development in the Pacific
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Strengthen institutional frameworks in the energy sector
Strengthen strategic energy planning
Strengthen policy and regulatory frameworks
Strengthen the collection and management of energy data
Assess and monitor renewable energy resource potentials
Assess grid stability for high shares of RE integration
Harmonise technical standards for implementation of RE technologies
Harmonisation of RE standards and certification systems for national and
regional deployment of RE
 Capacity Development in Sustainable Energy at all levels
 Develop bankable renewable projects
The USP
Striving to develop a well-trained cadre of
professionals for the Pacific region and beyond
12 Member Countries, 14 Campuses, ~27,000
students spread over 30 million sq.km
USP Strategic Plan
( 2013-18)
The overarching themes of the University’s activities
are Human Security and Sustainable Development.
Priority Areas
Learning and Teaching
Strategic Themes
Pacific cultures and societies
Student Support
Pacific Oceans and Natural Resources
Research and Internationalisation
Human Capacity Building and Leadership
Information and Communication Technologies
Environment, Sustainable Development and
Climate Change
Regional and Community Engagement
Our People
Economic Growth, Regional Cooperation and
Integration for Sustainable Pacific Economies
Governance, Management, Leadership and
ICT and the Knowledge Economy
Continuous Improvement.
Government, Public Policy and Social Cohesion
Renewable Energy
Programmes @USP
PG Programmes:
• PG Diploma in Renewable Energy
• Masters in Renewable Energy
(Engineering/Physics)
• Ph.D. in Renewable Energy
(Engineering/Physics)
UG Progarmmes:
• Undergraduate courses in Renewable Energy
Vocational Training
RE research @USP
Solar resource
Solar PV-standalone,
GC, EV charging
Wave power Assessment
Ocean Energy devices
Wind Power assessments
and turbines
Hybrid System Opimization
Standalone PV systems
Design and
performance Analysis
Solar Resource Analysis
Partial Shading Analysis,
Temperature effects
GCPV Systems
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USP/KOICA 45kW system
One of the first GCPV
systems in Fiji
Design and performance
Analysis
Grid Interaction studies
Banish the Kerosene Lamp
Project
• Testing and Characterization of Solar LED
lights
• Research on Microfinancing strategies
for solar lighting
Electric Vehicle Charging System
• Investigate the viability of Solar
Electric Vehicles in the PICs
Fabrication and Characterization
of Dye Sensitized Solar Cells
Gratzel Cells : Third Generation Solar cells that
mimic Photosynthesis. We use flower dyes as
sensitizers
Kalyanasundaram & Gratzel
Optimization and Analysis of
RE Systems
HOMER
Control system design for RE hybrid systems
Wave Energy Research
• Orbital motion driven small Savonius rotors
• OWC wave energy converters
• Other Technologies: OTEC, Tidal Power
Biofuels /Biomass Research
• CNO Blends
Development of Hybrid fuels with coconut oil as the main ingredient
for diesel engines.
• Ethanol from Cassava
Viability studies for using locally grown cassava varieties.
• W2E
• Biofuel Testing Laboratory
USP-FDOE collaboration - Regional accredited fuel test facility.
USP- KOICA Renewable
Energy Project
Funded under the East Asia Climate Change Partnership- 2 M
USD.
Three components :
1.
Renewable Energy assessment in all 12 USP member
countries and establishment of a Data Bank at USP.
2.
Renewable Energy Capacity Building in the USP
region.
3.
Establishment of a 45 kW grid-connected solar PV
system at the USP Laucala lower Campus and
development of a Renewable Energy Training Centre.
Project Period: 2010- 2013
R &D Areas
• Storage solutions: Pumped hydro, batteries etc.
• Grid stability studies with higher RE (Wind and solar)
penetration
• Smart Grids and Control systems
• Resource assessments and data analysis
• Biofuel, W2E
• Geothermal Energy
• Energy planning and modelling
• Establishment of a SE products testing laboratory
USP-KOICA Renewable Energy
Project: Capacity Building
• The project funded 8 regional students to undertake a
Master’s programme at USP. They are working on
renewable energy resources assessment in their respective
countries after spending initial 6 months (taking two
courses) at USP. The seven students registered are from
Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Vanuatu and Nauru.
• Development of a Renewable Energy Training Laboratory
– GCPV systems
• 3-days GCPV training workshop - September 2012
RE Competency standards
certification scheme
USP has joined hands with the Sustainable Energy Industry
Association of Pacific Islands ( SEIAPI),SPC and PPA to
develop competency standards and accreditation for RE
professionals ( designers and installers).
The scheme was officially launched during the Pacific rollout
of the International Year of Sustainable Energy held at USP in
2012.
USP/ASU VOCTEC Programme
USAID funded project: Train the Trainer and
Technician Regional workshops on PV systems.
12 PICs with USP oversight . More than 30 trainers
and 100 technicians have been trained so far.
RE Research and Training
Facilities
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RE resource assessment equipment
Dynamometer
Calorimeter
Wave Channel
Wind Tunnel
Solar PV characterization equipment
Solar PV training Systems
Biodiesel testing laboratory
Demonstration RE projects
USP Projects
• Project DIREKT (2010-13)
1.2 million Euro ACP-EU funded project (DIREKT- small Developing
Island Renewable Energy Knowledge and Technology transfer network):
Strengthening the Science and Technology of Renewable Energy Systems
in the PICs and other Small Island Countries.
• Project L3EAP (2013-16)
Life Long Learning for Energy Security: An ACP/EU EDULINK project that
will develop programmes of study and a pilot teaching module in energy
access, security and efficiency for universities and other tertiary
institutions.
Finally..
Trained Manpower is key to achieving the
goal of Sustainable Energy for All.
Applied research and appropriate technology
development/adaptation will play a crucial role
in building a sustainable future for the
Pacific Islands region. USP is pleased to be
able to assist the PICTS in their efforts.
Thank you for your attention
Clean Energy For All: It’s possible!