Chilean President Recognizes SEI’s Technical Solar PV Training Efforts in
Posted by: chris
October 17, 2014
Solar Energy International’s (SEI) Spanish Program has officially concluded it’s most recent training program in Atacama, Chile. Chilean President, Michelle Bachelet, US Ambassador to Chile, Michael Hammer, Ministry of Energy Máximo Pacheco, Senator Isabel Allende, First Solar’s Chief Commercial Officer, Joseph Kishkill, and many other representatives from the private and public sector attended First Solar’s inauguration of what will become Latin America’s largest PV plant to be build in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
An important aspect of First Solar’s initiatives in Chile has been the training of a local workforce in order to prepare young people for what promises to become one of the fastest growing PV markets in the world. Chile has recently approved a net metering law and over 6GW of PV which is now in the permitting process pipeline. Most of this PV capacity is to be built in Atacama.
In December of 2013, First Solar contacted SEI to provide a training program in Spanish and today 42 Chilean students have finished FV101 and FV201L level trainings. This educational opportunity culminated with the installation of a 1.7 kW PV system built on the roof of a local public school. The students that completed FV201L have now been hired by the company HEC, the contractor building the 140MW PV plant for First Solar.
During the ceremony, Chilean President Bachelet recognized the success of the SEI training program accomplishments achieved. She went on to thank First Solar for their support to further technical education in the region. She requested additional details about the First Solar and SEI training program and expressed interest to expand the experience to other regions within the country.
SEI’s Spanish Program Director, Daniel Gonzalez, met with President Bachelet during the event to provide her with greater details about SEI and discussed ways to continue this successful experience for the benefit of the country’s youth and future clean energy workforce. Gonzalez said, “The recent training accomplishments in Chile reflects SEI’s real commitment to quality of education and commitment to the communities we serve. This opportunity has allowed this great organization to build an outstanding reputation at all levels, both nationally and internationally. President Bachelet’s praise for the outcome of SEI’s solar training program in Chile truly honors what this organization works so hard for, which is to provide the best training available in the industry today.”
SEI instructors Brad Burkhartzmeyer, Mike Sullivan and Juan Livingstone did an outstanding job teaching the technical training sessions with crucial support from Spanish Program Manager, Matthew Harris.
From Left: US Counselor for Commercial Affairs Ellen Lenny-Pessagno, US Ambassador to Chile Michael Hammer and SEI’s Daniel Gonzalez
President of Chile Michelle Bachelet and SEI’s Daniel Gonzalez
SEI instructors and chilean students after completion of FV201L
PV system installed by chilean students during FV201L
US Ambassador to Chile Michael Hammer visits with students trained by SEI in Atacama.
Add new comment
