CIDER seminar focuses on wind energy
This solar recharging station was built by CNFL after participating in a CIDER renewable energy seminar.
From August 25-26, the Center for Research and Development in Renewable Energies (CIDER) provided a Wind Energy Seminar dedicated to promoting renewable energy competencies in Central America.
The Wind Energy seminar is the fourth in a series of seminars sponsored by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Guatemala and will continue throughout 2014 and 2015. The previous seminars included Photovoltaic Energy, Renewable Energy for Rural Communities and Introduction to Renewable Energy.
Dr. Mildred Linkimer, administrator and teacher at the Renewable Energy Laboratory, states, “The seminars are focused on practical training, which is complemented by theory. You ‘learn by doing’ in a center with a large variety of cutting edge equipment and a team of highly trained professors.”
“Without a doubt, the classes provide participants with a high level of knowledge about renewable energies,” comments Iván Montes, project coordinator and engineer at the Electric Transportation Department of the National Power and Light Company (CNFL) of Costa Rica.
A real-life example of how participants are applying what they learn at CIDER’s seminars is the recent construction of the first-ever solar charging station for electric vehicles at CNFL. The station, which can charge eight vehicles at a time, is part of CNFL’s ongoing efforts to reduce fossil fuel dependency and contribute to the nation’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2021.
There are three more seminars scheduled for September and October 2014, and they will focus on Solar Energy, Micro-hydroelectric and Renewable Energy. The topics for the 2015 seminars are currently being defined.
