Proiect cofinantat din Fondul Social European prin Programul Operational Capital Uman 2014-2020
Conference – Petrosani 28.09.2021
"RenewAcad - Academy for Counseling and Professional Training for Renewable Energy Sources!"
Romania is committed to ambitious energy and climate plans. Harnessing the country's clean natural resources is the inevitable evolution, driving change. The importance of a fair and equitable energy transition and the role of professional reconversion in opening new horizons are among the main objectives of our initiative.
The growth of the renewable energy industry, with storage technologies and systems based on green hydrogen, is a certainty. Attracting investments and production chains generate economic growth for Romania, which could become a regional industrial force in the energy sector. RenewAcad is the first professional training project in Southeast Europe, providing two training centers in Constanta and Petrosani, where new technicians and specialists will be trained for the renewable energy industry.
Project Presentation
-
RenewAcad - Academy for Counseling and Professional Training for Renewable Energy Sources" SMIS Code 135238.
The project is co-financed by the European Social Fund through the Human Capital Operational Program 2014-2020, under financing contract POCU/726/6/12/135238.
Project implementation period: March 26, 2021 - March 25, 2023 - Project Presentation
Conference – Targu Jiu 24.05.2022
-
The event aims primarily to present the project to the target group and inform participants about the opportunities offered by the renewable energy industry. One of the objectives of the "RenewAcad - Academy for Counseling and Professional Training for Renewable Energy Sources" project is to retrain employees from areas affected by the energy transition, miners, and personnel from the Romanian coal sector to become specialists in the field of renewable energy and electricity distribution. The project has a major strategic dimension at the European, national, and sectoral levels. It falls within the priorities of the National Strategy for Lifelong Learning and the Strategy for Education and Vocational Training in Romania for the period 2016-2020, proposing specific measures and actions in line with these two strategies. An added relevance is provided by the priority provision of services to a target group originating from fields and occupations that will face drastic declines in demand and market disappearance, directing them towards future, sustainable, and modern domains, aligning with pivot measures in the European energy transition process. The project has been welcomed by the European Commission's Platform for Coal Regions in Transition and is part of the endeavors of the solar and wind industries to identify the best solutions and ideas for Romania to become a winner of the energy transition and, especially, a beneficiary of the equity of this process.
It is worth mentioning that representatives of renewable energy investors in the area, representatives of the Romanian Wind Energy Association (RWEA), the Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association (RPIA), as well as representatives of the local community and organizations from the Western Region were also invited to the "RenewAcad - Academy for Counseling and Professional Training for Renewable Energy Sources" conference.
Visit to Mireasa Wind Farm – Wind Open Day 15.06.2022
-
Within the RenewAcad project, students from the Politehnica University of Bucharest had the opportunity to participate in a special visit to the Mireasa wind farm.
This memorable experience allowed them to directly explore the operations and technologies behind wind energy production. Their interactions with specialized technicians brought an additional level of understanding and appreciation for this dynamic and vital field of renewable energy.
Conference – Arad 29.03.2023
- Wind Power Energy S.R.L., through the Renewable Energy School of Skills (RESS), the largest training center for renewable sources in Southeast Europe, has the distinct honor of presenting the project to the target group and informing participants about the opportunities offered by the renewable energy industry. One of the objectives of the "RenewAcad - Academy for Counseling and Professional Training for Renewable Energy Sources" project is to retrain employees from areas affected by the energy transition, including miners and personnel from the Romanian coal sector, to become specialists in the field of renewable energy and electricity distribution. An added relevance is brought by the priority provision of services to a target group originating from fields and occupations that will face drastic declines in demand and market disappearance, directing them towards future, sustainable, and modern domains, aligning with pivotal measures in the European energy transition process. The project has been welcomed by the European Commission's Coal Regions in Transition Platform and is part of the efforts of the solar and wind industries to identify the best solutions and ideas for Romania to become a winner of the energy transition and especially a beneficiary of the equity of this process.
Conference – Constanta 14.06.2023
-
Perspectives of the Renewable Energy Industry in Romania (2023-2030)
At the conference, the perspectives for the development of the renewable energy industry in Romania for the period 2023-2030 were discussed. Among the topics addressed, it was highlighted that several new wind and photovoltaic power plants will be under construction throughout the country, in addition to the approximately 4800 MW already operational.
Representatives of electricity distribution companies estimated an increase of over 100% in the number of prosumers, reaching a record number of 100,000 prosumers by December 2023. According to industry estimates, between 2023 and 2030, an average of 600 MW to 1000 MW per year of wind and photovoltaic power plants will be constructed. Statistics show that to design and build these capacities, more than 15,000 new jobs will be needed. These jobs can largely be provided through extensive training and retraining programs, such as the RENEWACAD program.
WIND POWER ENERGY SRL launched the implementation of the RenewAcad project - Academy for Counseling and Professional Training for Renewable Energy Sources, SMIS Code 135238, in 2019 together with RWEA (Romanian Wind Energy Association) and the Ministry of Energy. The project was co-financed by the European Social Fund through the Human Capital Operational Program 2014-2020, under the financing contract POCU/726/6/12/135238, and was successfully completed in the fall of 2023.
The results achieved following the implementation of the project were as follows:
- » 778 people received support for participating in Continuous Professional Training
- » 777 people were certified after completing courses within the project
- » 269 people found employment in the renewable energy industry as a result of the support received
- » 70 people enrolled in training courses upon ending their participation in the project
RenewAcad - Academy for Counseling and Professional Training for Renewable Energy Sources is intended for all interested individuals, particularly miners/former miners from the Jiu Valley and beyond. It was specifically created to ensure:
- » The energy transition is successful, just, and equitable for the entire society
- » The responsibility to secure a future for communities dependent on mining activities
- » The modernization of the economies of regions dependent on coal mining activities
- » Adaptation to structural and technological changes
The project aligns with the specific measures of a fair energy transition.
The wind and photovoltaic industries in Romania are committed to contributing to a just energy transition and propose ambitious training and professional retraining projects for people from areas dependent on coal energy production and beyond (the Jiu Valley, the Oltenia basin, and other counties where renewable energy is developing).
Building on the experience accumulated over more than eight years through the Monsson - RESS (Renewable Energy School of Skills) training centers in Constanța, Petroșani, Rovinari, and Arad, the largest professional training network for renewable sources in Romania has been established. During the courses, the focus is on the retraining of technicians and specialists in wind, photovoltaic, and electricity distribution sectors.
The technical and professional skills of technicians from the mining sector, as well as employees from other industries, are easily transferable to the renewable energy sector and electricity distribution. The certifications obtained through training and retraining courses will enable them to work in the installation, operation, and maintenance of renewable projects and electrical networks worldwide, with attractive salary benefits.
The development of the renewable energy sector is not possible without the modernization and development of the electricity distribution sector, and the demand for workforce in this field in Romania is one of the key points this initiative aims to address. To support miners and other employees in the project areas (Central, North-East, South-East, South-West Oltenia, West), professional training and retraining centers for professionals in this field will be established in Târgu Jiu and Craiova.
According to European statistics and trends, the installed capacity of renewables doubles every year, creating an immediate, medium, and long-term need for the training of new specialists. The RENEWACAD initiative has trained approximately 10,000 people to international standards (as a member of GWO - GWO-Global Wind Organisation), a number that includes those required by standards to return for annual training in certain specializations. These specialists now ensure the maintenance of not only the 3000 MW installed in wind energy in Romania but also abroad, developing a new concept and term, wind navigators. Over 95% of renewable energy specialists—predominantly in wind energy—in Romania work on a project basis abroad and return to Romania monthly, generating incomes well above the average of the areas they come from.
Project Supporters
RWEA
RWEA is the main organization in Romania that supports and promotes renewable energy, especially wind energy, aiming to achieve the transition towards a low-carbon future and sustainable development of the economy.
RWEA members include successful companies from Romania and abroad across the entire electricity production chain, bringing together owners and operators of wind farms, turbine and equipment manufacturers, developers, consulting firms, or law firms.
RPIA
The Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association - RPIA was established in March 2012 with the aim of representing the interests of this rapidly growing industry in Romania, to raise awareness and create an appropriate development and networking environment for potential investors.
In less than three years, the association has brought together under its umbrella significant companies active in the Romanian PV market.
PATRES
PATRES began its activity in 2014. The members of the organization are energy producers from the entire spectrum of renewables - solar, wind, hydro, and biomass.
Through its activities and initiatives, PATRES will defend, promote, and support the rights of its members. PATRES aims to be the "voice" of renewable energy producers and a dialogue partner for authorities.
Universitatea din Petrosani
With a strong academic tradition and with the prestige it enjoys both nationally and internationally, the University of Petrosani today provides the necessary conditions for its students to acquire high qualifications in many diverse fields, offering education in all forms.
Professional training of specialists is conducted within three faculties: the Faculty of Mining, the Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and the Faculty of Sciences.
Professional Training in the Renewable Industry
A comprehensive and concrete plan for entering the job market
