CVE/881
Strengthening the regional positioning of the Center for Renewable Energy and Industrial Maintenance of Cabo Verde

The project for the strengthening of the regional establishment of the Center for Renewable Energies and Industrial Maintenance (CERMI) is part of the 2016 Annual Action Programme for West Africa, funded by the 11th European Development Fund. The Action Programme, entitled "Development of the Energy Sector Governance in West Africa", is itself part of the UN's Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 (SE4All).

The programme aims to:

• ensure universal access to modern energy services;
• double energy efficiency in order to reduce total energy consumption;
• double the share of renewable energies in the global energy mix.

The first component of the project CVE/881 is to set up and implement training of trainer plans in the different fields related to the development of renewable energies and energy efficiency. This includes the creation of specific training modules and the training of trainers from the 16 West African countries covered by the action. The training will be delivered at CERMI. This should also allow the development of private sector capacities and the penetration of good practices in the region.

The second component aims to accompany the transformation of CERMI into a regional skills center in view of the quality of its infrastructures and its equipment. This activity will also include seeking partnerships with international technical institutions for increased sustainability.

The main beneficiaries of the action are:

• the CERMI, whose profile will evolve towards a reference regional competency center and its trainers who will have their skills reinforced;
• the institutions and organisations with which CERMI will sign partnership agreements;
• professionals in renewable energy / energy efficiency and industrial maintenance sector from the public and private sectors or from civil society, who wish to complete their training, become trainers and thus participate in the effort to multiply their skills.

Latest news

• CABO VERDE - Strengthening bonds and partnerships in the ECOWAS region for the sake of vocational training on renewable energy

  Published on 1 April 2020    By Virginia MULAS   

  The Centre for Renewable Energy and Industrial Maintenance of Cabo Verde (CERMI) aims at positioning itself in the countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Mauritania, as a leading vocational training centre on renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE). To achieve this objective, it relies on funding from the European Union, and technical and operational support from LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency.

  The project

  The project CVE/881 - "Strengthening the regional positioning of the CERMI" - carried-out in the framework of the EU regional programme to improve governance of the energy sector in West Africa - AGoSE- AO, funded by the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), has two main components:

  • the conception and implementation of regional training of trainers’ programmes in the ECOWAS region plus Mauritania;
  • supporting CERMI’s process to become a vocational training centre of excellence for the RE and EE in the region.

  In order to materialise this second ambition, the project team together with CERMI has put in place several key instruments:

  • a regional marketing plan for CERMI was elaborated in early 2019. The recommendations included in the action plan have been carried out in order to guide CERMI to disseminate at best its training offers and services. The plan was largely taken into account during the various prospection missions realised in the ECOWAS region;
  • the restructuring of CERMI’s website http://cermicv.com/, adjusted to the new context and regional dimension, launched in February 2019, aiming at becoming a dynamic communication platform in three languages: English, French and Portuguese. The website is a powerful tool to divulgate communication material and is capable of hosting an e-learning platform to share the regional training programmes, in cooperation with the University Jean Piaget of Cabo Verde;
  • prospection missions, carried out in all ECOWAS countries plus Mauritania, to allow CERMI to get acquainted with its homologues regional institutions and promoting its training offers and services.

  Photo 1 - CERMI's website 

  Enhancing regional ties

  Thanks to this strategy and mainly through the ad-hoc missions, CERMI is so far a well-known and reputable reference institution within the region, having developed solid bonds with training institutions operating in the sector of RE and vocational training.

  Indeed, the various missions to the ECOWAS countries and Mauritania have proved to be extremely useful for the dissemination of CERMI and its potential, opening new horizons in terms of future cooperation with counterparts in the region. It allowed the members of the CERMI’s Board of Directors to get acquainted with each country’s context and reality, thus facilitating the identification of the target groups and specific training needs.

  

  Photo 2- visit to the École supérieure des métiers des énergies renouvelables (ESMER), Bénin

  To be pointed out, among the 2019 missions to nine ECOWAS countries, from April 2019, to Benin and Togo, followed by the mission to Ivory Coast and Guinea Conakry, Mali and Niger, Nigeria and Ghana and finally Mauritania in December 2019, CERMI also took part in the “ECOWAS Sustainable Energy forum”, organised by Ecowas Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) and its partners in Accra, October 2019. This was a remarkable opportunity which brought together hundreds of experts, companies and research institutions to promote sustainable energy initiatives in the ECOWAS. In addition to the different thematic workshops, the forum organised an exhibition, thus allowing institutions and companies to present their products and services. CERMI had its stand at the exhibition which provided the Centre with great visibility during the event. CERMI’s PCA, Mr Luis Teixeira, also participated in one of the forum's panels “Development of local capacity for the implementation of RE projects”. It was also a great opportunity to establish new contacts, taking into account the dimension and diversity of the actors attending the event.

  

  Photo 3- the Cabo Verdean delegation at the Accra's Forum

  As a result of strengthening key partnerships among regional institutions, was pointed out the involvement of trainers from regional training partners in some of the training sessions at CERMI. This was the case of Mr. Francis Semporé, professor at the 2IE (Burkina Faso) who led the French version of the EE training of trainers. He also participated in some missions due to his vast knowledge and network in the region. His colleague, Mr. Edem N’Tsoukpoe also led the French version of the solar thermal training of trainers.

  Building-up future partnerships

  In Mauritania for instance, the CERMI representative, Mr Luis Pina, and LuxDev project Manager, Mr Jansenio Delgado, visited the “École des métiers SOMELEC”, a vocational training school led by the Mauritanian national utility company, SOMELEC, also responsible for the operation of all major ER systems in the country.

  

  Photo 4- visit to the “École des métiers SOMELEC” in Mauritania, with its Director Mr Sidi Mohamed Ahmed

  The school deals with the training of employees in the areas of production, transport and distribution of energy. However, due to the major investments already implemented and planned in the RE sector, solar photovoltaic and wind power, the school has been considering implementing training programmes in RE. Thanks to the prospection mission, the school’s Director showed great interest in a new partnership with CERMI and welcomed the possibility of a south-south cooperation, leveraging the resources, human and material, that already exist in neighbouring countries.

  

  Photo 5 - Mr Luís Pina, Executive Director of CERMI, and Mr Jansenio Delgado, Project Manager in Mauritania

  What’s next?

  Since the beginning of the project, CERMI provided training to more than 100 trainers and technicians from all ECOWAS countries and Mauritania, leading to the strengthening of technical skills in various areas such as solar photovoltaic, EE, and solar thermal, providing bilingual training sessions in English and French.

  In the second half of 2020, upon this unexpected break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, being the region free of health risks and following the eventual re-establishing of regional flights, we plan on giving continuity to enhance these networks and pursuing the training programmes. Five new training sessions (bilingual, French and English) on bio-energy and pedagogical training have been foreseen to be held in Cabo Verde and in the region. Considering that CERMI is not yet sufficiently equipped to ensure bioenergy practical training, bioenergy training will be delivered in partnership with regional training institutions with proven experience on this technology. Pedagogical training will be given at CERMI facilities or will be hosted by regional partner institutions to be identified, most likely in Benin or Burkina Faso.  

• CABO VERDE - Vocation régionale du CERMI: préparer les formateurs d’Afrique de l’Ouest pour accélérer la transition énergétique !

  Published on 15 January 2020    By Virginia Mulas   

  Contexte 

  Le Projet de renforcement de l'ancrage régional du Centre pour l’Énergie Renouvelable et la Maintenance Industrielle (CERMI) - CVE/881, conformément au programme régional d’Amélioration de la Gouvernance du Secteur Énergétique en Afrique de l'Ouest - AGoSE-AO financé par le 11ème Fonds européen de développement (FED), comporte deux grands volets :

  • le développement et la mise en œuvre d'un programme régional de formation de formateurs ; et
  • le soutien au CERMI dans son processus de transformation en Centre de Compétences Régional pour les énergies renouvelables et l'efficacité énergétique.

  Le CERMI ambitionne de se positionner dans les pays de la Communauté Economique des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) comme centre de référence. Pour atteindre cet objectif, il compte sur le financement de l’Union Européenne et l’appui technique et opérationnel de l’Agence Luxembourgeoise pour la Coopération au Développement (LuxDev).

  La formation au CERMI  

  La formation des formateurs des pays de la CEDEAO dans les différentes technologies prioritaires de la transition est un des éléments essentiels pour la réalisation de l’ambition régionale du CERMI.

  Avec l’appui du projet CVE/881, le CERMI a déjà organisé, jusqu'à présent, six sessions de formation au bénéfice de 81 formateurs, dont 11 femmes, provenant de tous les pays de la CEDEAO et de la Mauritanie. 

  Les technologies couvertes sont : 

  • le solaire photovoltaïque ; 
  • l’efficience énergétique ; et 
  • le solaire thermique. 

  Les sessions de formations ouvertes à l’ensemble des pays de la CEDEAO sont dispensées en français ou en anglais.

  Participants à la formation de formateurs en efficience énergétique (version EN) – juillet 2019

  La formation m'a rassuré sur la méthodologie. Je vais maintenant être capable de réaliser des audits énergétiques avec une meilleure compréhension des nouvelles approches pour m'aider à m’améliorer.

  Témoignage anonyme extrait des fiches d’évaluations des formations

  
  Visite d’étude de l’installation solaire thermique pour le chauffage de l’eau à l’Hôpital Central de Praia «Agostinho Neto» (Formation en solaire thermique -décembre 2019)

  L’intérêt pour les différentes formations a augmenté considérablement au cours de l’année 2019 : alors que nous recevions environ 60 candidatures par session, nous en recevons actuellement 365 pour 20 postes disponibles pour chaque formation ! Ce succès est le fruit du renforcement de la stratégie de communication du CERMI également à travers son nouveau site web http://cermicv.com/, opérationnel dans les trois langues de la CEDEAO. Il est devenu un outil efficace de promotion de l’offre formative du CERMI aux niveaux national et régional. 

  Remise de certificats de la formation en efficience énergétique « Training of trainers on energy efficiency » - juillet 2019 (Le Représentant Résident de Cabo Verde avec un participant)

  Par ailleurs, les missions prospectives menées par le CERMI et l´équipe du projet dans la CEDEAO contribuent à :

  • établir des partenariats avec les institutions de formation d’Afrique de l’Ouest ;
  • asseoir la renommée de la qualité des services du CERMI ; et 
  • approfondir les connaissances du CERMI sur la réalité énergétique de chaque pays.

  Intervention d’une diplômée de la formation, Mme Awodiji Olukemi Roseline du Nigeria, partageant des feedbacks sur la formation 

   

  Vision globale et défis pour le futur 

  Depuis son démarrage en 2018, le projet enregistre des résultats positifs et tangibles dans le renforcement de capacités du CERMI comme centre de formation de référence dans les domaines des énergies renouvelables (ER) et de l’efficience énergétique (EE). 

  Le lien régional se consolide au fur et à mesure. En témoigne la récente nomination au poste de formateur principal en efficience énergétique, de Monsieur Francis Sempore, un resortissant burkinabè ayant lui-même participé à une formation au CERMI.

  Ce genre d’initiative contribue à valoriser les techniciens de la Région qui connaissent déjà très bien le contexte énergétique de l’Afrique de l’Ouest et ses défis.  

  La consolidation des échanges, des pratiques, des contacts et des relations humaines entre le CERMI et ses institutions partenaires de la CEDEAO constituent un élément crucial pour la durabilité des effets du projet.   

  Photo de famille de la formation anglophone en solaire photovoltaïque (équipe de projet, participants et formateur)

  Le projet continue de prêter une attention spéciale à la promotion de l'équilibre homme/femme dans la réalisation des formations, en encourageant fortement les candidatures féminines et en incluant cet aspect dans la communication et la divulgation de l’offre formative, tout en tenant compte de la situation qui caractérise le secteur énergétique à l’échelle régionale et globale.