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• South African RE Context

• SARETEC Overview

• Training Courses & Qualifications

• Collaboration

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The Department of Energy’s (DoE) integrated resource plan

of 2010 (IRP2010) commits and authorizes the DoE to sign

power purchase agreements (PPAs) for the procurement of

power from renewable energy sources among others.

SARETEC is to be part of a long term solution for the

provision and development of RE skills training - to ensure

that SA maximizes the benefits and also mitigates the risks

that emanate from RE investment in SA.

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Background

Integrated Resource Plan (2010) commits to 400MW/year to wind,

400MW/year to solar PV up to 2030 and 100MW/year to CSP up to 2025.

These resources are considered the major focus areas for SA in RE, however

other resources such as Bio-gas are being considered.

INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN FOR ELECTRICITY 2010-2030 Revision 2 FINAL REPORT

Green Economy Accord - signed in

2011 by government, business and

labour.

Goal: To create 300000 new jobs by

2020 - based on renewable energy

generation, energy efficiency, bio-fuel

production, manufacturing of

equipment to support "green”

projects, and natural resource

conservation and rehabilitation.

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SARETEC A national centre for training and education in renewable energy

(RE), located at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT),

Bellville campus .

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SARETEC will deliver:• Specialised technician training

• Tailored short courses

• Workshops and conferences

SARETEC aims to:• Form partnerships locally and abroad

• Support local and international sister centre’s

• Assist in establishing RE higher qualifications

• Facilitate Research

SARETEC has received:• Funding from Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) via National Skills Fund (NSF)

• Site donation by CPUT, Bellville campus

• Organisational support: CPUT, GIZ, WCG (GreenCape), SANEDI, CIM & merSETA

• Considerable industry support! (Wind specifically)

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SARETEC has academic collaboration with:

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• To provide trained personnel for the RE industry

• To facilitate and accredit industry recognized

training and education for the RE industry in South

Africa

• To generate industry and South African accredited

qualifications for RE training and education

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Located at the

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Bellville Campus

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SARETEC will showcase the use of renewable energy and energy

efficient design in a “green” building.

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Ground Floor

Composite,

Hydraulics and

Solar/Electrical

labsTower (20m)

Classrooms

Lecture

Theatre (100)

Student Centre

Workshop

Turbine Hall

Energy

Management and

Marketing

Display

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Focus areas South Africa

• Wind

• Solar PV & Thermal

• Bio-gas

• Micro-hydro

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Main infrastructure need:

• Wind

• Solar

Long term development:

• Bio-gas

• Micro-hydro

April 2013 MoU Nordex/CPUT/GIZ

March 2013 Design brief

2012 Site on CPUT

May 2013 DHET Funding

May 2013 first Technician Training in Germany

June 2013 Member of SAWEA

May 2013 Nordex donated 2.5 MW Turbine

August 2013 Train the Trainer Training in Germany

February 2014 second Technician Training

September 2012 Study tour Germany

July 2015 Opening

June 2013 MoA UNI Stellenbosch

April 2013 Advisory Board

SARETEC Milestones

2014 Construction

• Wind Turbine Service Technician – QCTO process – NQF

5 - registration with SAQA expected April 2016.

• merSETA – QCTO – SAQA – Standards (SANS 61400)

• Solar Photovoltaic Service Technician – QCTO process –

NQF 5 - registration with SAQA

• RE Masters programme - CPUT RE Master Programme

Qualifications and programs

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Dr Manfred Dutschke

General and Further Education and Training

Sub-Framework (GFETQSF) including the TVET

NCV program (educational emphasis) NQF

level 1 to 4

Quality assurance Occupational Qualifications Sub-

Framework (OQSF) NQF level 1 to 6

Quality assurance for Occupational

Qualifications Sub-Framework (OQSF)

NQF level 5 to 10

Framework levels

The NQF is organised as a series of levels of learning achievement, arranged in

ascending order from one to ten. Each level on the NQF is described by a

statement of learning achievement known as Level Descriptors.

Sub-Frameworks

The NQF is a single integrated system which comprises of three co-ordinated

qualifications Sub-Frameworks. These are:

General and Further Education and Training Sub-Framework (GFETQSF)

The Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF)

The Occupational Qualifications Sub-Framework (OQSF)

http://www.saqa.org.za/

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The Sub-Frameworks have qualifications registered at the

following NQF levels:

GFETQSF - levels 1 to 4;

HEQSF - levels 5 to 10;

OQSF - levels 1 to 6. For NQF levels 7 and 8 the Quality Council

for Trades and Occupations can motivate for a qualification

only in collaboration with a recognised professional body and

the Council on Higher Education, in a process co-ordinated by

SAQA.

requests development of occupational qualification/ curriculum

merSETA as the Quality

Development Partner

develops the

curriculum

Supported the

development process of

Wind Turbine Service

Technician and PV Solar

Farm Service Technician

Qualifications

Issues SAQA ID number

and publishes the QCTO

format qualifiction on

their web page

SECTION 2: OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE

1. Occupational Purpose

The Photovoltaic (PV) Service Technician does a number of things to ensure

optimum operation (power) generation of a solar installation.

They perform maintenance (preventative, scheduled, unscheduled) on PV systems

in compliance with Department of Energy and related

regulations, isolate the PV system (in the case of a PV farm this is done with

authorisation obtained from the plant controller); perform fault finding (trouble-

shooting), identify deficiencies; analyse information, carry out maintenance,

repair (including removing and replacing components), and find solutions to a

range of problems.

A Solar Photovoltaic Service Technician may be employed either at a

photovoltaic farm or at stand-alone PV installations. Hence, there is the

1. Photovoltaic (PV) Service Technician (PV Farm)

2. Photovoltaic (PV) Service Technician (Stand-Alone Installation).

3. Photovoltaic Installer

4. Photovoltaic Mounter

A Solar Photovoltaic Installer liaises with clients, conducts a site visit, obtains

and analyses data, designs or customises or compiles a PV system, selects the

appropriate components, installs, commissions and tests a PV system for

functionality.

A Solar Photovoltaic Mounter mounts pre-designed PV systems according to

instructions from either a PV Installer or PV Designer.

These four occupations are part qualifications within the Solar Photovoltaic

Technician qualification. Each part qualification can be done independently

of the others.

2. RATIONALE

The drive to harness and exploit renewable energy is gaining huge

momentum in South Africa. A number of solar PV farms and roof-top

installations have been installed across the country and these require Solar

PV service technicians to maintain, service and repair them, if need be.

This qualification will provide a number of employment opportunities to

qualified electricians and non-electricians. The electricians will complete

the qualification in a much shorter time since the qualification contains a

large number of electrician-related competencies.

Typical learners are school leavers and FET college graduates (all of whom

must have mathematics). These PV service technicians will either be

employed on solar PV farms or companies that install and maintain solar

PV installations. Those with an entrepreneurial drive may establish their

own businesses and create employment for others.

The work of solar PV service technicians is critical to the economy through

the provision of services.

3. PURPOSE

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Solar

Photovoltaic Service Technician

The PV Service Technician does a number of things to ensure optimum

operation (power) generation of a

solar PV system. They perform maintenance (preventative, scheduled,

unscheduled) on PV systems; do fault finding (trouble-shooting), identify

deficiencies and problems, analyse information, repair, remove and replace

PV system components and find solutions to a range of problems.

The PV Service Technician will work either on solar PV farms or on roof-top

installations; the latter is expected to become very significant and popular as

South Africans realise the benefits of renewable energy and PV systems

become more affordable. It must be noted that these two sites require

slightly different competencies in the case of some components of a PV

system like transformers and inverters. In addition, tracking systems in PV

systems are gaining in popularity slowly and may be encountered by learners

in some work environments. This qualification does provide for these

differences in the PV environment.

A qualified learner will be able to:

Plan and prepare for maintaining, testing, diagnosing, repairing and replacing PV

system electrical and mechanical components

Inspect, test, diagnose, replace and maintain PV panels

Inspect, test, diagnose, repair, replace and maintain inverters in PV systems

Inspect, test, diagnose, replace and maintain batteries and charge controllers and

repair charge controllers in PV systems

Inspect, test, diagnose, repair, replace and maintain transformers in PV systems

Inspect, test, diagnose, repair, replace and maintain cables, cable inter-connections,

smart boxes, PV junction/string boxes, string diodes, connectors and fuses in PV

systems

Inspect, test, diagnose, repair, replace and maintain switchgear and control gear in PV

systems

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES AND ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Exit Level Outcome 1

The ability to provide the correct answers to a range of questions formulated so as to

assess factual, conceptual and procedural knowledge of: health and safety; electrical

and electronic theory, components and principles of operation; power plant basics,

power conditioning and control; protection systems, low voltage protection and

lightning protection; PV systems, maintenance and troubleshooting of PV systems (20%)

Exit Level Outcome 2

The ability to maintain, test, diagnose and replace PV panels (13%)

Exit Level Outcome 3

The ability to maintain, test, diagnose and repair and replace inverters. (10%)

Exit Level Outcome 4

The ability to maintain, test, diagnose and repair and replace transformers.

(5%)

Exit Level Outcome 5

The ability to Inspect, test, diagnose, maintain and replace batteries in PV

systems (13%)

Exit Level Outcome 6

The ability to maintain, test, diagnose and replace cables, cable inter-

connections, smart boxes, PV junction/string boxes, string diodes, connectors

and fuses. (13%)

Exit Level Outcome 7

The ability to maintain, test, diagnose and repair or replace charge

controllers. (13%)

Exit Level Outcome 8

The ability to maintain, test, diagnose, repair and replace switchgear and

control gear. (13%)

Knowledge Modules 126

Practical Skill Modules 91

Work Experience Modules 91

Knowledge Modules

Practical Skill Modules

Work Experience Modules

Will provide for the PV Solar Farm Technician QCTO format

Training in co-operation with IPP‘s and ESKOM